A renowned Professor of Logistic and Transport Management at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH),Ogbomoso, Adebambo Olayinka Somuyiwa is worried that Nigeria is far from optimizing her potentials in export earnings, inspite of the avalanche of abundant resources available and embedded in the transport sector of the country.
Somuyiwa who is the first Professor of Logistic and Transport Management in the university, decried the prevailing decadence in the country's transport sphere while delivering 57th Inaugural Lecture of the institution titled," Transport Morphology:The Apotheosis of Logistics Management for National Development", held at the institution's Great Hall.
Irked by the stunted growth of transportation system in the country, Somuyiwa while dissecting the thematic concern of the Lecture lamented that Government and other relevant stakeholders are yet to optimize the abundant resources in the facet of transportation to drive the nation's economy and Africa at large, unlike their foreign counterparts.
The Inaugural Lecturer who is the pioneer Acting Head of Department of Transport Management pointed out that for instance, Africa and Nigeria in particular, is far from harnessing and developing her transport sector to an enviable height of earning foreign currencies for overall development.
According to him, " It is regrettable that Nigeria or indeed Africa is yet to optimize her potential in export earnings in spite of avalanche of of resources available in the region".
Prof.Somuyiwa noted that had it being that Nigeria and Africa had over the years optimized the benefit of her transport sector,it would have been able to use it to control her economy, noting with dismay that her inability to do so is largely responsible for the prevailing economic downturn therein.
The Ijegba born University Don emphasized that failure on the part of Government and stakeholders in general to use transportation sector to regulate and control the economy is largely responsible for the hike in the pump prices of fuel which is extremely having reverberating effects right now on the national life of the citizenries.
His words, "Economy can be and should be controlled with transport as its operating cost can cause inflation or reverse of it"
"For instance, increase in price of fuel can lead to increase in cost of all factors of production which is just one major component in transport operating costs",he added.
Speaking further, the former Acting Manager, LAUTECH Mass Transit identified the challenges of inadequate transport infrastructure,inadequate regulatory transport framework, environmental hazard and limited alternatives to vehicular transportation,among others as the bane of the development of the sector.
Prof.Somuyiwa further noted with dismay that "The import of this is that the Nigeria Transport system has not been able to harness, explore and exploit the morphology of the environment to potentiate various modes to transport and ultimately develop transport systems in harmonious manner for effective and efficient logistics management".
Narrowing the challenges down to the peculiarity of the South South region of the country where Somuyiwa in December 4, 2023 had a close shave with death during a troubled voyage on the high sea, while on NUC Accreditation exercise in Gbaramatu Kingdom,he stated;
"For instance,in the south South geo-political zone of the country,water transport is yet to be well developed to complement other modes of transport, especially to have access to Islands and Creeks, in order to enhance interaction and foster considerable level of development".
He lamented further, "It is sad to observe that inland water transport is being operated like road based mode of transportation, where it is unregulated, uncontrolled and characterized with multiple agencies or numerous operators"
"This goes to say that mishaps are not peculiar to water transport only.It happens in virtually all modes of travel.Suprisingly,this negates Transport Policy Initiatives,Policy Thrust and Goal of various transport statement(1965),Draft Policy (2003) and (2008).
Proferring solution to challenges in the transport system of the country and Africa at large, the former Deputy Dean,Faculty of Management Scie nces,LAUTECH recommended meaningful infrastructural development of the transport sector.
Others are provision of efficient and effective public transportation system,sustainable traffic management, enhancement of road safety measures and logically implementable and socially acceptable comprehensive transportation plans,among others.
The 57th Inaugural Lecture will go down in the annals of history of LAUTECH as the fourth from the Faculty of Management Sciences and the second from the Department of Trans port Management.
Prof.Somuyiwa's intimidating clout attracted relations mentors,associates,mentees ,especially from the nation's Ivory Towers to the Lecture.
Prof.Somuyiwa's mastery of the theme of the Lecture, coupled with fluent delivery and intermittent interjections of gesticulations that are deeply rooted in infectious composure earned him rounds of applause from his mentor and former Vice - Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijebu Ode,Prof.Kayode Oyesiku and the audience at large.
Prof Somuyiwa who began his academic career as a Teaching Assistant at Olabisi Onabanjo University in 1997 was accompanied to the Lecture by members of his immediate family Academic and Non-Teaching Staff therein who came to solidarise with him.
The 57th Inaugural lecturer of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomosho, Professor Adebambo Shomuyiwa presenting a copy of the Lecture to the representative of the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Tunde Oguntunde
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