Bells University of Technology, Ota, is partnering the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to build a state of the art, modern Weather Station in the university campus in Ota. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in a short ceremony on Thursday, 18th January, 2024, in Abuja, by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jeremiah O. Ojediran and Director General and Chief Executive Officer, NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran affirmed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is keen to see that the partnership between the university and NiMet blossoms. Continuing, he said, “We want to go beyond building a weather station and do more with NiMet in the area of research into climate change and training of farmers. I look back in time and I remember Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) but climate change is impacting negatively on activities of farmers these days, hence the need for research using the data from the proposed weather station which will be applied in the area of agriculture and other sectors”.
In his remarks, the Director General, NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike expressed happiness that the relationship with Bells University which began in 2008 was continuing. According to him, “The choice of Bells University of Technology is strategic as it will help in downscaling NiMet data to farmers in the state and beyond”. He revealed that President Olusegun Obasanjo has been a friend of NiMet for many years, alongside his interests in farming, has been a champion of weather and climate change.
Due to the demonstrated commitment demonstrated by BellsTech, NiMet plans to build a full weather station at Bells University in due course. Such a Weather Station when operational will measure impact of the data from the weather station on farmers’ activities and the economy as a whole.
The Director of Center for Climate Change at Bells University of Technology, Professor Samuel Babatunde Agbola, said he was delighted with the way NiMet has interfaced with Bells University. He confirmed that BellsTech is an active partner of NiMet going forward. “The MoU with Bells University will open other areas of partnership opportunities that will be mutually beneficial and contribute to economic development”.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who called in during the signing of the MoU, said he was committed to partnering NiMet to promote climate change. In his words, “I have planted three and half million trees so far but my target is to plant five million. We all should do our bit to protect our environment and climate”, President Obasanjo reiterated.