Deep Thought

 Deaths in London: Need to Halt Medical Tourism By Prof M. K. Othman In 2006, I was in Maiduguri, gathering data for an animal traction study under the scorching sun of that year's Ramadan in the northeast. After finishing the day's work, we took one of my enumerators to his house, which he described as being near London. I wondered which London he meant, but I lacked the energy to ask until the next morning. I was curious to know why he referred to that location as London. He explained that London meant the graveyard because some of the prominent men, when they are sick, are taken to London for treatment, and often their bodies are returned to Nigeria for burial in "London". It was a cynical streetman's perspective, mocking the elite for their medical tourism, which sometimes still can't prevent death. Can anything stop death's cold grip when it's finally due?  The researchers are still looking for an answer. In hospitals in London and nearby areas, a...

 Re: Nigerian Education- A Bleak Future for the University System? By Prof. M. K. Othman University education is a crucial issue close to my heart, not because I work at a university but because of my observations on how great nations achieve their heights through innovation and intellectual ability. University is a realm of philosophical insight. People with knowledge-driven thinking, planning, and execution shape the world of the 21st century. There are three different types of people: naturally endowed intellectuals (minority), those who are daft (minority), and the average (majority). The average can be transformed to align favorably with the intellectual community through capacity building at the university. The university can help the disadvantaged (daft) rise to the average. A society that mishandles its university system is doomed sooner rather than later.  Another key issue with universities is the acquisition of knowledge. It requires time, effort, perseverance, and ...

Nigerian Education: A Bleak Future for the Nigerian University System? By Prof. M. K. Othman A few weeks ago, I had a heartfelt conversation with a young scholar I consider one of my mentees. He asked to meet me because he wanted to discuss issues he couldn't share over the phone, and it took weeks before we finally connected. All my friends and mentees know that I am a passionate supporter of Nigeria and disapprove of people leaving the country in search of better opportunities. His reasons: My salary doesn't cover the essentials for my small family at the end of the month. Teaching and research consume my time, leaving me with little energy or opportunity to pursue additional income sources that could supplement my salary. Therefore, the financial stress is overwhelming and unbearable. Besides, how can I own a house, travel to Mecca for the Hajj, and meet the expectations and responsibilities of my extended family? What about attending to health issues and social obligations ...

 Nigeria’s Perennial Flood: Occurrence of Preventable Disasters II By Prof M. K. Othman The question I asked in the last line of this piece last week was, “What are the causes of floods, and how have we failed to prevent their occurrence in recent years?” The leading causes of floods in Nigeria are well known. These include inadequate drainage systems, silted dams and waterways, invasion by aquatic weeds, typha grass overgrowing in river channels and beds, as well as illegal diversions, encroachments on waterways for construction and farming, heavy rainfall over long periods, among other issues. Despite early flood warnings and awareness of the causes, the number of flood events, their severity, affected areas, and negative socio-economic impacts continue to increase each year. Why is it so? Several complexities and factors influence policy formulation and implementation, making the question of “why is it so” difficult to answer. First, government agencies such as NIHSA, NiMet, NAE...

 Nigeria’s Perennial Flood: Occurrence of Preventable Disasters By Prof M. K. Othman   Today, I am writing as a professional water resource engineer with over twenty years of experience in irrigation water management and hydrology, as well as a professor of extension who must communicate complex information to non-professionals clearly and straightforwardly. Through my training and current role as a trainer, or even as a trainer of trainers, I am a key stakeholder in water resource management in this country. Therefore, it deeply pains me to see preventable flood-related losses occurring at the beginning or end of the rainy season in recent years.     Sometimes, I write articles with a heavy heart, reflecting on our nation's tendency to be nonchalant about severe calamities and preventable disasters. In our lackadaisical approach as a developing nation, we often ignore impending disasters until they occur. Then, our leaders begin to shed crocodile tears, and before y...