As part of efforts to promote original thoughts and research in scholarship, the Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Professor Edoba Omoregie, SAN, has called for African-centred initiatives that entail fresh thinking and generation of original knowledge as well as assessment modules to promote intra continental education self-reliance.
The Vice Chancellor made his views known at an interactive meeting with Associate Professor of English from the University of Zululand, South Africa, Aghogho Akpome, who visited the University’’s Management to share ideas on building a formidable partnership with the University of Benin on the development of new knowledge ecologies.
Professor Edoba reiterated that part of his five-point agenda, as it relates to strengthening of the University’s academic programmes, is also anchored on his advocacy of paradigm shifts adding that time has come for African Universities to look inwards and develop Afrocentric mechanisms to serve as basis of their assessment and peer review rather than rely on extraneous bodies.
In his presentation titled: ‘Building new knowledge ecologies in a multipolar world: Imperatives for African Universities’,
the visiting Don, Professor Akpome, espoused the imperative of intensifying intra-African Universities’ collaborations that will drive knowledge sharing based on multi-disciplinary, discursive and curatorial factors in the generation and promotion of new knowledge rooted in African thoughts and world view.
Professor Akpome emphasised the need for African scholars and Institutions to shift towards intellectual sovereignty and away from the current and dominant dependence on westernised models of evaluation and funding.
He called for collaboration between the University of Benin, Nigeria, and the Zululand University of South Africa in order to evolve a workable educational template of Afro-centric knowledge production expected to revolutionise education systems across the continent.
The Director External Linkages and Internationalisation, University of Benin, Professor Ehijie Enato and the Institution’s Head of Public Relations, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, are currently working with Professor Akpome on the project.
At the interactive meeting were Principal Officers of the University, Heads of the Departments of English and Literature, Mass Communication, Linguistics and Theatre Arts.
Courtesy:
Public Relations and Protocol Unit, VCO.
3/7/25