Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to transforming research into practical solutions for national development as it honoured outstanding inventors and launched a fresh initiative to accelerate research commercialisation.
The event, organised by the University’s Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) at the ACE Design Studio, featured the presentation of patent and Research Commercialisation and Acceleration Programme (RECAP) certificates to innovators, alongside the onboarding of a new cohort of researchers into the RECAP initiative.
The ceremony was attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor E.O. Akinfala; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Aderonmu; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Development), Professor Akanni Akinyemi; and the Director of the University Research Office, Professor Jide Odu, underscoring the institution’s coordinated commitment to research, innovation and technology transfer.
Presenting the certificates, Professor Bamire urged researchers to embrace innovation-driven research, stressing that universities must move beyond publishing papers to developing solutions that improve lives, create jobs and drive economic growth.
“Research must move beyond publications and become a tool for solving real societal challenges. Our responsibility is to ensure that knowledge generated within the university translates into innovations that improve lives, create jobs and drive national development,” he said.
The ceremony also featured the induction of lecturers, researchers and postgraduate students into RECAP, a flagship programme designed to bridge the gap between academic discoveries and commercial success. Participants received practical training on intellectual property protection, business development, digital innovation tools and industry engagement.
Speaking earlier, the Director of IPTTO, Professor Grace Ogunlusi, described the programme as another milestone in OAU’s quest to become a globally competitive research and innovation institution. She challenged researchers to measure success not only by scholarly publications but also by the real-world impact of their innovations.
The event highlighted OAU’s growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading innovation-driven universities, with recent patents covering engineering, health sciences and applied technology. It also aligns with the institution’s broader vision of strengthening innovation, entrepreneurship and technology transfer through strategic partnerships, including the proposed ₦3 billion Innovation Hub championed by OAU alumnus Tosin Eniolorunda.
In his closing remarks, Professor Akanni Akinyemi urged researchers to embrace commercialisation as the next frontier of academic excellence, noting that universities must increasingly convert knowledge into solutions that create jobs, improve lives and stimulate economic growth.
