A professor at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) has warned that gaps in education, family life, religion and governance could weaken social cohesion and hinder national development.
The call was made by the university’s Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Hannah Etta, while delivering the institution’s 12th Inaugural Lecture in Calabar.
The lecture, titled “Links, Linkages and the Missing Links: From DNA Backbones to Social Cohesion,” explored how different forms of connections shape both biological systems and human society.
A Professor of Genetics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Etta described the lecture as “an intellectual journey from the origin of life to society as it is now.”
Drawing lessons from genetics, she explained that education depends on the successful transfer of knowledge from one generation to another, much like the transfer of genes from parents to offspring.
“Just like genetics has to do with the transfer of genes from parents to offspring, educational linkage has to do with the transfer of knowledge from the mentor to the mentee, and that perpetuates the generation of intellectuals. If there’s a missing link in that transfer, there’s going to be chaos,” she said.
According to the professor, lecturers and mentors play a critical role in ensuring that knowledge is passed on effectively to future generations.
She also spoke about religion, arguing that it should promote peace and unity rather than division.
“In a place like Nigeria, we have seen that our dichotomy has always been religion. The North, core North, Muslims; South here, Christians. And there’s always that conflict. We will have a society bereft of intellectuals, a society bereft of knowledge. The onus is on us, especially the lecturers, to maintain that linkage,” she said.
Etta urged Nigerians to find ways to coexist despite their differences.
“Bring all the missing links together and find a way to coexist,” she added.
The academic also expressed concern about family life, warning that parents who focus solely on career advancement while neglecting their responsibilities at home could create gaps in children’s upbringing.
According to her, such “missing links” in families can have long-term consequences for society.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cross River State, Prof. Francisca Bassey, praised Etta for her commitment and contributions to the institution.
“Hannah is one of my colleagues, staff working under me, that has not given me any form of stress. It is not a political talk. I am saying this to encourage others. If you give Hannah an assignment, be ready for the trouble, because she’s going to bombard you with results,” Bassey said.
The Vice-Chancellor also credited Etta and her team with supporting key university initiatives, including academic collaborations, new programmes and accreditation exercises.
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