ABSTRACT
There is much more similarity than differences in the development trajectory of most sub-Saharan African states. The post-colonial development landscape is littered with uncoordinated development programs, inadequate funding, corruption, undemocratic governance and lack of monitoring and evaluation of programs to ascertain their impact. The multifaceted nature of the problems, notwithstanding, the prescriptions from both internal and external actors in most instances is the same: mobilize institutions and resources in disparate directions without structures to promote and ensure coherent interactions. It is not unusual to see government-controlled research institutes with competent scientists far removed from the research activities of universities, industry and other stakeholders. Universities are hardly part of the development discourse, and in the rare cases that they are called upon, they are consigned to the performance of peripheral roles.
