VC Uniosun Re-Elected President of WARIMA in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire

The 11^th WARIMA International Conference and Workshops was held at Pole Scientifique et d’innovation, Université Felix Houphouet Boigny , Abidjan (PSI) between January 21 – 26, 2018 with the theme “Trans-boundary Research and Innovation Management in West Africa: Issues and Contexts”.

The pre-conference workshops simultaneously held on two emerging topics, namely:

a.     Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Practice.

b.     Professionalization of Research and Innovation Management.

The participants were trained on research management and administration; grant proposal writing, contract; ethics, budgeting in grant proposal writing, professionalization of research management, funding platforms for research grants, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, ethical and moral issues in the laboratory.

Following the workshop, the conference commenced on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 and was declared open by the Cote D’Ivoire’s Honourable Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research in person of Professor Bakayoko-Ly Ramata. The ceremony was attended by diplomats, development partners, University Administrators, representatives of International Research Organizations, and researchers from different Institutions within and outside West Africa. The keynote address was presented by Professor Aly Mbaye from the Universite Cheikh Anta DIOP (UCAD) Dakar, Senegal. He explained that if the sub-region is to be competitive, West African Nations must take their destiny in their hands through innovative research outputs for poverty alleviation and societal development.

The plenary sessions included lead papers and other presentations by eminent researchers on various topics which comprised integration in West Africa, research innovation, sustainable development, mentorship of early career researchers, cross-culturalism, gender issues, law reform, entrepreneurships, intellectual property management, climate change and resources mobilization. The conference observed as follows:

1.    The language barrier between Anglophone and Francophone countries of West Africa has been limiting the integration of the sub-region.

2.    The existing treaties and protocols in the sub-region are ineffective and obsolete to deal with emerging issues bothering on education and Sustainable Development Goals

3.    There is a weak link among the tertiary institutions within the sub-region to engender knowledge transfer, innovation and research uptake.

4.    Gender equality and equity is one of dominating issues that deserves strategic intervention towards achieving SDGs in the sub-region.

5.    Decline in mentorship and grantsmanship culture in Tertiary Institutions and Research Institutes in the sub-region

The conference therefore resolved as follows:

1.    ECOWAS should take the challenge of supporting Institutions and Associations that are promoting research, innovation and education in its sub-region.

2.    ECOWAS should review and revise the existing treaties and protocols to cater for the emerging issues that will strengthen integration of member states in the area of language, education policies, exchange of information and ideas towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

3.    WARIMA as an agent of change should constitute an advisory committee that will include heads of tertiary institutions and government agencies in ECOWAS sub-region for effective and productive collaborative research, knowledge transfer, innovation management, entrepreneurship practice and research uptake.

4.    WARIMA should promote equity and justice between gender (balance and affirmative actions) and establish supportive structures on gender issues (inclusiveness).

5.    Tertiary and Research Institutions in West Africa should develop and formalize roadmaps on mentoring and Grantsmanship.

The high point of the conference for the Uniosun team was the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of WARIMA where, Prof. Labode Popoola whose tenure as President of WARIMA was ending was returned unopposed as President for another term of three (3) years.  Congratulations to the Vice Chancellor and the entire University community.

Uniosun Team members presented papers at the conference and participated actively during the workshop sessions. The team includes: Dr. Wahab M. N. (Wildlife and Fisheries), Dr. Oyelade A. A. (Arts & Social Science Education), Dr. Adeyemi F. M (Biological Sciences), Dr Iyanda R. O. (Languages & Linguistics), Mrs Bello T. B. (Community Medicine), Dr. Jaiyebo Olugbemi O. (Law), Dr. Akanbi B. E. (Economics), Dr. Adeleke M.A. (Director, Academic Planning), Dr. Oyewole O. I. (Director, Research & Linkages), Prof. Kehinde A. L. (Director, Quality Assurance), Prof. Kola-Olusanya Anthony (Director, Inter-Campus & Public Affairs), Mr. Adeosun A. A. (Registry), Mr Oyekanmi O. M. (Bursary)