AAU 113th Inaugural Lecture: Adopt Geoinformatic Tools in Addressing Developmental Issues in The Public, Private Sectors. . . Prof Rilwani

By Esosa Omorogbe

A Professor of Geoinformatics in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Professor Momoh Lawal Rilwani while delivering the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma's 113th inaugural lecture entitled "Sensing and Synthesis for Advancement: Exploits with Geoinfomatics,” said: “Geoinformtic tools provide veritable, versatile and cost-effective tools for the collection and analyses of data to sustainably manage human use of earth resources” noting that “It is gladdening that sub-national Governments have taken cue in integrating geoinformatics in governance specifically in land management for revenue generation”.

 The Professor in his analysis of the place of Geoinfomatics in national growth and policy formulation, said “researches variously conducted by his team have shown that the tools can be integrated in aaspects of national endevours in both public and private sectors”.

Professor Momoh Lawal Rilwani, also advocated for “environmental education to be inculcated from elementary schools to make pupils more environmentally aware and conscious in their daily routine; as well as making Geography, being an integrated subject required to live in harmony on earth and in our environment, a core subject at the secondary school level”.

The Professor further advocated for the “un-bundling of Geography at the tertiary level of study”. He noted that broad courses like B.Sc Geography or B.Sc Geography and Regional Planinig "can no longer offer students with requisite knowledge and skills needed to address contemporary issues of development in our society", but rather focus should on developing Degree programmes in specialised areas such as Geoinformatics, Meteorology, Environmental Resources Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management among others.

According to the Professor, "The recent curriculum review by the National Universities Commission (NUC) has further encapsulated Geography as a course of study: the programme tagged B.Sc Geograhpy has taken the discipline back to the fifties as it undermines the modest developments by many Universities in Nigeria at trying to make the discipline more relevant to our contemporary society: It is hereby recommended that the program be reexamined by NUC generally in line with contemporary development, worldwide and specifically in addressing our peculiar national problems.”

While declaring the 113th Inaugural lecture open, the Chairman of the occasion and the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin, said that geoinformatics was an interdisciplinary field that combined geographic information science and technology which encompassed the collection, analysis, and visualization of spatial data and played a pivotal role in various domains, such as environmental monitoring, urban planning, disaster management, and resource management.”

Prof Adagbonyin, who was represented by the University's Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof Theophilus Agweda, said he had no doubt that by Professor Momoh Lawal Rilwani's choice of topic, “our well-grounded researcher will be exploring how sensing and synthesis, using geoinformatics, can be exploited for advancements in different sectors, highlighting its potential to address complex geographical and environmental challenges.

The AAU Ekpoma's Acting Vice-Chancellor informed the teeming audience of the University Senate’s magnanimous approval of an extension of the deadline for the 2023/2024 academic session by two weeks. He also informed that the Senate had kindly approved for students who paid school fees in the 2022/2023 session but could not register for their courses, then, to do so now with the ICT facilitating from the backend.

 "Let me advise all students who have not registered their courses for the concerned sessions since this window of opportunity was provided to take advantage of the magnanimity of the Senate, as the era of students not adhering to the Academic Calendar and blaming Management for their faults is over. 

"This Management is determined to enforce Senate’s applicable sanctions for non-compliance with registration timelines and other academic activities, and all should be properly guided. We have had enough of the politicization of academic matters and no one should allow himself or herself to be used as cannon fodder,” Professor Adagbonyin said. 

The highpoint of the 113th Inaugural lecture was the decoration of Professor Momoh Lawal Rilwani with the distinguished Inaugural Lecturer medal, among other presentations.

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