A Professor of Mathematics at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Bola Olabode, has reiterated the position of mathematics as a key driver and support base for industrial and technological developments of countries including Nigeria. She stated this while delivering the 174th inaugural lecture of the University.
Olabode who spoke on the topic, God the first and the greatest Mathematician: Mathematics the tool for Industrial revolution, said Mathematics began with God who numbered the days of creation as recorded in Genesis , saying there is nothing mysterious about the subject as it’s simply the study of or science of numbers , measurement, quantity and space.
According to her, the evidence of the amazing predictive power of mathematics are evident in television and its remote-control mechanism , radio , cellphones , satellites , GPS , with all of these using radio wave energy to communicate. She also said mathematics can and is being used to develop more accurate and efficient methods capable of reducing implementation cost and solving real life problems. And without it, there cannot be any headway in industrial and technological development.
While affirming the preeminent position of mathematics , Olabode ,who specializes in numerical analysis, stated that communicating wirelessly through something deep and mysterious which has now become the language of the universe is also deeply rooted in Mathematics.
She aligned with the position of Plato who affirmed that Mathematics is not manmade but exists independently and immutable of us, meaning Mathematics is the intelligence behind the universe, the intelligence that keeps everything running smoothly and orderly.
The don stated that Mathematics has dominated Science in aircraft technological developments, especially by way of research in aeronautics and in the structure of aircraft itself.
She said the construction of roads, buildings, dams, airport, and bridges are all done using Mathematical principles. Professor Olabode stated that all measurements in medicine such as temperature, blood pressure, weight and so on all utilize mathematical principles which further justify the statement that Mathematics is the bedrock of Science and Technology.
The erudite scholar urged petroleum companies in Nigeria to revisit already dry and exhausted oil well and employ finite differences techniques , a method in mathematics ,to get fresh oil, borrowing from American oil drillers who employed finite differences techniques to solve their dry well syndrome.
Professor Olabode reechoed the call for the promotion of technical excellence by incubation and supporting those working on potential solutions with adequate funding and financing and mentoring that will help increase productivity. She also advised the encouragement of local support with global ambition, while embracing failure as a learning opportunity saying this will go a long way in boosting growth and development.
She urged the Federal government to encourage free flow of communication in all tiers of government as it is a critical tool for development, and the only way to develop is through industrialization.
She appealed to government to pull resources together and collaborate with universities and research institutes in order to deliberately direct research works towards industrialization.
In her opening remarks as the Chairman of the event, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor Taiwo Amos, described Professor Olabode as a thorough bred academic with proven track records who has served the University effectively in a number of capacities and has contributed immensely to intellectual discourse and development in her area of specialization. She added that the don has churned out graduates who have climbed to high level in their different callings.
