•The Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof Olukayode Adebowale; Dean Faculty of the Social Sciences, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha and others cutting the conference cake.
Professor Augustine Okereke of Medgar Evers College/City University of New York has said that lack of strong (social) institutions in Nigeria is impeding sustainable development.
To overcome this, the Don told President Bola Tinubu that he needs to encourage a system of strong institutions that can check corruption, among other social ills.
Prof. Okereke, who presented a lead paper at the First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference held at the University of Ibadan, added that “all our institutions are on the decline.”
He remarked that it would be difficult for Nigeria to achieve sustainable development without effective structures put in place,, adding: “African countries in particular face very huge challenges in meeting sustainability in every sector. Without these structures, African nations will continue to fail into poverty, under-employment, injustice.”
The Dean of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan and host, First Annual Ibadan International Social Science Conference, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, stated that the premier university’s Social Science has deep intellectual, context-specific solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria.
According to Professor Nwokocha, social science and humanities researchers have what it takes to assist the leadership of the country in navigating the problems confronting the country urging state and federal government to patronise researchers in Nigeria.
“Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages. Mr Chairman, we produced Professors Ojetunji Aboyade, Akin Mabogunje, Peter P. Eke, Onigu Otite, and Dennis Ugwuegbu, among others. Their offspring are here and insisting through groundbreaking research that intellectual leadership is non-negotiable.
“The theme of the conference is more relevant in helping the Nigerian society navigate through its present very difficult existential reality that finds expression in pervasive despair, suspended hope, at best and avoidable frustration occasioned by spiraling inflation, rising prices of items especially food, insecurity, persistent corruption, unemployment, desperate emigration, among others.”
While declaring the conference open, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, who noted that the theme of the conference: “Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues and the Actualisation of Sustainable Development” captures not just the mood of the nation but by extension the current global reality, tasked participants to come up with ideas that could change Nigeria for the better.
The Vice-Chancellor said: “It is indeed gratifying to note that even though our nation has achieved notable progress in her 63 years of independence, the state of our economy and other social indices have suffered a huge setback and is a constant cause of worry and embarrassment for the citizenry.
“It is my hope that this conference with an array of participants from far and near will help proffer solutions to the many challenges bedevilling our society.”
In his keynote address, Professor Lai Erinosho stressed that Artificial Intelligence would unleash its unintended consequences and called for restraints while urging the political leadership in Nigeria to maintain her ban on same sex relationships being championed by the global North and already having dangerous implications on humanity..
“Rapid social change has brought about improved economic, physical, and social well-being. It has at the same time fueled challenges/problems that undermine the capacity of human beings, communities and countries to relate in a peaceful way with one another,” he said.
