By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The National Mathematical Centre (NMC) has trained 20 postgraduate students and researchers in “Dynamical Systems” to enhance their understanding of mathematical concept for the growth of the society.

The Coordinator, Mathematics Programme of the Centre, Prof. James Ajie, said this at the closing ceremony of a two – week foundation postgraduate course in “Dynamical Systems’ in Abuja on Friday.

Ajie said the aim of the programme was to empower mathematics postgraduate students, lecturers and allied researchers with the required knowledge and essential skills for conducting effective and efficient research.

According to him, dynamical systems is an area of mathematics that is applicable and very important to every mathematician and it deals with change in the life of things.

“The programme is very useful, there are some areas of mathematics that we are lacking experts, this will help in bringing experts in those areas.

“It will also help in the collaborative research because we are bringing people from different tertiary institutions. It will help them to network in their research,” the coordinator added.

Ajie said that the Centre has what it takes to turn out experts from mathematical sciences but for paucity of funds it can not do much.

He said if the Centre was adequately funded, its training activities would have been done continuously at least every month.

“There are some aspects of mathematics in Nigeria that today in the whole country you may not get up to five persons that major in those areas.

” What will five persons do in a situation where you have over 100 universities and some of these courses are very crucial in the study of mathematics.

“So, you see some universities graduating students without them doing some courses that are very important in the field of mathematics,” Ajie explained.

He said “there is no nation that can develop beyond its level of mathematics, if there is no mathematics there will be no technology”.

Ajie requested that enough funds should be allocated to the Centre for optimal operation and performance.

Earlier, the Director/Chief Executive, NMC, Promise Mebine, urged the participants to use the knowledge gained in dynamical systems to solve their environmental problems for the betterment of the country.

Mebine said that mathematics was the foundation of sciences and technology, saying that “our nation Nigeria will be a better place if mathematics is adequately deployed”.

On his part, Dr Ignatius Ako on behalf of the participants thanked the management of NMC for opportunity to be part of the training and pledged to nurture the relationship and knowledge gained during the programme.

Ako said the participants would apply the skills, knowledge, and experiences gained in their future research projects.

“Also, we aim to contribute to the knowledge, growth and development of mathematics in Nigeria and the world at large,” he added.(NAN)(www.nannews.com.ng)

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Edited by Razak Owolabi