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• UI don, Albert, underscores humanities’ critical roles in tackling contemporary complexities
By Gabriel Dike
Erudite scholar and Professor of African History, University of Ibadan (UI), Isaac Olawale Albert, has underscored the critical contributions of the humanities to understanding and resolving contemporary global complexities.
Albert, who is Director, Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies as well as TETFund Centre of Excellence in Security Management, UI, disclosed this while delivering a lecture in honour of Professor Emeritus Is-haq Oloyede and Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The lecture organised by the Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), titled, “Widening the Aperture: The Humanities in the Age of Global Uncertainties,” examined the relevance of the humanities in today’s world, highlighting how disciplines such as philosophy, history, literature, and cultural studies illuminate the modern global experience through critical inquiry and cross-cultural engagement.
The presentation offered a critical exploration of cultural nuances, moral dilemmas, historical contexts, and the far-reaching consequences of uncertainty. It also proposed a framework that places greater emphasis on history, literature, and cultural studies as essential tools for understanding contemporary perspectives, ethical reflection, and conflict resolution.
Speaking as a conflict analyst and peace building expert, Albert noted that the paper demonstrated how the humanities help explain pervasive uncertainties at both local and global levels: “The humanities provide distinctive analytical tools for understanding and addressing these challenges while fostering resilience, inclusivity, and informed decision-making.”
The pioneer Dean, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, explained that the lecture was closely connected to the enduring legacies of Oloyede, particularly his transformative leadership at the UNILORIN and “his unprecedented achievements as Registrar of JAMB.
“This lecture is delivered in honour of Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, a man who provided me with the necessary support and resources to establish the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin.
“His emphasis on academic excellence, infrastructure development, and technology left an indelible mark on the institution. I am deeply appreciative of this opportunity, which aligns seamlessly with my professional aspirations.
“While in Ilorin, I witnessed Prof. Oloyede’s transformation of the institution into one of the top 20 universities in Africa. He introduced computer-based examinations at the university, an innovative initiative that has since been adopted by many institutions nationwide. He distinguished himself through far reaching reforms and innovations in the board’s operations.
“These include the strengthening of computer-based testing, the automation of admissions through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), the establishment of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), unprecedented financial remittances, and the receipt of numerous national and international awards.”
Albert noted that the lecture was deliberately structured to highlight Oloyede’s commitment to inclusivity, particularly his passion for easing access to examinations for candidates with disabilities.
He also praised the registrar’s insistence on accountability and transparency in JAMB’s operations, stressing that his intellectual, societal, and pedagogical contributions remain remarkable and enduring.
He emphasized that the humanities equip societies to frame complex problems, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and address policy uncertainties through deeper analysis and practical strategies.
In his remarks, Oloyede described the humanities as repositories of the human spirit, capturing the full spectrum of humanity’s triumphs and failures: “When we are uncertain about truth and bewildered by a cacophony of narratives, the humanities train us in the art of critical discernment. They teach us how to deconstruct speeches, interrogate populist rhetoric, and understand the historical context of conflicts.
“The humanities enable individuals to read between the lines of news reports, much like historians weigh evidence; literary critics unpack metaphors, and philosopher s expose logical fallacies. These skills are not mere academic exercises but essential survival tools in the information age, particularly in a world grappling with fractured identities shaped by tribalism and gglobalisation. “
Oloyede argued that despite remarkable technological advancements, humanity remains mired in deep uncertainties about the future, the stability of democracies, the nature of truth in the digital age, and what it truly means to be human in an era where technology threatens to redefine biology and consciousness: “These are crises of meaning, values, and ethical direction.
“It is precisely at such moments that the humanities reveal themselves not as optional subjects but as vital disciplines of human existence, history, philosophy, literature, language, religion, and the arts. When societies grapple with questions of justice, they must look beyond legal codes to the deeper tensions between human law and moral conscience.”
Oloyede described the honour as the highest recognition he had received in his career.
In their goodwill messages, the UNILORIN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole and the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Ibrahim Jawondo, commended the JAMB Registrar’s contributions to the growth and development of the faculty and the university at large.
