One of the nation’s foremost statisticians and Chief Lecturer, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Olusesan Olufolabo, has stressed the need for policymakers, organizations and others to embrace the use of statistics in arriving at a decision.
Dr. Olufolabo, who spoke as the 18th Inaugural Lecturer of YABATECH, said good decisions in all aspects of our lives are driven by data.
In his 35-page lecture, titled: “Unlocking Insights: The Power of Statistics in Today’s Data-Driven World” he revealed that the national policy and advocacy on exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life was made from his study, propagate and sponsored by UNICEF.
The lecture, which is the first in the Department of Statistics, attracted YABATECH management team led by the Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, former Reactor, Federal School of Statistics (FSS), Ibadan, deans, HODs, his former classmates at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, colleagues in the department and family members.
According to him, our number one citizen, President Bola Tinubu, governors of the 36 states must be statistically literate to take accurate decisions that affect the lives of Nigerians.
Olufolabo also expects members of the national and state assemblies as well as chairmen of the local government to be statistically literate to use data to make policies that will benefit the citizenry.
Dr.Olufolabo further advised that the Rector of the College, Dr. Abdul and staff must also be statistically literate to enable them to take decisions based on scientific data.”By implication every citizens of the country must be statistically literate, because consciously or unconsciously we make use of statistics in all aspects of our lives”, he added
He disclosed that in today’s data-driven World, statistics is not just a discipline, but a powerful tool for unlocking insights and shaping the future.
“By transforming raw data into meaningful knowledge, statistics empowers us to address global challenges, innovate across industries and improve the quality of life in general.
“Today’s good decisions in all aspects of our lives are driven by data. Chief executive of both public and private establishments, clinicians, business managers and professionals are increasingly required to justify decisions based on data. What about religious leaders or politicians? They cannot do without data.
“Decision marking processes must therefore be based on reliable data, which is neither on personal opinions not belief,” he added.
He recommended that the college establish a Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA) in the Department of Statistics similar to what exists in most tertiary institutions within and outside the country.
In his remarks, YABATECH Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, said users of statistics need to keep abreast with a number of facts in order to correctly decide what statistical technique to use for a particular data in terms of analysis.
Abdul noted that statistics have become a cornerstone of scientific inquiry, enabling researchers to test hypothesis, validate theories, and draw conclusions.
Said he: “Fields such as medicine, engineering, climate science, and social sciences rely heavily on statistical analysis to understand phenomena, design experiments, and evaluate interventions. From developing life-saving drugs to studying the impact of climate change, statistics stands as a key driver of innovation and progress.”
Abdul disclosed that many research works methodology were condemned for wrong use of statistical methods, especially in the areas of standardization of questionnaire, sampling design and statistical analysis.
The rector explained that Olufolabo has done justice to the topic and discharged and acquitted of his academic debt to the college and the polytechnic system.
