Don Advocates More Participation of Women in Sciences
A university don, Dr. Cecilia Oluwamodupe, has said more women should be encouraged to take part in science through deliberate enrolment and mentorship.
Dr. Cecilia Oluwamodupe, the Acting Dean, School of Nursing & Allied Health Science, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, made this statement while speaking on the topic “Accelerating Equity in Science” at the 2025 Global Women’s Breakfast held at the Tetfund Lecture Theatre, Laje Campus, University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo on Tuesday, 11th February , 2025.
According to her, “there is a need for fairness in the field of science for both genders. Most of the world’s poverty is with over 1 billion women and children, which is considered unfair as women make a large portion of the nation’s human resources, providing a rich potential supply of talented scientists and innovators”.
To this end, She said “women should not just be seeing as entertainers. Rather, encouraging women to take part in science would allow any country to maximize its valuable human assets, empower its women, and improve its economic prospects”.
The Ondo state Coordinator of the Women in Chemistry/Chemical Society in Nigeria (WICCSN), Dr. Funmilayo Joy Gbenga-Fabusiwa Agbaje, in her welcome address, said “as women in science, we face unique challenges, from implicit bias to unequal access to resources. But we also have a unique opportunity to make a difference, to inspire the next generation of women in science, and to create a more inclusive and equitable scientific community”.
She further said that “to destroy any nation does not require the use of atomic bombs produced in the Chemistry laboratories or the use of long-range missiles. It only requires lowering the quality of education, which we must stand against’.
She urged all women in chemistry and science generally to be an instrument of advancing education and promoting gender equity in our community to make our nation great.
The meeting featured presentation of awards to eminent personalities deemed to have left indelible footprints in the sand of time, particularly in sciences, medical sciences, and even those in the business world supporting sciences.
Some of the recipients include the Vice Chancellor, UNIMED, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Rose Angela Nwuba, Chief Olaota Olamuyiwa, among others
There were delegates from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OAUSTECH) and secondary school students in Ondo state at the event.
Women in Chemistry/Chemical Society of Nigeria (WICCSN) is a non-profit sub-group of Chemical Society of Nigeria which consists of women in Chemistry and related fields. It is a group dedicated to the support of gender issues in the chemical field and encouragement of the girl-child in the study of science.
The society promote awareness that is of benefits to Chemistry and Science in our local communities through seminars, conferences and lectures.
E-signed
Isaac Oluyi
PRO, UNIMED, Ondo
16th February, 2025