Nigerian Mathematician In Diaspora Wins AU Science Award

The award was presented on Sunday, January 29 at the African Union Commission Headquarters during the formal opening ceremony of the 18th AU Summit, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Professor Maryke Tine Labuschagne also bagged the Life and Earth Science Award. Makinde, who obtained his B.Sc and M.Sc degrees from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and a Doctorate from the University of Bristol has contributed immensely to the upliftment of previously disadvantaged groups in Africa especially in the area of mathematical science research and training.

The African Union launched the AU Scientific Award Programme on September 9, 2008. Renamed as the "African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards" in July 2010, the award "is one of the holistic and deliberate measures taken by the Commission to maintain science and technology on top of Africa’s development, co-operation and political agenda. The objective of the programme is to give out scientific awards to top African scientists for their scientific achievements and valuable discoveries and findings.President Goodluck Jonathan in a congratulatory letter to Makinde described his achievements as "a source of pride to all Nigerians, particularly worthy of emulation by the younger generation", adding that the winner is "a very gifted scholar, an achiever, and a man of impressive credentials.Makinde a past winner of the Young African Mathematician award in 2003 was also appointed Secretary of the African Mathematics Union in 2009. During his visit to the Nigeria in 2010, he was at the Covenant University. Prior to joining CPUT, Prof Makinde headed the Applied Mathematics Department for more than ten years and became a Full Professor at the University of Limpopo in South Africa.

• Makinde in an interview published in CPUT Newsletter described mathematics as the "precursor of science and technology and the indispensable single element in modern societal development."
  
  According to him, mathematics education is therefore indispensable in nation-building.
  
  Before joining CPUT, Prof Makinde headed the Applied Mathematics Department for more than ten years and became a Full Professor at the University of Limpopo in South Africa.
  
  His key focus area for research is in Computational and Mathematical Modelling of Engineering and Biological Systems.
  
  From The Nation Newspaper of 22nd February, 2012.