Public Symposium At IACD

INTRODUCING THE SYMPOSIUM AND THE ASSEMBLY: CHAIRMAN SCIENCE CITY CENTRE OPENING REMARKS AT A PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM AT INITIATIVE FOR INFORMATION ARTS AND CULTURE, NIGERIA

It is an asset to Science, this City, the Nation and the World of Science to have you all at this Public Symposium at the Science Corner within Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria under the auspices of the Science City Centre Ibadan.

The Science City Centre Ibadan (SSC), was established to be leading science advancement centre, building capacity in science, communicating the value and impact of science and technology in a growing and dynamic knowledge economy and simultaneously building the science, engineering, technology and innovation human resource base in Nigeria. As part of its activities it has accepted to promote public understanding of Science through Public Lectures, Seminars, Science Exhibitions, School Quiz Programmes in Science and experimental demonstrations to generate enlightment within the City of Ibadan and the entire Science area so well defined within 200 kilometers from Ibadan Centre City.

The Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria (IACD), was established to facilitate the access of growing numbers of the Nigerian population to the best that has been thought and written in world’s civilizations through the provision of books, through exhibitions, and through the sponsorship of concerts and Science City Centre has decided to collaborate in this endeavour of mutual interest.

As part of the 2018 Children’s Day activities, and knowing of the near epidemics of drugs and substance abuse across the nation, the Science City Centre has organized a symposium to talk and address the issue involved in drugs and substance abuse. It is our privilege to have ask for your participation as we gather to listen and to learn at this Public Symposium titled “Drugs, Crime and the African Child” in order to engage the Public to address the issue and matters arising thereof. The views as our expert, speaker, discussants and the general audience are very vital in this Public discourse and dissemination of information on our response to the near epidemics of drugs and substance abuse. We have impressive list of Speakers, a foremost School Principal, an agricultural Scientists, a Retired National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), an International Consultant on Drug Control and Crime Prevention, Children and Youth Matters. A Honorary Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, University of Sheffield, Executive Medical Director & Visiting Consultant Psychiatrist, A Neurologists and Neuro-Rehabilitation and Wellness Expert.

‘Sweet Sweet Codeine’ a BBC Documentary looks at the cough syrup industry and how codeine is causing a plague of addiction. The sweet tasting opioid is found in night clubs and neighbourhood back Streets in different communities in Lagos, Kano, Jigawa and other towns in the country. The documentary also showed many of the past users who are already demented in Rehabilitation Centers. Codeine is not the only drugs being abused; there is an epidemic of illicit drugs being consumed in large quantities by kids and adolescent. We all need to rise up in response to these epidemics and save our nation’s kids and adolescent.

Looking at what Science can do in this epidemic is crucial for us to come to the nation’s rescue. We are talking of drug and brain function and also look into structure, function and drug interaction. We are talking of mind control and looking at powerful persuasive technology tools to help people get off opioids or communicate with each other on a more meaningful level. We already know how to engineer the brain to be a good little social media user. We can look into the future to engineer the brain to be who we want to be to control behavior to drug abuse.

Science City Centre wishes to thank you all for your kind attention and for your presence, in acts that reinforces the confidence of this Public Symposium, Science Corner activities of the Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria in coming together for an intervention to this critical issue of drugs and substance abuse in the African Child to save our collective future.

Professor Gabriel B. Ogunmola

Chairman

Science City Centre, Ibadan

28^th May, 2018.