Invent, Innovate or Perish by Karo Akamune

Invent, Innovate or Perish 

October 24, 2019 

Today, I saw a video of a meeting between the Presidents of Nigeria and Russia. I could not help but think: It seems we are dependent on others like Russia to assist us with their scientific and technological might - in different areas: oil & gas, steel, security, military, etc. Ok. That's fine. 

But please, when will we start asking ourselves, "Why can we not do it by ourselves? When would we have the scientific and technological prowess to fix these problems ourselves?" 

There's no way a country can be delivered from the clutches of crime, insecurity and poverty if she does not excel in research, inventions and innovations in Science and Technology. No way! 

The investments needed should not come from the government alone. More and more Nigerians must get involved individually. This is the secret. This is what separates developed countries from underdeveloped countries. This is what is happening in America as we speak. This is what they have been doing for decades upon decades. It's no secret. 

Americans all over America, pour money into research in healthcare, tech gadgets, software companies, agriculture, etc, etc. Of course, with the hope of good returns... But it's risky. And they are willing to take the risks. Even when the U.S. economy wasn't that great, they did it. It changed their country. 

This is what Nigerians need to do. We must embrace the mindset that says, "We must invent and innovate or we would be enslaved by others." The U.S. government and her citizens didn't want to be enslaved or oppressed by the then USSR or Hitler's Germany or Japan. It pushed them to support homegrown inventions and innovations!  

Safety and "national security" are taken very, very seriously in America. It forces you to think and act! Now, please, what is forcing us to think and act and save our asses from enslavement? 

Our millionaires and also our middle class - most of them are engrossed in marrying more wives or experimenting with more girlfriends! We are splashing money in weddings in Dubai! We are splashing money in burial ceremonies in Nigeria! And the quest for "quick money" is not encouraging investing in scientific and technological innovations either! And then there's the problem of lack of cooperation because of religious and ethnic squabbles. We must put all these aside and rally around a common cause - finding amazing solutions to our existential threats as a collective - a collective as black people in black Africa. 

- Sincerely, 
Karo Akamune 
Technology Developer