SAZU Hosts Maiden International Conference on Indigenous Languages, Literature, Cultural Heritage and AI

The Centre for Languages and Culture Studies, Sa’adu Zungur University, SAZU, in collaboration with 21st Century Learning Consult and Lingua Analytica Consult, has successfully hosted a three-day International Conference on Indigenous Languages, Literatures, Cultural Heritage, and Artificial Intelligence, ICILLCHAI 2026.  

The conference held at the 500-Seater Lecture Theatre of the University’s main campus in Gadau.  

Declaring the event open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fatimah Tahir, commended the Centre and the Local Organizing Committee for their commitment to delivering the conference.  

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Aminu Umar Kura, the Vice-Chancellor welcomed participants from Nigeria and abroad and urged them to maximize knowledge gained from the technical sessions.  

She noted that the conference is timely, as it aligns with the University’s efforts to mitigate the negative implications of Artificial Intelligence while harnessing its benefits.  

“I urge all participants to utilize this opportunity to network with external scholars and establish collaborations that will deepen academic research,” Prof. Tahir stated, reaffirming Management’s support for research, conferences, and other scholarly advancements.  

The Chairman, Local Organizing Committee, Dr. Bala Abdullahi Azare, thanked the University Management, dignitaries, and participants for their support. He described the conference as “timely and relevant,” saying it marks a milestone in efforts to preserve, promote, and reposition indigenous languages and cultural heritage in an era shaped by digital technologies and AI.  

Dignitaries at the event included the Emir of Katagum, HRH Alh. Umar Faruq II, OON, represented by Prof. Yakubu Magaji Azare; representatives of Katagum and Itas/Gadau Local Governments; Prof. Dauda Muhammed Bagari and other professors from the Azare metropolis; the Divisional Police Officer, Itas/Gadau Division; the OC, NSCDC, Gadau Division; and a representative of the DSS, Itas/Gadau Division, among others.