For the country to witness rapid technological growth, a professor of Mechatronics Engineering, Abiodun Aibinu, has advocated the efficient application of what he called ‘’Spiritual Intelligence’’. He spoke at the 60th inaugural lecture of Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), reports ABDULSALAM MAHMUD.
How did the Asian Tigers and other industrialised nations achieve robust technological growth through cutting-edge research and innovations?
Countries such as China, Japan, the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Malaysia and the ‘Jewel’ of the Arab world, Dubai, redirected their attention towards harnessing ‘Spiritual Intelligence’ (SQ) to address peculiar developmental challenges, and bridge their technology deficit gaps, says Professor Abiodun Aibinu.
He observed that applying SQ will fast-track and help catalyse the country’s technology and scientific innovation agenda, faster than artificial intelligence, engineering strides and research activities.
Aibinu, a professor of Mechatronics Engineering, described spiritual intelligence “as the adaptive use of spiritual information to facilitate everyday problem-solving and goal-attainment”.
He explained that the reason the country was still grappling with sundry challenges of nationhood was due to the zero application of information sourced from spiritual intelligence.
At the Gidan Kwano Campus of the Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMINNA), in Niger State, Aibinu, said SQ influences up to 98 percent innovations in engineering and entrepreneurship, adding that ‘’it sharpens man’s creative talent and innovation prowess.’’
The don spoke while delivering the university’s 60th inaugural lecture, with the theme: Spiritual Intelligence: Beyond Mechatronics Engineering and Artificial Intelligence, on Thursday, at the Caverton Lecture Hall.
He noted that entrepreneurship, which helps to create wealth and check unemployment, has a link with human spiritual intelligence, saying that the level of one’s creativity, indicates how spiritually intelligent or otherwise, the particular individual is.
“SQ activates the inherent capabilities of an individual, in the form of wisdom and creativity. It is the most fundamental of all intelligence’’, he added.
Aibinu, the HOD of mechatronics engineering department, listed self-awareness, spontaneity, compassion, appreciation of diversity, field independence, tendency to ask the ‘’Why’’ question, and the positive use of adversity, as key principles underlying spiritual intelligence.
Speaking further, Aibinu explained that having a higher SQ quotient can mitigate incidences of psychological disorder among victims of substance, and other forms of abuse.
He said: ‘’Developing a high degree of SQ helps feuding couples to re-attract marital satisfaction and love to their homes. Evidently, mutual disaffection, hostility, acrimony and other negative attitudes pervade our societies. But, by fortifying and objectively analysing our spiritual information, the tendency to show contempt or antagonise others, would give way to compassion and tolerance.’’
The inaugural lecturer said that the ‘lofty’ aspirations of many students remain stillborn, because they failed to ‘positively’ tap from their academic adversities, through learning from past failures and mistakes.
“Failure in school, is inevitable. But, how can students apply spiritual intelligence to achieve academic success? It is by thinking methodically, articulating their study plans, remaining focus and been diligent. Interestingly, SQ also boosts students’ mental health.’’
Aibinu, the Director, FUTMINNA Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning (CODEL), bemoaned the spate of ethno-religious mayhems, divisive agitations, and the Frankenstein Monster of insurgency, which are threatening the nation’s corporate entity.
He however, said that good interpretation of spiritual messages assist in maintaining a person’s inner peace, amidst tension. He said: ‘’The reason why anarchy looms large in our societies is apparent. We have completely lost our sense of humanity, brotherhood, love and empathy.
‘’To avoid transmuting into a Hobbesian state, we must swiftly act. We must prudently utilise our spiritual knowledge. It is a way to achieving national integration.’’
He stressed the need for researchers, academics and students, to harness their productive creative ideas and innovative talents, to attain personal fulfillments.
Aibinu observed that solely taking responsibility for one’s goals, and focusing on completing a task, are vital ways of developing ‘advanced’ spiritual intelligence.
The mechatronics professor appealed to governments to de-emphasise ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ (STEM), owing to its apparent inefficiency in driving aggressive technological growth.
The don recommended a unique proposal of ‘Science, Spiritual Intelligence, Technology, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence,Mathematics and Science’ (SITEAIMS), as a sustainable innovative blueprint.
FUTMINNA immediate past VC, Prof. Musbau Akanji, said that the colourful event meant more than just a ‘valedictory’ inaugural lecture to him, appealing to stakeholders to be proactive in adopting vital recommendations highlighted by the guest lecturer, for implementation.
He described the lecture as ‘extraordinarily brilliant, attention-grabbing and intellectually mind-blowing’.