A Professor of African History and Peace and Conflict Studies, Prof. Olusegun Adeyeri has hosted a month-long training programme on "Critical Thinking and Creative Writing in the Humanities" for postgraduate students, Early Career Faculty members, and students of the Faculty at Lagos State University. The training was funded by the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).
At the closing ceremony on July 9, 2024, Prof. Adeyeri shared his journey, saying, "My growth has been a gradual one. I started sharing cubicles with other lecturers who are now professors. I remember one day, Prof. Henry Hunjo approached me with a call for application in Dakar, of which I submitted my proposals and got selected, and that day changed my life.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. T.M Salisu, welcomed participants and congratulated them on their completion of the training. While speaking, Prof. Salisu emphasised the importance of the skills acquired and encouraged participants to explore opportunities and reach their full potential.
"You need to know how to do it, and I believe the trainees have been impacted with this knowledge," he said.
Prof. Salisu also commended the Faculty's achievements under his administration and thanked everyone involved in making the programme a success. He particularly appreciated the efforts of Prof. Adeyeri, noting, "It is one thing to be in academics, and it is another thing to know how it is done. Prof. Adeyeri has been restless in ensuring the program's success and I commend him."
The visiting fellow, Prof. Olanrewaju Shitta-Bey from Howard University, Washington DC, USA, expressed gratitude to CODESRIA and Lagos State University for the opportunity. He encouraged the University to continue hosting such training, saying, "Scholarship has no boundary, it is global; continue to work on yourselves and make use of the acquired knowledge."
In an interview, Prof. Adeyeri expressed high hopes for the trainees, stating, "My hopes are targeted at the trainees...I hope they are well-equipped to change their scholarly journey and careers."
He also mentioned plans for follow-up activities to ensure the training's impact, including mentorship, funded workshops, conferences, and scholarships.
Prof. Shitta-Bey also encouraged the trainees to persist in their scholarly pursuits, saying, "Scholarship has no boundary, continue to work on yourselves and make use of the acquired knowledge."
