The award was presented to him by President John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana, at the last African Union Summit, which held at the African Union headquarters office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He equally took home a cheque for $100,000 dollars.
With this award, Makinde is now to be seen as the top African scientist in the category of basic sciences, technology and innovation.
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) which Makinde represents, in its report said “the annual award brought to fore the achievements of African scientists
who are making an impact on the continent, through their research and other related activities.”
According to the university, “this prestigious award celebrates Professor Makinde’s contribution to the upliftment of previously disadvantaged groups in Africa in the area of mathematical science research and training.
Makinde said the award will go a long way in boosting his research and training of upcoming African scientists.
“The impact of this AU Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award on the rest of Africa is enormous. It raises the profile of innovative research in mathematical sciences in Africa and acts as a stimulus for scientific, engineering and technological advancement of the continent,” Professor Makinde said.
Over the past 25years, Professor Makinde has concentrated his research on the use of mathematical theories to gain insights into the dynamics of engineering and biological systems that are of industrial, environmental, medical and social interest.
A senior professor and Director of Postgraduate Studies at CPUT, Makinde believes research, mathematics, science and technology are vital for the development of the African continent.
“Unless a country or a group of countries are well- equipped with the necessary mathematical skills and knowledge to unlock its enormous scientific and technological potentials, they will be lagging behind in the race of development,” he said.
“It is the level of research in mathematical sciences that determines the level of the science and technological advancement of any nation. The foundation of science and technology, which is the basic requirement for development of a nation, is mathematics,” he added.
Professor Makinde has produced over 200 journal articles to date, authored several books, chaired numerous international conferences and is also one of the university’s top researchers.
Besides the African Union’s award, Makinde is the winner of the CPUT award for best senior researcher for the past three years.
