Gbenro Adesina
The University of Ibadan (UI) is collaborating with six other universities in Nigeria to carry out three projects being funded by the French Embassy in Nigeria as part of efforts geared towards fostering intra-university collaboration among young Nigerian scientists and the University of Grenoble, France.
The Vice Chancellor of the Premier University, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, made this known in a statement dated August 7 2020.
According to him, shortly after assuming office as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) in March 2019, Prof Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, had series of meetings with the French Embassy in Nigeria in the bid to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and collaboration between the University of Ibadan and French Universities.
This resulted in the selection of UI as part of the Innovation and Climate Change project of the French Embassy.
The other universities selected are: Alex Ekwueme Federal University, University of Lagos, Bayero University, Kano University of Science and Technology, University of Jos and Ebonyi State University.
Representatives of the seven universities met at the University of Grenoble, France for a one-week meeting from April 14-18 2019, with Dr Emmanuel F. Nymphas representing UI.
It was decided at the meeting that each of the seven Nigerian universities should select five young researchers (not above the grade of Senior Lecturer) from their respective Universities and come up with proposals related to the project.
The selected researchers from UI are: Dr Christiana N. Egbinola (Geography), Dr Deborah O. Ayodele (Geography), Goodness O. Edaogbogun (Physics), Mrs Yewande Feleye (Agronomy), Ayandele David (Physics) and Dr Emmanuel F. Nymphas (Physics and Team leader), with the support of Dr K. O. Oluwasemire (Agrometeorologist, Agronomy), Dr Mojisola O. Adeniyi (Physics), and Dr Mobolaji Oluyimika Omobowale (Agricultural and Environmental Engineering).
Olayinka revealed that the maiden meeting of all the representatives and researchers from the seven Universities held at Newton Park Hotel, Wuse II, Abuja from May 27-28 2019. At the meeting, all the researchers were mixed across Universities and gender. After several meetings and discussions in the course of the year 2019, three out of over 40 proposals submitted by the researchers were selected by the French Embassy for funding.
The three projects are: The Development of a Weather Index Based Reference value for Soybean and Maize in Oyo State; The Sustainable Cities: design and development of a sustainable waste management system for minimizing effects of floods in Lagos, and The Development of a software designing an energy mix system, with the least carbon footprint.
The Vice Chancellor stated that the first and the third proposal emanated from the researchers of the University of Ibadan with slight modifications on the third. While the University of Ibadan is hosting the first project, the second and the third projects are domiciled in Lagos and Jos, respectively. Each of these selected projects is funded by the French Embassy to the tune of ϵ30,000. The funds were sent directly to the researcher teams who have formed associations and opened a bank account in the name of the association into which the money was sent.
To actualize the project, the Vice Chancellor approved a portion of land for the researchers at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University.
While the Drainage Lysimeters for the project have been constructed and the sensors (Portable Pyranometer, Soil Moisture Sensors (ONSET Hobo), Soil Temperature Sensors, Tipping Bucket Rain Guage, HOBO USB Micro Station Data Logger, etc) have also been ordered, the construction of the rain shelter is on the way.
On August 6, 2020, the Professor Olayinka and two Deputy Vice Chancellors, Prof Kayode Oyebode Adebowale (Administration) and Prof Adebola Ekanola (Academic) were on the site of the project to witness the installation of the Drainage Lysimeters.
Assuring the researchers of the continued support of the University administration in order to ensure a timely completion of the research project, Olayinka also expressed gratitude to the French Embassy for the generous funding provided for the project.
