From Joseph Amedu, Lokojap
Former Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu has hailed the impact of technology in advancing humanities world over.
Professor Ochefu gave the commendation while delivering The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) Biennial Lecture, hosted by the Federal University, Lokoja, yesterday.
Professor Ochefu in his Lecture titled: “The Humanities In The Modern Digital World” held that the use of digital knowledge has contributed greatly to the growth of humanities and other sectors of the global economy in the areas of studies and practice as the case may be.
He also held that to fully harness the potential of Distributed Ledger, Artificial Intelligence, Extended Reality, and Quantum Computing (DARQ) technologies in Nigerian humanities education, several policy interventions can be canvassed for.
According to him “Aggressive advocacy for increased investment in reliable digital infrastructure, for the humanties.
“The need to integrate DARQ technologies into interdisciplinary curricula that combine technical skills with critical thinking. The buzz word in AI today is how do we (humanize) AI generated content.
“Government should begin the process of developing programmes to equip our members with the necessary expertize while pursuing collaborative research initiative between humanities departments, technology developers and industry stakeholders to drive the creation of relevant applications.
“NAL can promote the launching of a digital cultural heritage programmes to preserve one or more aspect of heritage as a pilot to showcase the opportunities out there”
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, said that hosting the Biennial Lecture would not only enhance the University’s reputation but also provide an invaluable opportunity for our students, staff, and the wider community to engage with cutting-edge ideas and prominent thought leaders from various fields.
He commended the Nigerian Academy of Letters NAL for its tireless commitment to advancing the humanities in Nigeria.
He described the topic of the lecture as very relevant in shaping artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital innovation.
The JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede who chaired the event, in his speech, stressed the need for effective mobilization and provision of digital tools to enhance humanities and community growth.
He admonished students of tertiary institutions across the globe to ensure that they excel in their choosen course of studies.
“People should endeavour to study what they are interested in and what they know best to enable them contribute their quota to the nation’s economy. Whether you study science or humanity, it doesn’t matter but what matters is to know your discipline very well” Oloyede affirmed.
Ends.
