The Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, on Saturday, December 7, 2024, conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degree on world-renowned historian and scholar, Professor Toyin Falola. The conferment was part of activities marking the institution’s 2024 convocation ceremonies, which commenced on December 5.
Professor Falola, a polymath whose scholarship spans African epistemologies, history, and beyond, is celebrated globally for his revolutionary contributions to knowledge. He holds the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities and serves as a Distinguished Teaching Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition, he boasts three Distinguished Professorships in South Africa and an Emeritus Professorship in Nigeria, cementing his legacy as a towering intellectual figure.
Speaking at the ceremony, Falola addressed the ideological challenges African scholars face, emphasizing the lasting impact of colonialism and Eurocentric perspectives on the global knowledge hierarchy.
“For centuries, the enlightenment ideals pursued by the world have been dominated by Eurocentric perspectives, adopted as the objective test of knowledge in universal conceptualizations,” Falola noted. “Hence, African epistemologies have been seen as subjective and informal. Sectors like medical practices, entertainment, and philosophical endeavors are at the receiving ends of these biases – putting the continent and those of its origin in constructive ideological bondage.”
The scholar highlighted how colonialism uprooted indigenous African knowledge systems and imposed Western paradigms without regard for pre-existing frameworks.
“The colonialists built the foundation of the African contemporary knowledge system on what they thought to be ideal, therefore subjecting the continent to ideological bondage,” he remarked. “Our preference has always been for European models of understanding, knowledge production, and knowledge dissemination. So, to gain any form of global recognition, African authors are made to conform to Western frameworks of scholarship.”
Despite these challenges, Falola commended the strides made by post-colonial African scholars in reclaiming and reshaping narratives about the continent.
“For centuries, African stakeholders, persons of influence, and scholars have been battling ideological captivity,” he said. “The strides made have been commendable, especially after the post-colonial era, which saw great minds engage the very core of Eurocentric ideological values. The race for setting the records straight and putting the right perspectives on Africa has been ongoing for a while, and I took the baton at some point, too.”
He expressed his gratitude for the recognition, describing the honorary degree as a milestone in the collective effort to reposition African knowledge systems.
“This honour by the University is not just a win for me but a contribution to the endeavour and an affirmation that a substantial win has been realized in the journey so far,” Falola concluded.
The conferment of the D.Litt. adds another feather to the cap of Professor Falola, further validating his relentless pursuit of academic excellence and advocacy for the decolonization of knowledge.