Mr Ugo Eze, a software engineer and researcher at Atlantis Research Centre, Enugu, has argued that Igbo creativity can contribute to shaping science and technology for the benefit of humanity.
Eze stated this in Enugu on Saturday – yesterday, February 8 – at the February 2025 ‘Ńkata Umuibe (Discussion of the people)’, organised by the Centre for Memories, Enugu, to explore the “Application of Igbo Cosmology In Science And Technology”.
Noting that true innovation requires more than representation but demands the integration of diverse knowledge systems, the software expert highlighted the need for co-application of indigenous (native) wisdom and modern scientific know-how towards the advancement of human knowledge and civilization.
He challenged the assumption that technology must be exclusively shaped by western methodologies, showcasing how indigenous knowledge had long provided practical solutions to real-world challenges.
Exploring Igbo cosmology deeply embedded in spirituality, mythology, language, medicine and tradition, Eze demonstrated its applications in fields like entrepreneurship, product development and scientific research.
“Like modern science, Igbo thought systems operate on fundamental axioms that guide logical reasoning,” he said, citing examples of indigenous influences in digital typography, such as ‘Nsibidi’, the ancient Igbo script, which inspired modern fonts like Agu Display.
He also referenced the Ikenga GT Supercar, an automobile design concept rooted in Igbo cultural identity, demonstrating how heritage could shape modern engineering.
Drawing parallels between programming and Igbo metaphysics, Eze explained that just as computers function through structured commands, nature also operated as a programmable system.
In remarks at the occasion, Executive Director of the Centre, Mazi Iheanyi Igboko, said Eze’s insights challenged attendees to rethink the rigid divide between indigenous knowledge and contemporary science, advocating a model where both inform and enrich each other.
He said the February edition was proudly supported by the Ford Foundation, as part of its mission to enhance inclusion across Igboland.
“Following the lecture by Eze, a dialogue session moderated by Uche Olisa Nge examined the contrasts between Igbo and western scientific perspectives.
“The discussion reinforced the importance of reclaiming Igbo knowledge not as relics of the past, but as living systems capable of shaping the future.
“Nkata Umuibe continues to foster critical intergenerational conversations that challenge conventional thinking and reaffirm the relevance of Igbo heritage in the modern world,” Igboko said.
According to him, the centre is dedicated to preserving and advancing Igbo heritage, history, and intellectual traditions through exhibitions, research, and dialogue-driven programmes to foster a deeper understanding of Igbo identity and its contributions to global civilisation.
