What IWD, IDM, others show about Nigeria’s preparedness for 4IR

The past week was a unique one; it was a week that witnessed the celebration of three momentous global issues, social justice, education, and health, on four different significant dates. First up was the International Women’s Day (IWD), a day dedicated to examining issues related to women, their place in society vis-a-vis parity with men, which was celebrated on 8 March. This was followed by World Glaucoma Week, celebrated from 9-15 March, and then the World Kidney Day was celebrated on 13 March. On 14 March, the International Day of Mathematics (IDM) was celebrated. These are all important issues that have far reaching implications for the growth and development aspirations of any country, including Nigeria.

IWD

The day was marked by the usual funfair by individuals and organisations, which mostly saw the day as an opportunity for brand building and promotion. This year’s theme, “All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, was clear on society’s need to be inclusive and equitable across all human spheres because that is the only way sustainable development can be achieved. But are societies fair and just to all citizens, regardless of gender? Evidence on the ground will suggest that despite this yearly IWD ritual, societies are still largely skewed in men’s favour in all human endeavours, including governance, polity, business, education, finance, management, leadership, religion, et al.

In Nigeria, for instance, women are still largely voiceless in the political terrain due to poor representation. According to findings by the Centre for Democracy and Development, less than 4% of women are in elective or appointive positions in Nigeria. Out of the 109 elected senators, only four are women, while the 360-member House of Representatives has 16 women. The country has yet to have an elected female governor in the 36 states.

The business arena appears to have made better stride. Female representation on the board of 100 quoted companies in the country is about 29%. Of the 24 commercial banks in the country, eight (8) have female CEOs. Across board, while it may appear that some gains have been made, especially in the private sector, female representation in Nigeria is still poor.

Glaucoma Week and Kidney Day

These are two diseases that are major public health issues in the country and they are on the increase. Over 1.2 million Nigerians are said to have glaucoma, which is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Alarmingly, 94% of glaucoma cases are said to be either untreated or undiagnosed. A large number of cases are said to be secondary glaucoma, that is, complications from poor management of cataract leading to glaucoma. For instance, studies suggest that couching cataract, an ancient and unsafe method of cataract removal, is still largely practised in the country. Thus, the Glaucoma Week is an attempt to focus public attention on this health concern, create the necessary awareness and thereby bring about policy changes to address the disease and its treatment.

Kidney failure cases are also on the increase in the country. A day passes without numerous reported cases of kidney issues in some corner of the country, and most times leading to death. Again, just like glaucoma, kidney problems are presented late to medical facilities or when presented early are poorly managed, leading to life-threatening damages or death. It is only fitting that a day is dedicated worldwide to this public health problem.

Several factors are responsible for the prevalence of these diseases in the country. Poverty is perhaps a major reason for this. And this is presented in many ways, including poor hygiene, poor lifestyle, unaffordable healthcare services, and ignorance. Our poor health system is another major culprit. This is characterised by poor or nonexistent health facilities, dearth of quality health professionals, many of whom have left the country or japaed for better opportunities elsewhere, and a lack of commitment by health workers often due to poor remuneration and decrepit facilities.

IDM

The International Day of Mathematics is designated to help draw attention to the importance of mathematics in modern society. This speaks to the increasing need for STEM education, which is critical to harnessing opportunities and optimising the benefits of the digital age. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says “Greater global awareness of mathematical sciences is vital to addressing challenges in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate change, energy and sustainable development.” Indeed, mathematics defines our everyday lives. It is the foundation of science and technology. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, quantum computing, algorithm, digital marketing, policy, governance, medical imaging, climate issues, financing, et al all have foundations in mathematics.

Thus, IDM is necessary to help draw the attention of governments, policymakers, and leaders to the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education. The day also underscored how STEM can help a country develop at a much faster pace. The government needs to emphasize the importance of mathematics by instituting policies that will encourage school children, particularly girls, to choose STEM subjects.

Areas the government must improve on

But first, government must see education as a priority sector for sustainable growth and development. The sector has for long suffered neglect from poor investments in infrastructure and human resources. Due to this neglect over time, Nigeria’s education sector has largely been taken over by private operators whose first consideration is profit. No country can truly develop when its education system is largely profit driven. That will exclude many in the society who are financially challenged from getting quality education. Also, a situation where the government spends less than 10% of its GDP on education yearly will not lead to the desired change.

The IWD, IDM, Glaucoma and Kidney Days, while important, showed where we are as a country and the fact that we still have so much to do in our healthcare, education, and social justice space. Education in STEM remains critical. It is the bedrock of sustainable growth and development. This can never be overemphasized considering that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) or Industry 4.0 will be driven by science and technology characterised by innovation and automation of processes using AI, robotics, cloud and quantum computing, machine learning, and augmented reality in different sectors, including in healthcare and wellness, social justice, governance, leadership, management, and education, among others.