Renowned historian and scholar, Professor Toyin Falola, has been awarded the honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt. – Honoris Causa) by Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi. The conferment, a highlight of the university’s 2024 convocation ceremonies, took place on Saturday, December 7, 2024, in recognition of Falola’s outstanding contributions to academia and African scholarship.
Professor Falola, celebrated globally for his work in African history and epistemologies, expressed deep appreciation for the recognition in his acceptance speech, highlighting the award’s significance for academia and emerging African scholars. Speaking, he said that “Academics have gradually become an unattractive field and endeavour, especially in Africa and many parts of the world,” he remarked. “Our universities are losing their most brilliant minds and facing a shortage of faculties to propel the African culture of excellence.
”Falola acknowledged the challenges faced by young scholars, including inadequate rewards and systemic limitations, but emphasized the importance of persistence and global recognition. “This honour is a message to the upcoming scholars that what they face at the moment is not all there is about academics. It is a reminder that our efforts are recognized globally and that there are arrays of opportunities available to them,” he said.
He also commended BSU for its commitment to diversity and intellectual growth, describing the institution as a beacon of critical thought and innovation.
“Benue State University has distinguished itself as a beacon of intellectual growth, fostering critical thought and innovation in a region rich with cultural and historical significance,” Falola noted. “The University has been taking on the challenge of bringing these attributes to the people of Benue State and accelerating the state’s effort to become an important intellectual backbone of the country and Africa.
”The award, Falola said, symbolizes a collaborative effort to expand the university’s impact and advance African knowledge systems. According to him, “I see this award as an induction into a collaborative effort to achieve these ambitions. I am convinced that a partnership has been built to bring knowledge to the people of Benue and expand the University’s visibility in the global hierarchy of knowledge-distributing institutions,” he said. “This serves as an invitation to jointly invest efforts and advocate commitment towards further repositioning Africa and African knowledge both among Africans themselves and the universe in general.”
Professor Falola, who holds the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin, is widely recognized for his revolutionary contributions to knowledge. In addition to his role as a Distinguished Teaching Professor, he holds three Distinguished Professorships in South Africa and an Emeritus Professorship at a Nigerian university.
The conferment of the honorary D.Litt. adds to Professor Falola’s illustrious academic career and underscores his role as a global ambassador for African scholarship.
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