AKSU Don Advocates Co-Creation in Agricultural Extension for Sustainable Rural Development

A don at Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), Prof. (Mrs.) Jemimah T. Ekanem, has delivered the University's 12th Inaugural Lecture titled Good Intentions, Uneven Outcomes: Co-Creating Agricultural Extension for Sustainable Rural Development.

The lecture was held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the University Main Campus, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area.

Declaring the event open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. OtoAbasi Akpan, welcomed dignitaries and members of the University community. He described inaugural lectures as an important academic tradition that formally confirms and inaugurates a scholar as a professor within the university system.

He explained that an inaugural lecture provides an opportunity for a professor to demonstrate expertise, research contributions and advancement of knowledge in a chosen field.

Prof. Akpan described the inaugural lecturer as an experienced practitioner who has served in both private and public sectors and brought valuable practical knowledge to her profession.

He stressed that inaugural lectures are not merely academic ceremonies but important platforms for sharing knowledge, generating valuable lessons and contributing to societal advancement.

In her presentation, Prof. Ekanem explained that agricultural production and agricultural extension are not competing disciplines but complementary components of the same development process.

According to her, agricultural research generates innovations, while agricultural extension facilitates the translation of those innovations into practical solutions capable of improving the lives and livelihoods of rural people.

She noted that every area of agricultural research requires the support of extension specialists, adding that crop scientists need crop extensionists, while livestock scientists equally require livestock extensionists, stressing that agricultural extension cuts across all disciplines in agriculture.

Prof. Ekanem identified three key pillars of agricultural and rural development as good intentions, uneven outcomes and co-creation.

She explained that good intentions represent legitimate aspirations and investments by governments, organisations and development partners aimed at improving the lives of rural people.

She noted that agricultural and rural development programmes are often designed to address challenges such as poverty, unemployment, low agricultural productivity and food insecurity, adding that several interventions have been introduced in Nigeria with commendable intentions.

She said such interventions could come from various sources, including government agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), international development partners such as the World Bank, private-sector organisations, civil society groups and multinational companies such as ExxonMobil.

In her conclusion, the inaugural lecturer emphasised that effective collaboration between agricultural research and extension is essential to ensuring that innovations reach rural communities and translate into meaningful and sustainable development.

In a vote of thanks, the Registrar, Dr. Ebi G. Eno-Ibanga, represented by the Deputy Registrar and Head of the Directorate of Academic Affairs, Mr. Akaninyene Ibanga, appreciated attendees.

He commended the Vice-Chancellor for sustaining the Inaugural Lecture Series and lauded Prof. Ekanem for her insightful and thought-provoking presentation, which he described as professionally delivered and intellectually engaging.