A Professor of Public Health and Health Systems Economics at the University of Nigeria, Prof. Chima Onoka, has urged academics seeking to influence public policy to combine technical expertise with humility, strategic communication and political awareness, warning that knowledge alone is insufficient in government and policy circles.
Delivering his 241st inaugural lecture at the university recently, Onoka said many academics fail in public service because they do not understand the systems they seek to reform.
‘You cannot reform a system that you do not understand,’ he said, stressing the need for academics appointed into government positions to first study civil service rules, procurement guidelines and financial regulations.
Drawing from his experiences in policy and governance spaces, the professor outlined what he described as ‘pro-academic proverbs of power’ practical lessons for navigating the intersection of academia and government.
He cautioned academics against competing with political leaders or senior officials for attention, engaging in sycophancy, compromising their independence, or publicly contradicting those they advise.
According to him, successful engagement in policy circles requires professional discipline, ethical conduct and respect for institutional boundaries.
Onoka also emphasized the importance of strategic communication, arguing that academics must learn to present complex ideas in ways policymakers can easily understand.
‘Information without advocacy is inert, but advocacy without evidence is dangerous,’ he said.
The professor further called for reforms to Nigeria’s research funding architecture, arguing that the country lacks institutions dedicated to commissioning and funding independent research.
He cited the roles of the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), saying they currently compete with universities for research grants instead of primarily funding and coordinating research.
‘There is no organisation in Nigeria that is there to commission research,’ he said, adding that the absence of such a system weakened the country’s research response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘It is because of its absence that the COVID research money ended up in the Central Bank of Nigeria. Why should the Central Bank of Nigeria be commissioning research during COVID?’ he asked.
Onoka said strengthening independent research institutions would improve evidence-based policymaking and support Nigeria’s quest for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
‘Achieving UHC in Nigeria is not a destination we reach by chance; it is a structure we build by choice,’ he said.
Reflecting on his personal journey, the professor disclosed that he recently turned 50 and survived a serious road accident last year, an experience he said reinforced his commitment to public service and national development.
He urged academics and policymakers to work together to bridge the gap between research and governance, insisting that lasting reforms would only come through collaboration between the ‘ivory tower’ and the ‘corridors of power.’