Robert Laments Poor State of Africa’s Infrastructures

The founder of Zeetin Engineering, Azibaola Robert, has identified the slow pace of progress in indigenously-driven innovations in science and technology as being responsible for the sordid state of infrastructural development of African countries, and urged governments, engineers to demonstrate more seriousness in addressing the challenge.

He stated this while receiving award from the International Institute of Chartered Educational Practitioners (IICEP) for ‘Outstanding Performance in Innovation, Creativity and Economic Empowerment’, in Abuja on Tuesday.

“While the world is in the fifth and sixth industrial revolution stage, Africa is still at the first and second stage; and even at this level that we are, we have not shown high level of seriousness.

 Especially, not yet being able to make some basic things that we should be doing now at this level of revolution that we are,” said Robert, a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE).

Africa, he said, “must not be a ground for the exportation of raw materials only but also in the production of things that will add value to humanity. I believe that it is better for us to try and do things and fail rather than not trying at all.”

Robert said that the Black race was “yet to attain the respect and recognition that it deserves from the rest of the world because we are yet to outgrow certain level of life that it deserves in the globe.”

He decried beliefs and practices among Africans that do not engender, nor promote scientific and technological developments, because, “We still practice some beliefs that were practised about 400 to 500 years ago where people are tried for heresy because they have a contrary view about certain things which are different from the views of the religious leaders; where the countries that the world’s most populous religions originated from – e.g Israel and Saudi Arabia – have accepted science as a means to meet most of their needs rather than praying for God to do things they can do for themselves like the way it is done in Africa, then this tells us that we are still in the age of religion.”

As a social thinker, Robert thinks about the survival of the human race and the black race particularly and “how we can key into the global community as key players before the world gets to an end as both religion and science believe that the world will end one day. However, my concern majorly is what will be the black man’s contribution before the expiration of the time that we are here.”

He said that Nigerians, being the most populous black nation in the world, “it is our responsibility to show example by doing certain things with the use of technology as this will make Africans proud anywhere, they go as being part of those that are helping in the advancement of the world. Therefore, we need people with their thinking hats, people who with gloves and not politicians, we need people who will wear their helmets and are able to do things.”

The award “is to recognise and honour you for your outstanding performance in innovation, creativity and economic empowerment, because you deserve it,” says IICEP’s registrar and secretary of council, Professor Emeka Ikenga-Dennis, who led the delegation, while presenting Robert the award. “We are here to recognise your efforts, even to the extent of developing electric cars. You are by this recognition and honour now a Fellow of the Institute.”

Robert, a patron of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) assured IICEP of his willingness to assist in developing engineers. “And with what I am seeing in your institute, it is obvious that it is related to educating Nigerians and I believe it is geared towards the youths. I offer myself to mentoring those who want to make themselves assets in engineering sector.”

“Part of the things that you should do as an educational institute in Nigeria is to preach the gospel to upcoming youths that everything about life is not politics, dancing or singing on social media,” says Robert, who is also the founder of Zeetin Innovators Academy (a multipurpose training hub).

He advised Nigerian youths to properly channel their energies and utilise the opportunities provided by the social media technology to make meaningful impacts and gains on the society and the future by “sharing their crafts, or showcasing how young Africans are turning their garages into where they make things that are beneficial to mankind like it is been done in the rest of the world.”

Accepting the award, Robert thanked IICEP and said he was humbled and appreciated “that the little efforts we are making are being recognised.”