Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Professor Afiz Oladosu will this Thursday, April 15 deliver the University’s 489th Inaugural Lecture.
Professor Oladosu, a cultural critic, public affairs analyst and a renowned public speaker has titled his inaugural lecture ” Arab-Islamism, Afrabism and Contrapuntal Criticism “.
The don explained that Inaugural lecture generally is an account of stewardship and this time would give him the opportunity to present to the world how he merited the professorial chair.
“Professorial Inaugural Lectures, PILs are a_rite_ _de passage_, for a university teacher. It’s a passage that must not pass without notice, and an occasion the individual is expected to prove to the world that the crossing onto the highest rung of the ladder is deserved and not accidental. It is an occasion for the individual to demonstrate his or her academic excellence built over time through research, teaching and or consultancy processes. The PIL is a dexterous combination of specialist insight and generalist articulation”.
The international scholar in the lecture will dissect his research works both in Nigeria and overseas which border on Arab-Islamism, Arab Muslim Modernities as well as Middle Eastern and North African Studies.
The inaugural lecture will touch not less than five areas, which include ” some autobiographical notes, some notes on my university education, some insights on my contributions to the field of Arabic and Islamic studies, contributions to the field of African Studies and a contrapuntal reading of my work as well as its deployment as a tool of analyses of urgent issues of national importance”.
Oladosu is the fourth Professor in the over 60- year old Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies to deliver such Inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan.
“It’s a very rare privilege to stand on the podium which erudite scholars and my teachers, Professor Musa Abdul, Professor SHA Malik and the current Chief Imam of the University, Professor AbduRahman Oloyede have stood. I have the feeling of gratitude to the Almighty Allah whose plans are inexorable”.
It’s a well deserved honour and privilege for our erudite mentor. It will be a different in its kind. I will be there insha Allah.