From Louis Pasteur’s words as a french Scientist, “Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence.” Uganda mourns the demise of Christopher the boffin.
In the definition of Patriotism as “having or showing great love and support for your country,” Nsamba Christopher has been a progressive chauvinist, making wonders in the health sector.
Uganda has lost Christopher a trailblazer, neoteric, researcher,an engineer and the founder of the African space research program, whose innovation of locally made incubators saved thousands of newly born babies in the country.
To those who didn’t know Nsamba the developer, you may view news clips of the first African made incubator in Uganda: https://t.co/Whz59qUC4A his organization website: https://t.co/44bu45WASJ
The visionary Christopher has truly exhibited his sound feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to his country. Not at any time on twitter has he ever said “I’ve done this” instead of “Uganda has done this” even when Dr. Diana spotted and started supporting him. He has always fronted Uganda regardless of all his time and knowledge incurred.
Scientific and technological innovations made it possible to put a man on the moon and explore the depths of the ocean. These events are an inspiration to the public and motivate scientists to keep pushing the limits of what is possible. These achievements, like Olympic medals, are worn with great pride by citizens and scientists like the now late Nsamba Christopher.
Science should always be an investment in our country. Like a small business, you have to spend money to make money. When we invest in science, we invest in infrastructure and baseline research to continue advancements. Research builds upon research. In this case I applaud Dr. Diana Atwine the permanent secretary of the health ministry for having represented the government in making Chris’s dreams tangible. He died thankful to the government of Uganda.
Like Calestous Juma, the luminary Kenyan scholar who championed the cause of innovation and technology in transforming African countries, and whose books and papers about the environment, biotechnology, education, artificial intelligence, and the politics of land in Africa made him a towering figure both in the continent and across the world, Nsamba has been a brilliant and an intelligent son of the soil, ready to replace the faculty member at the Harvard Kennedy school in the region.
Among the many outputs, Christopher unveiled a 10in1 world’s largest and most technologically advanced baby incubator. He won an official world record in Uganda for building such a world’s largest incubator winning 194countries. https://t.co/GZ1jBHkwDo
Some benefits of science are more tangible, like medical research, but the overall contribution of knowledge and technical advancements, is a benefit to society as a whole, even when we don’t know how and when they might be applied directly to daily life.
Many treatments we use today were employed by several ancient peoples throughout Africa. Before the European invasion of Africa, medicine in what is now Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa, to name just a few places, was more advanced than medicine in Europe. The government of Uganda should always support people with such innovative brains just like the health sector chose to backup Nsamba Christopher.
Science has enhanced diplomacy. When the scientists of one country work to help the citizens of another country like Chris did at one time through formal governmental arrangements- that’s science diplomacy, a form of soft power that builds good will and trust between different nations and cultures. Scientific collaborations across citizens of different nations, whether formal or informal are common.
When we have scientific innovations that capture the world’s attention, we are seen as a strong nation. This is what the so called super powers have mastered.
As we eulogize the death of Nsamba Christopher, a youthful innovator behind the Ugandan made incubators, we should now consider why African countries must invest in science and technology, how science creates wealth, and what Africa must do to achieve this ‘new liberation’ using it’s untapped natural wealth, human resources and effective policy execution to create explosive wealth that by-passes western-led globalisation.
For God and my Country
Lukanga Samuel
lukangasamuel55@gmail.com
+256 785717379
The writer is a social development enthusiast and a judicious youth leader from Nakaseke District.
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