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By Gabriel Dike
One of the nation’s foremost historians and a lecturer at University of Texas, Austin, Prof. Toyin Folola on Monday made a passionate appeal to the management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), to introduce traditional African courses to deepen our cultural heritage.
•Prof. Falola delivering the convocation lecture
Prof. Folola, who spoke at UNILAG 54th convocation lecture, appealed to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola and the Senate to introduce new departments of Ifa, witchcraft and kingship studies.
The convocation lecture attracted former Governor of Cross River, Donald Duke, ambassador of Angola, Mrs. Folasade Ogunbiyi, National President of UNILAG Alumni Association, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Alumni National Secretary, Chief Adebisi Ogundipe, former VCs and registrars as well as principal officers of the university
He spoke on “Decolonising African Higher Education for Transformational Development”, recommended the university management to recognise some departments and introduce trending courses that the youths can take advantage of and horn their skills.
Folola asked: “Why don’t we have departments of Ifa, Witchcraft and Kingship Studies. I wish the university management will spear head this introduction.”
The historian called on UNLAG to expand the General courses and programmes on cultural properties, African epistemologies, and ingenuities, adding, “these courses would aim to expose the students at an early stage of their university education to the cultural properties of different cultures and people in Africa.
•Falola (5th right), Ogunbiyi (5th right), Ogunsola (6th left) and others at the event.
“These courses would take people back to the creative nods and mentalities of the old while highlighting the role of African innovations in the comprehensive development of the continent. The aim is to help young people draw solutions from the past and understand the high possibilities of history-changing events and inventions starting from Africa.”
Prof. Folola also proposed the promotion of African language as academic courses and that the study of such a language would reveal certain cultural perspectives of the African populace, which would influence the identity of the individual.
“Such courses should have a level of seriousness to the extent that they cannot be waived if a student fails them as they enter the final year of their programme. These courses must be passed as a prerequisite for the certification of first-degrees.”
He also suggested the creation of African Vocabulary Development and Establishment Bank, promote the proliferation of African and Concepts Scholarship, institute socio-cultural initiatives and run combined honours award in African culture, science and economics. The scholar proposed the creation of a Centre of Creative Economics and proposed the establishment of the Department of Lagoon and Sea Economics.
Prof. Folola said the decision to rescind the 40 percent by the President is a positive development and that universities must carefully define what Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) means, as some of them are operational costs.
In his remarks, chairman of the lecture, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi said the future of the country is tied to high education and suggested the need to revamp the system.
Ogunbiyi highlighted the challenges facing higher education and described Prof. Folola as one of the best scholar on decolonisation of Africa.
UNILAG VC, Prof. Ogunsola said: “In academia we develop thinkers and if Nigeria is to reach its full potential, we as a nation must start thinking right. As part of our contributions towards promoting discussions that would enable a paradigm shift in the way we think it is important that we examine our tertiary education system in Africa because it is where we shape minds for national development.
“Our current educational system modelled on colonial constructs has not been able to drive the all-round development, revolutionary ideas, and industries that we need despite our population, heterogeneity and other positive demographic factors.”
Ogunsola disclosed that the university role is to develop minds so that people can be the best version of themselves with the capacity to develop their nation and be fit-for purpose for the 4th industrial revolution.
The choices we make will guide our actions and the collective actions will be what Nigeria will be. The narrative, presently, about Nigeria is all about its negatives. Unfortunately, this narrative is prevalent among Nigerians.
“I am confident that he will provide insights, broaden our perspective and stimulate healthy discussions not just in the academia but in government, industry and communities that will, we hope, will advance policies and new approaches that will shape tertiary education not only in Nigeria but in Africa,” Ogunsola stated.
