A Professor of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management at the University of Ibadan, Professor Victor Oluwasina Oladokun, has called for the transformation of engineering knowledge into economically viable ventures in universities and research institutions.
He made this call while delivering the 599th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Technology.
The title of the lecture was: “Monetisation of Optimisation: Be Hard, Be Soft To Be Resilient.”
Professor Oladokun said engineering must not only solve problems as a technical field, but it should do so in ways that generate measurable economic and social values.
He articulated the vision of engineering as an engine of inclusive growth where optimisation leads naturally to monetisation, where resilience is designed into systems and engineering is positioned not merely as a problem-solving tool, but as a business system capable of powering industrial transformation and sustainable national development.
He added that the idea of monetization of optimization encapsulates a philosophy of engineering that is rigorous in method, relevant in context, and resilient in outcome.
The don, therefore, stated that this idea signifies that by designing systems optimally with precision, purpose, and foresight, engineering knowledge and innovations can be transformed into economic outcomes, commercial solutions, and policy-relevant impacts.
He asserted that optimisation, soft computing, and systems thinking provide the tools to transform inefficiency into productivity, vulnerability into resilience, and ideas into monetisation outcomes.
Professor Oladokun explained his injunction: “Be Hard, Be soft to Be Resilient”, saying that the hard represents the rigour of mathematics, modelling, optimisation, machine design, fabrication and building of physical structures while the soft captures adaptability, creativity and sensitivity of human and contextual realities, drawing from fields such as artificial intelligence, ergonomics and participatory design.
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According to him, the hard without the soft risks becoming rigid, overlooking human needs and environmental uncertainty while the soft without the hard risks becoming vague, lacking the discipline required for implementation, therefore neither approach is sufficient on its own.
The Don stressed that when the two are integrated, resilience is achieved, systems are not only technically sound but also flexible to absorb shocks, adapt to change, and continue to deliver value
He disclosed that if this paradigm is embraced, engineering will no longer end on the drawing board, nor will it remain trapped in theoretical abstractions, but will become a living force for industrial transformation, inclusive prosperity and sustainable development.
However, Professor Oladokun lamented the many engineering activities that stopped at the design or prototype stage despite Nigeria’s large and growing pool of engineers and its abundance of industrial challenges.
He noted that in a country like Nigeria, where systemic inefficiencies persist in energy, infrastructure, public services, and industrial processes, the role of the industrial engineer becomes both urgent and transformative.
He, consequently, advocated the development of models, methods, and imbibement of mindsets for building resilient systems that endure volatility, adapt to evolving needs and continue to deliver value saying this is the essence of engineering that works for the people and with the people – an engineering that delivers not just technical success but sustainable prosperity.
The Inaugural Lecturer advised universities to promote corporate entrepreneurship and intraprepreurship across various units by establishing a sustainable and legal framework for commercialising research outputs, skills, and technologies within the Nigerian context.
He recommended that engineering education and practice should be integrated with the adoption of dual methodologies for national development and advocated Industry-University- Government collaboration for structured linkages, joint ventures, and alumni-driven innovations.
The don also called for an urgent investment in data systems and indigenous AI-driven decision-support tools in Nigeria to serve as the backbone of innovation.
Professor Oladokun appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to enhance the remuneration of university lecturers, especially engineers, saying a nation stands to gain significantly from a university system where lecturers are well-motivated and adequately remunerated.
He added that this will curb the surge of brain drain and engender rapid development and sustainable growth in the nation.
The Inaugural Lecture was the twenty-second in the series for the 2024/2025 academic session.
