LAUTECH VC Highlights Strategic Importance of African Studies in Understanding Global Affairs

The Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Professor Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu, has reiterated the critical role of African Studies as a foundation for comprehending global affairs.

Professor Kalilu made the statement while declaring open the Maiden Public Lecture of the University’s Institute of African Studies at the Great Hall, LAUTECH, an event attended by participants from sister universities. The lecture, titled “African Studies in the 21st Century: Golden Past, Confused Present and Uncertain Future,” was delivered by Professor Dele Layiwola, former Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.

In his address, Professor Kalilu noted that the Institute, established two years ago, was created to ensure LAUTECH remains relevant in global intellectual discourse. He explained that the Institute comprises three specialized Centres: the Centre for Material Culture Studies, Centre for Non-Material Culture Studies, and Centre for Ogbomoso Studies, each aimed at deepening research and scholarship on African heritage and contemporary issues.

Professor Layiwola emphasized the global influence of Africa, asserting that the continent is conceptually represented in five of the seven continents. He highlighted that Africa’s historical supply of labour and natural resources has positioned it as a central hub of world civilization and global economic interaction. He also noted that Africa’s strategic geographic location further underscores its historical and contemporary significance in global affairs.

The lecture underscored the importance of African Studies not only as an academic pursuit but as a necessary lens for understanding economic, cultural, and political dynamics on the global stage.

LAUTECH remains committed to promoting scholarship that situates Africa at the centre of global knowledge production.