By George George Idowu
Renowned climate scientist and environmental consultant, Prof. Jimmy Adegoke has said Nigerians in diaspaora can help the country navigate its development challenges.
He disclosed this in a media chat following the send-off dinner hosted in his honour by a team of diaspora scholars and associates in Lagos.
Professor Adegoke recently retired from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), where he was a tenured faculty member and academic leader for almost 25 years.
The famous scholar also served as Chair of the Department of Geosciences from 2008 to 2010 and Director of the University’s Centre for Applied Environmental Research (CAER).
Citing diasporas’ global exposure and networks, Prof. Adegoke, who is currently an advisor and senior consultant on climate change and green growth with African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, said diasporans can help to foster international partnerships, bring fresh perspectives to policy-making, and attract investments.
He noted that many Nigerians returning home are willing to contribute their quotas as an expression of patriotism and commitment to the country’s growth and development.
The award winning climate scientist and globally recognized environmental leader said by tapping into the diaspora’s talent and expertise, Nigeria can leverage its global human capital to drive economic growth, improve governance, and enhance its international reputation.
Professor Adegoke’s work cuts across science, climate policy, environmental governance, and cross-institutional capacity building, while his research has been funded by agencies such as NASA, US National Science Foundation (NSF), and the AfDB.
Professor Adegoke served as interim Executive Director/CEO of the West African Science Service Center for Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) from April to December 2017 and was previously Executive Director of the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Natural Resources & Environment (NRE) Division, Pretoria, South Africa from 2010 to 2012.
At the invitation of the Government of Nigeria, Professor Adegoke served as Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Agricultural Resilience in Nigeria (ACARN), which developed a national program on climate adaption and agricultural resilience for Nigeria in 2014.
He sits on multiple international science advisory boards/committees and maintains permanent residence in Kansas City where he was an appointee of the Mayor of Kansas City Missouri (KCMO) on the city’s Environmental Management Commission (EMC).
Professor Adegoke was previously named “Inspiring Leader of the Year” by the University of Ibadan Alumni Global Network and a “125th Anniversary Fellow” of the College of Earth & Mineral Sciences (EMS) at The Pennsylvania State University, USA where he obtained his doctorate degree.
He was inducted into the Ahmadu Bello Universtity (ABU), Zaria Nigeria Hall of Fame in 2021 as one of the “110 Most Powerful ABU Alumni”.
