Celebrating the Life and Contributions of the World’s Third Revolution Scientist – Professor Amagh Nduka

A tribute to Professor Amagh Nduka, who died December 26, 2019 and will be laid to rest in his hometown on Saturday March 21, 2020.

Science has witnessed many monumental shifts in history. But only a few of these shifts can be called a revolution. For the record, three revolutions have been witnessed in science. The first is the Newtonian Revolution. It flourished from late 17^th Century to date and is based on the assumption that the speed of light is infinite and geometry, euclidean. The second, being the Einstenian Revolution, flourished from early 20^th Century to date and is based on the assumption that the speed of light is finite and geometry, pseudo-euclidean. It was expected that these theories should explain both causal and non-causal phenomena, but this was not so as both theories only explained causal phenomena. This then becomes apposite: what theory explains non-causal phenomena?

Within the first decade of the 21^st Century, Professor Amagh Nduka, world-renowned Professor of Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics, and former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, made a giant stride in science by creating a non-causal (chaotic) theory of natural phenomena called the Third Revolution Science. With this geometrical theory (quantum geometro-dynamics), Professor Amagh Nduka explained and constructed all of nature – including those things his colleagues and predecessors could not do for the past 200 years.

Come to think of it, who was Professor Amagh?

Born October 12 1942 in Amankalu, Igbere, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, he attended Igbere Primary School and Hope Waddle Training Institution (Calabar) for his primary and secondary school education respectively. And through an American scholarship, he proceeded to the Western world, where he obtained Bachelor of Science degree (University of California, Berkerly, 1965); Masters of Science (Stanford University, 1967), and Doctorate degree in physics, under the supervision of Physics Nobel Laureate – Professor Subramanyan Chandrasekhar (University of Chicago, 1971).

Professor Nduka, who could not stand the colour discrimination in the West, against the wish of his teachers and colleagues, returned to Nigeria in 1974. He joined the services of the University of Ife as a Senior Lecturer in Physics (1974-81) before transferring to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, as the Pioneer Professor in the Department of Physics and Mathematics. Some of his career experiences are summarized: Research Scientist, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, the Enrico Fermi Institute, Batavbia III USA (1970-71); Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign USA (1971-74); Senior Lecturer in Physics, University of Ife (1974-81); Member, Science Panel on Academic Standard in charge of Physics for the National Universities Commission (1980-85); Chief Moderator, Physics, Interim JAMB (1980-85); Professor of Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1981-2017); Dean, Postgraduate School, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1982-86); Visiting Senior Scientist, University of California, Berkley (1983); Visiting Senior Scientist, California Institute of Technology, Pasedena, California (1983); Visiting Senior Scientist, University of Chicago, Chicago III (1983); Visiting Senior Scientist, International Centre of Theoretical Physics, Triester, Italy (1982-83); Visiting Senior Scientist, Columbia University, New York (1985); Visiting Senior Scientist, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria (1985); Senior Traveling Fellow, Association of Commonwealth Universities (1985), and a host of others.

A former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1987-91), Professor Nduka held two professorships – one in Theoretical Physics and another in Applied Mathematics. He was a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Physics. In fact, he was among the first three Nigerians inducted into the Fellowship of this great institute in 1986. He was also a Member Emeritus of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and the American Physical Society (APS). He published in leading journals in Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics. In fact, two of his works published in Applied Mathematics (The Geometrical Theory of Science, November 2012 and The Neutrino Mass, February 2013) earned him the Google Scholar of the year for 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Professor Nduka was known for his many outstanding contributions to science. Most profound is his theory: The Geometrical (Absolute) Theory of Science. This theory is the Third Revolution Science, and explains (theoretically and mathematically) nuclear physics, atomic physics, boson physics, nuclear fusion, astrophysics and elementary particle physics – areas of physics which its theorization has since the 1920’s remained static. The theory also provides, for the first time ever, explanations to boson and fermio-boson physics – areas which have eluded physicists since the inception of physical enquiry.

He created an entirely new mathematics called discrete geometry or quantum mathematics, with which arsenal he made yet another striking contribution by giving a formal theoretical determination of the mass of the neutrino. He also invented another mathematics called the 4-operator mathematics – a formal and elegant mathematics that unifies the classical theories of Newton, Einstein, Lagrange and Hamilton via the invariant operator theory of classical physics.

In a paper The Geometrical Theory of the Structure of Nuclei, Atoms and Molecules published in Applied Mathematics (August 2014), Professor Nduka gave a formal theory to the treatment of many-electron atoms, an area where the available treatment methods, the Schrondinger and Dirac based approximation methods, have failed to yield correct results. With this, A. Nduka solved the riddle for which his colleagues in atomic, nuclear and particle physics could not.  As if that was not enough, Professor Nduka, in 2015 gave a formal theory of fusion, the well known but unrealized solution to the global energy challenge, and at the same time, showed that its occurrence on earth is responsible for global warming and earthquake – two of the most well-documented natural phenomena whose origins are yet to be fully understood. His perspective overwhelmingly flawed the claim of environmental scientists that change in the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration is the sole cause of global warming, but attributed ultra high energy machines, such as particle accelerators operating in the terra energy range, as the cause of global warming and incessant earthquakes of great vehemence. Such machines, according to him, serve as earth’s secondary source of energy and they are the drivers of ultra high energy nuclear reactions here on earth similar in magnitude to those occurring in the sun and stars.

Not tired of making contributions, Professor Nduka in a paper Magnetic Monopoles (Applied Mathematics, February 2017) solved a riddle that has lasted for almost 200 years. He disproved the conclusion that ordinary matter consists of electric charges (electric monopoles) and not magnetic charges (magnetic monopoles), and showed that magnetic monopoles exists in nature even though they cannot be isolated. He also went further in a paper Magnetic Monopoles and the Quantum Theory of Magnetism in Matter (Applied Mathematics, January 2018) to give a microscopic theory of magnetic substances – an issue of fundamental and technological importance.

Professor Amagh Nduka was a highly sought scientist. He chose to remain in this country because of the love he had for Nigeria. He also wanted to prove to the world that Africans are good, respective of where they are – be it in a Nigerian or American university. Another reason why Professor Nduka returned to Nigeria is that he wanted to make Nigeria a world superpower, and this was why he chose the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), as there was an ongoing nuclear project in the university at the time and the then Vice Chancellor was traveling all over the world scouting for knowledgeable and high skilled Nigerians in the area. Unfortunately, this project was abandoned by the Federal Government.

Nobel Prize or not, Professor Amagh Nduka was a very great scientist. In his area of interest in theoretical physics, he is the only black (not Nigerian or even American) in its frontiers. If you are in doubt, check the references in some of his papers. He was named among the “100 Astrophysicists in the World” even though only a fringe part of his work borders on astrophysics. While commenting on his contributions to science, he said, “If I were to be in the US, with all these things I’m doing here in Nigeria [referring to his works], I would have won three Nobel Prizes in Science”. The question is: why did this professor not win a Nobel Prize in science? The Royal Swedish Academy of Science owes Nigeria and Africa at large, some explanations.

An honest and transparent man, he was the Chair man of the Special Taskforce Committee on the Supervision of Federal Government Projects in the nation during the Ibrahim Babangida Led Military Administration. For some people, this would have been a platform for personal enrichment, but not for him. He was also highly apolitical, and many of his friends who later became politicians can tell better.er.

Retirement has never been for distinguished scientists. Distinguished professors do not retire! Their services are always in demand. It was based on this premise that Professor Amagh Nduka, after an illustrious teaching career at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, joined the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, as Professor of Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics. This was where he was until his death in December 26, 2019.

As we mourn his demise, we do so with the happy knowledge that he lived a fulfilled life and left lasting legacies that have put Nigeria on the world map in science. According to him, “What we have done puts Nigeria as number one in science [referring to his works and contributions], and I’m the only authority in the world in it”.

I bid you farewell – Professor Amagh Nduka. May your journey be smooth. Although you did not receive the necessary accolades and honours that should have accrued to you, but I have this consolation for you: posterity will admire you; posterity will establish your theories.

CHIGOZIE UBANI

Coordinator, Science Nigeria Lectures

And Chairman, Global Science Development Initiatives

Notables Quotes of Professor Amagh Nduka

These quotes are derived from the lectures, interviews and publications of Professor Amagh Nduka, and have been compiled by Chigozie Ubani in honour of this great intellectual, who died December 26, 2019 and will be laid to rest in his hometown on Saturday March 21, 2020.

“The science of the past had nature in the front seat and mathematics at the back seat, but the science of the 21^st Century and beyond has mathematics in the front seat and nature, at the back seat”.   

-   A. Nduka (2015). Science in the 21^st Century: What has Changed. Science Nigeria Lectures held June 17, 2015 at the University of Abuja.

“We are the pioneers of the future, with the aim of constructing a physical theory appropriate to both macroscopic and microscopic phenomena. The elements of our theory are: the intellect, non-classical mathematics (discrete geometry, partition and dimensionality theorems, 4-operators – all invented by us), and experiment.”

-       A. Nduka (2015). Science in the 21^st Century: What has Changed. Science Nigeria Lectures held June 17, 2015 at the University of Abuja.

“What we have done puts Nigeria as number one in science [referring to his works and contributions], and I’m the only authority in the world in it.”

-       A. Nduka (2015). Science in the 21^st Century: What has Changed. Science Nigeria Lectures held June 17, 2015 at the University of Abuja.

“There are only two laws through which the whole of nature can be unraveled. The first law, which is mathematical, is called the dimensionality theorem. This law states that every physical state is a partition of eight (8), and by partition we mean bits and pieces of primitive numbers that add up to 8. As such, the whole of nature is determined by number 8, and this number I call cosmic number 8. The second law is physical, and states that every physical state is electrically neutral. With these two laws, I have constructed all of nature, including those things my predecessors and colleagues could not do for the past 100 years”.

-       A. Nduka (2015). Science in the 21^st Century: What has Changed. Science Nigeria Lectures held June 17, 2015 at the University of Abuja.

Speaking at the Science Nigeria Lectures 2015, Professor Amagh Nduka reviewed physics in the last 3000 years, and categorized its development into four periods: period of antiquity, renaissance (intellect-driven period), machine-driven period, and the future. For the renaissance or intellect-driven period, Professor Amagh Nduka said:

“The second period is the renaissance period. This was the period when the ancient scientists wanted to understand the works of Greek philosophers in the period of antiquity. They wanted to understand mathematically the theory of motion. They wanted to understand mathematically the theory of electricity and magnetism. And within the same period, chemists discovered periodic table and periodic law. There were actually a lot of things to understand, and this period, I call the intellect-driven period. The giants of the period were Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and PAM Dirac. There were also others: JC Maxwell, Heisenberg and Schrondinger. This last three were good, but not very good scientists. This period recorded a lot of triumphs and came to an end by the work of Dirac, who studied the hydrogen atom to understand the empirical work of chemists that created the periodic table and the periodic law”.

On the third period, Professor Amagh Nduka had this to say:

“The third period began from 1930 to date. This period is the machine-driven period. It is the golden age of experimental physics, but the dark age of theoretical physics. The giants of this period brought in all sorts of things – guage theory, string theory, perturbation theory, and renormalization theory – just to give result for experiments. There is supposed to be symbiosis between experimental physics and theoretical physics, but because these people had no good mathematics, they could not do it. This was the kind of science that was done in the period. These people gave themselves Nobel Prizes (including one of my former students in the US), came up with theories such as quantum electrodynamics (QED), quantum flavordynamics (QFD), quantum chromodynamics (QCD), quark model, and standard model – all of which is rubbish”.

-       A. Nduka (2015). Science in the 21^st Century: What has Changed. Science Nigeria Lectures held June 17, 2015 at the University of Abuja.

“A quantitative estimate, however, shows that changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases make insignificant contribution to the observed global temperature rise. Alternatively, recalling that the earth absorbs a large quantity of energy per second from the sun, we infer, on the basis of thermodynamics, that the earth’s environment is a heat bath; hence, changes in the greenhouse gas concentrations cannot affect its temperature.”

-       A. Nduka (2015). The World Energy Challenge and Global Warming. Energy and Power Engineering 7: 105-109

“Einstein’s theory of general relativity (GTR) is not a theory of gravitation; hence its consequences, gravitational radiation, black holes, quantum gravity, etc. have nothing to do with physical reality! As a physical theory, GTR is a massive blunder, but as a geometrical theory of curved space-time, it is a thing of exquisite beauty.”

-       A. Nduka (2013). The Neutrino Mass. Applied Mathematics 4 : 310-313

“Our geometrical theory, called quantum geometro-dynamics, has enormous implications. Indeed almost all of the conventional microphysical theories are now for the trash can – It is a revolution!”

-       A. Nduka (2012). The Geometrical Theory of Science. Applied Mathematics 3: 1598-1600

“The meaning of the potent word ‘development’ has eluded the Africans since colonization. The G8 and most of G20 countries have imbibed it. Its motive elements are only four in number politics, science, technology and economy; the four fused into one by covalent bonds: The technology is dictated by the science, the economy by the technology, the politics by the economy, and the science by the politics – this is the magic wand. Africans awkward predicaments and misery will persist so long as they fail to understand this.”

-  A. Nduka (2010). Science and its Three Revolutions. First Valedictory Lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri

“If I were to be in the US, with all these things I’m doing here in Nigeria [referring to his works], I would have won three Nobel Prizes in Science.”

-       A. Nduka (2010). In an interactive session with Chigozie Ubani.

“While in one of the American universities, we were only six black students – four from Nigeria and the other two, from other African countries. At this time, public lectures were organized periodically and eminent scientists were brought to give lectures. But in all these lectures, the one that will remain indelible in my mind was that of the walking-stick-aided old man – William Shockley [the transistor genius and physics Nobel laureate]. Every opportunity given to Shockley was used in demeaning the blacks on how intellectually inferior we are, and at the same time, buttressing white’s intellectual superiority over us. This mindset pervaded the atmosphere to the extent that even the teachers who taught us never believed in us. These were the stimuli that drove most of us to our excellent performance”.

-       A. Nduka (2010). In an interactive session with Chigozie Ubani, and published in the book – Inculcating the Tenets of Great Scientists

Brief Summary of the Works and Contributions of Professor Amagh Nduka in the Last Decade

 

This article is written by Chigozie Ubani in celebration of the life and works of Professor Amagh Nduka, who died on December 26, 2019 and will be laid to rest in his hometown on Saturday March 21, 2020.

A fundamental theory is a theory that changes our view about the universe. Its unifying synthesis joins two or more separate bodies of established knowledge whose connection, at some deep levels, had not been previously recognized. Observations confirm the predictions of a new theory. It may also form the basis of the new theory. Theories also confirm observations, and, in some cases, extend and generalize the observation.

One of Professor Amagh Nduka’s fundamental theories in science is the Geometrical (Absolute) Theory of Science. This theory, called quantum geometro-dynamics, is the Third Revolution Science, and was published November 2012 in Applied Mathematics. This theory earned him the Google Scholar of the year for 2012. The elements of this theory include the intellect and non-classical mathematics (discrete geometry, partition and dimensionality theorems and 4-operators – all invented by him). He also applied it in solving some of the age-long problems that have confronted physicists for the past 100 years:

·   A formal theoretical determination of the mass of the neutrinos. As an application of the geometrical theory, Professor Amagh Nduka gave a formal theoretical calculation of the mass of the neutrinos. May we recall that the 2015 Nobel Prize in physics was jointly awarded to Takaaki Tajita of the University of Tokyo and Authur B. Mcdonald of Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada, for their discovery of neutrino oscillation which shows that neutrinos have mass. But one question stands out: between one who showed evidence of mass and another who gave a theoretical calculation of the mass, which should be considered more important? Also, if neutrino oscillation is an evidence of mass, should it not mean that all objects that have mass should oscillate? A theoretical determination of the mass of the neutrino well deserves a Nobel Prize. But the Royal Swedish Academy of Science feigned ignorance. If this work, which was published in Applied Mathematics (February, 2013), was such a mean feat, it would not have earned Professor Amagh Nduka the Google Scholar of the year 2013 in the whole world.

·    A unified geometrical theory of field and particles. As an application of the geometrical theory, Professor Amagh Nduka gave a unified geometrical theory of fields and particles. This paper was published February 2014 in Applied Mathematics. It was also in this paper that he invented the 4-operator mathematics – a formal and elegant mathematics that unifies the particle theory of Newton and the waves theories of Einstein and Dirac via the invariant operator theory of classical physics.

·       A geometrical theory of weak and strong interaction. As an application of the geometrical theory, Professor Nduka gave a geometrical theory of weak and strong interaction. This theory was published February 2014 in Applied Mathematics.

·       A geometrical theory of the structure of nuclei, atoms and molecules. As an application of the geometrical theory, Professor Nduka gave a geometrical theory of the structure of nuclei, atoms and molecules. This theory was published August 2014 in Applied Mathematics, and gave a formal quantum treatment to many-particle atoms and nuclear systems – an area where the available treatment methods, the Schrodinger and Dirac based approximation method, have failed to yield correct results.

·  A formal theory of fusion. As an application of the geometrical theory, Professor Amagh Nduka gave a formal theory of fusion, which was published in April 2015 in Energy and Power Engineering. May we recall that for almost 80 years, Bethe’s theory of fusion has been in force, and despite generous infusion of resources, both human and material, all attempts at its realization have failed. One is therefore left with no option than to conclude that the theory is wrong. Professor Nduka’s theory of fusion is entirely different from, and refutes H.A Bethe’s theory of fusion. And with the correct theory at the disposal of the world, and with appropriate technology, the realization of fusion energy may not be far in the future.

·   A formal theory of global warming. As an application of the geometrical theory, Professor Nduka gave a formal theory of global warming, which is the only known scientific theory of global warming. This theory was part of the paper on the theory of fusion published by Energy and Power Engineering. According to him, changes in atmospheric greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuels do not have significant part in global warming. In his words: “A quantitative estimate, however, shows that changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases make insignificant contribution to the observed global temperature rise. Alternatively, recalling that the earth absorbs a large quantity of energy per second from the sun, we infer, on the basis of thermodynamics, that the earth’s environment is a heat bath, hence changes in the greenhouse gas concentrations cannot affect its temperature.” What then is responsible for global warming or climate change? Ultra-high energy machines, such as particle accelerators operating in the tera energy range, according to him, is the cause of global warming. Such machines, he said, serve as earth’s secondary source of energy and they are the drivers of the ultra-high energy nuclear reactions here on earth similar in magnitude to those occurring in the sun and stars. This theory also explains the unprecedented violence, in recent times, by some natural disasters like earthquake, hurricane, tornado, typhoon and cyclone.

Apart from the above, other contributions include:

·       Solving the riddle on Magnetic Monopoles: Professor Amagh Nduka, in a paper, Magnetic Monopoles published in Applied Mathematics (February 2017) solved a riddle that has lasted for almost 200 years. He disproved the conclusion that ordinary matter consists of electric charges (electric monopoles) and not magnetic charges (magnetic monopoles), and showed that magnetic monopoles exists in nature even though they cannot be isolated.

·       Quantum theory of magnetism in matter: Professor Nduka, in a paper Magnetic Monopoles and the Quantum Theory of Magnetism in Matter published in Applied Mathematics (January 2018) gave a microscopic theory of magnetic substances – an issue of fundamental and technological importance.

These accomplishments are contained in the following papers:

[1]      Nduka, A. (2012). The Geometrical Theory of Science. Applied Mathematics, 3, 11, 1598-1600. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/am.2012.311220

[2]      Nduka, A. (2013).  The Neutrino Mass.  Applied Mathematics, 4, 2, 310-313 (http://www.scrip.org/journal/am/).

[3]      Nduka, A. (2014). The Unified Geometrical Theory of Fields and Particles. Applied Mathematics, 5, 347-351. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/am.2014.53036

[4]      Nduka, A. (2014). The Weak and Strong Nuclear Interactions. Applied Mathematics, 5, 358-362. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/am.2014.53038

[5]      Nduka, A. (2014). The Geometrical Theory of the Structure of Nuclei, Atoms, and Molecules. Applied Mathematics, 5, 2209-2215.  https://doi.org/10.4236/am.2014.515214

[6]     Nduka, A. (2015). The World Energy Challenge and Global Warming. Energy and Power Engineering, 7, 4, 105-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/epe.2015.74010

[7]    Nduka, A. (2017). Magnetic Monopoles. Applied Mathematics, 8, 245-251 https://doi.org/10.4236/am.2017.82020

[8]    Nduka, A. (2018). Magnetic Monopoles and the Quantum Theory of Magnetism in Matter. Applied Mathematics, 9, 28-34. https://doi.org/10.4236/am.2018.91003

Our Erudite Icon, Professor Amagh Nduka, Transcends

Science Nigeria Lectures 2017: Leading the World in Africa-oriented Science and Technology Development in 100 Years

It was indeed a celebratory intellectual harvest and a peep into the future of science and technology as Professor Aderemi Oluyomi Kuku, world-renowned Professor of Mathematics, and the President of the African Academy of Sciences, in his foresighted wisdom and knowledge, prophetically declared, at the Science Nigeria Lectures 2017, that Nigeria will lead the world in Africa-oriented science and technology development in the next 100 years. This event (Science Nigeria Lectures 2017), which had the professor as the guest lecturer, held successfully on Wednesday July 12, 2017 at the Management Science Hall, University of Abuja.

Dignitaries that graced the event include: chairman of the occasion and the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, who was represented by Engr. Prof. Okechukwu Ukwuoma, Director-General/CEO, National Centre for Technology Management; Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, represented by Mrs. Emeje Ruth Ufeli of the Education Support Services in the Federal Ministry of Education; Regional Director, UNESCO Regional Office in Abuja, Dr. Yao Ydo, represented by the Regional Science Advisor, UNESCO, Dr. Simone Grego; Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education, represented by the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Alh. Garba Koko; Director-General and Chief Executive, Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Dr. H.D. Ibrahim, represented by Engr. Obassi Ettu; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, Professor Ismail Junaidu, represented by the Director of Research, Dr. M.O. Salau; Professor A.R.T. Solarin, immediate past Director-General of the National Mathematical Centre, and former President of the African Mathematical Union, and Professor David Malgwi, President of the Nigerian Institute of Physics. There were also other luminaries: Professor E.O. Ajali, Professor R.T. Idowu, Professor F. Ogunfiditimi, and others.

The Science Nigeria Lectures is essentially an effort towards not only promoting the works and contributions of Nigerian scientists, but also in interfacing them with the Nigerian public. The lecture strives to promote public understanding of science, inculcate the much-needed scientific culture in the lives of Nigerians, and at the same time, generate and sustain interest in the sciences in public domain. Through these lectures, many become aware of the exploits of Nigerian scientists in the global scientific arena. Again, through these lectures, many young people in the Nigerian society become not only inspired in pursuing careers sciences, but also in making enduring contributions in them.

The lecture is also another way of celebrating Nigerian scientists who have had a minimum of 50 years of outstanding research contributions in the sciences, and as such, making them stand as role models for generations following. It is a way in which these distinguished scientists give to science and the society at large, the benefits of their experience and impressions. More also, the lecture discusses topical issues in the frontiers of science and at the same time, chart the way forward. And the 2017 event came with the theme: Science and Technology in the Next 100 Years.

The event was organised by Global Science Development Initiatives, a non-profit organization championing a cause in science popularisation and education in Africa, in a partnership comprising of: Office of the Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja; Department of Technology and Science Education, Federal Ministry of Education; National Board for Technology Incubation; Raw Materials Research and Development Council; Technology Awareness Foundation, and African Science & Tech. Digest.

The guest lecturer, Professor Aderemi Kuku, in his lecture, gave a 42-slide mind-expanding power-point presentation. He first began by giving an overview of the mathematical sciences vis-à-vis other areas of science and technology. He also discussed current and future prospect of some areas of science and technology that have been most prominent in the last 100 years, before giving his speculations and forecast for the future. The kernel of Professor Kuku’s speculations and forecast for the next 100 years can be summarized in the following words of his:

·   On the mathematical sciences: Professor Kuku said, “It is envisaged that the mathematical sciences will continue to grow phenomenally as new mathematics is created for use in new and emerging technologies. It is also well known that mathematics discovered in the last 100 years is more than those discovered in the previous years put together. It is therefore envisaged that the mathematics to be discovered in the next 100 years will be more than double those created in the previous ages put together”.

·    On the impact of ICT:“It is envisaged that self-driving cars will become a regular feature of our lives. It is also envisaged that smart phones of varying sophistication will be available in every corner of the world. Moreover, ICT-driven smart villages and sustainable cities will permeate our world of the future. The under-developed countries of tomorrow will be those left behind by the current ICT and emerging technologies in this age of globalization. Relatively few countries in the world will belong to this category”.

·    On space science and travel:“In spite of progress made and anticipated, we do not envisage human settlements on Mars. However, travel and excursion to space and the moon will be a regular feature of life among the rich and adventurous. Moreover, new science will emerge from further space exploration. And there will be many more benefits to all parts of our world from numerous satellites in weather forecasting, help for agriculture, improvement of disaster planning, etc”.

·   On health and wellbeing: “There will be cure for most known diseases even though more new diseases will be in the horizon to challenge us all. The quality of life of most inhabitants of our planet will improve and human beings even in the so called developing countries of the future will live longer as prosperity continues to spread in the current age of globalization”.

·  On agriculture and food security: “The future will be replete with more improvement of seeds and crops, better storage facilities for food, improved mechanized farming (robotic farmers and self-driving tractors) that will rub on the so-called developing countries, many of which will become developed (like South Korea and Singapore). As such, hunger and malnutrition will be radically reduced in the world”.

·    On climate change: “This will become more acute in the future as more and more developing countries become industrialized with environmentally unfriendly habits. The future is really unpredictable”.

·    On renewable energies: “It is not clear that in 100 years’ time, fossil fuels would entirely be a thing of the past. Nevertheless, with the renewed efforts of many countries – developed and developing – to invest in renewable energies (such as solar and wind), the use of fossil fuel will be drastically reduced”.

·   On the future of drinking water: “A lot of research has been done on how to convert all sorts of polluted water into drinking water and many countries like Singapore and countries in the gulf areas are taking full advantage of this. Yet many developing countries face the serious challenge of safe drinking water for their teeming population. Yes it is possible to solve this problem if the government in many developing countries would take advantage of such existing possibilities. It is envisaged that governments in most parts of the world would increasingly focus on the welfare of their people”.

·    On what will be of Africa and Nigeria: “Science and technology achievements were concentrated in the so-called developing countries until about 700 years ago when it became dominated by Europe and its cultural associates like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland, etc. Now it is shifting to South East Asia – China, Singapore, South Korea, India etc. It will be Africa’s turn within the next 100 years when Nigeria will have a population of one billion people and like China, lead the world in Africa-oriented science and technology development”.

Following the very illuminating presentation made by the guest lecturer and the debate that followed, participants in the event made the following resolutions and recommendations:

Events of this nature (i.e. Science Nigeria Lectures) should be very much encouraged.

• Nigeria (or Africa) has hardly a critical mass in any of the four areas of science and technology mentioned by Professor Kuku.
• Nigeria should step up activities that will encourage young people’s participation in the different areas of science and technology.
• Nigeria should also step up activities that will encourage infrastructural development and better remuneration in the science and technology sector.
• Africa is the continent of the future, and that Professor Kuku’s speculation that Nigeria will, within the next 100 years, lead the world in an Africa-oriented science and technology development is correct based on the fact that we have the brains and a swelling population as an advantage.
• Nigeria has the enormous market that will attract and drive any meaningful technological development.
• Graduate students and researchers should look into some of the points raised by the guest lecturer as they are not only major research problems, but new research directions.

 The event came to an end at about 3.30 pm with a closing remark from the representative of the chairman of the occasion and the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology. The details of the lecture are contained in this proceeding. Do have a good read.

CHIGOZIE UBANI

Coordinator, Science Nigeria Lectures

And Chairman, Global Science Development Initiatives