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Nigerian Historian and Professor of African Studies, Professor Toyin Falola has challenged Ivory Towers in Africa to revive, revamp and refocus conversations around teaching and research related to Africa and African studies.
Delivering the 54th Convocation Lecture of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday, January 15, 2024, the Professor of History at the University of Texas, Austin, USA, stressed the need for African scholars to wean themselves of what he called “western/colonial influence especially when teaching and conducting researches related to the Africa and Africans.”
Titled “Decolonizing African Higher Education for Transformational Development”, the Convocation Lecture which was held at the J.F. Ade. Ajayi (Main) Auditorium of UNILAG was attended by staff, retired staff, students and alumni of the University as well as dignitaries such as former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke.
The Lecture gave an overview of the metamorphosis of education in Africa and the colonial influence especially on higher education, which has continued to set direction and dictate the quality.
According to Prof Falola, “despite the present autonomy of African universities post-independence, they predominantly uphold the academic systems and structures bequeathed by the colonialists, adhering closely to Western academic standards”.
He decried how academics from Africa are subjected to a compulsory one-year postgraduate diploma before being allowed to pursue higher education in any of the colonial countries. A situation, which he said, relegates Africa’s educational system as a second fiddle to theirs.
As a way out of the conundrum which he described as a ban on African values and cultural identity, Prof Falola advocated an expansion of the general courses and programmes on cultural properties, African epistemologies and ingenuities. He also spoke in defence of African languages as academic courses, creation of African vocabulary development and enlightenment bank as well as proliferation of African concepts and scholarship.
While commending the transformational ideas being championed by successive managements of the University of Lagos, the Jacob & Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities suggested a combined honours Award in African Culture, Science and Economics; establishment of a Centre for Creative Economics as well as provision of morale boosters for university staff to reflect the contemporary cost of living at their various locations.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the event, former Pro-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi lauded Prof Toyin Falola’s commitment to the decolonization of the knowledge of African history.
While paying tributes to historians including former Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor J.F. Ade Ajayi for their milestones in re-writing African history devoid of colonial coloration, Dr Ogunbiyi buttressed the need for stakeholders to embrace and re-commit themselves to the true African identity, reject all assumptions and ensure transformation of tertiary education in Africa for continental development.
In her address, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, described the convocation lecture as part of the university’s efforts in developing minds and making them fit for future purposes.
Prof Ogunsola decried the proliferation and propagation of negative stories about Africa, the lack of confidence in Africa by Africans and the adoption of colonial standards as benchmark for native innovations, developments which she said, have continued to sabotage many developmental strides. She also expressed concerns over the position of Africa in the global scheme of things and stressed the need for scholars of African origin to help the continent rediscover its purpose, trace its heritage and re-orientate the minds of the continent’s teeming youths.
The Vice-Chancellor described the choice of Prof Toyin Falola as the 54th Convocation Lecture Guest Speaker as a recognition of his works as an advocate of decolonizing African history.
The climax of the Convocation Lecture was the presentation of the University’s token of appreciation and artworks by students of UNILAG Creative Arts Department to Professor Toyin Falola and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi.
Born on January 1, 1953, in Ibadan, Nigeria, Professor Toyin Falola is a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigerian Academy of Letters. He has received various awards and honors, including the Jean Holloway Award for Teaching Excellence, the Texas Exes Teaching Award, and the Ibn Khaldun Distinguished Award for Research Excellence, and the Distinguished Fellow, Ibadan Cultural Group.
He is co-editor of the Journal of African Economic History, and Series Editor of The Cambria African Studies Series, Rochester Studies in African History and the Diaspora, as well as Culture and Customs of Africa by Greenwood Press.
Commissioning of Industrial Scanner: Better Days ahead for Processing of Transcripts!
Earlier in the day, an industrial scanner was commissioned for use at the Academic Affairs Division of the university. The industrial scanner is a personal donation of the National President, University of Lagos Alumni Association Worldwide, Engineer Ifeoluwa Oyedele.
In her remarks at the brief commissioning ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, described the donation of the industrial scanner as another major milestone in the university’s efforts to meet the tonnes of requests for transcripts before the university.
While appreciating the UNILAG Alumni President for the intervention, Prof Ogunsola said “though the university has maintained an 88 percent success rate over the last 3 months, the industrial scanner will go a long way in quickening the process of transcript issuance”.
The industrial scanner was commissioned by Professor Folasade Ogunsola who was flanked by other management members of the university as well as national executive officers of the UNILAG Alumni Association led by the National President, Engr. Ife Oyedele.
Opening of Exhibition: Come, See our Innovations and Inventions
Another key event that was held on Monday, January 15, 2024, was the Opening of Exhibition at Senate Car Park to showcase the innovations and inventions of students and faculty members of the University.
The Formal Opening was done by the Vice-Chancellor along with the University’s Management team. Thereafter, the entourage went around the exhibition stands.
And Convocation Ceremonies continue…
The Congregation for the Award of First Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and Prizes to Graduating students will formally kick off at 10:00 am on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 with graduating students from the Faculties of Education and Social Sciences slated for the morning session (9:00 am) while graduating students from the Faculties of Arts, Environmental Sciences and Science will have their turn at the afternoon session (1:00 pm).
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photography: Samuel Dosunmu, Ayo Oloyede and Favour Megwara
Source: UNILAG
