The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), on Thursday in Lagos, through its 27th convocation ceremonies, convocated some of its members, invested fellowships on others, and gave awards of excellence to some distinguished Nigerians.
The president of the academy, Professor Sola Akinrinade, at the event themed ‘The humanities in the modern digital world’, spoke on the decline in the value system, whose symptoms are mirrored in the university and society challenges.
He said that if this moral decline is not checked, it will accelerate and lead to a Nigerian society bereft of moral virtues, lacking in positive attitudes, and encouraging lawless dispositions.
Speaking on the theme of the lecture, the NAL president emphasised that the digital revolution is rapidly transforming education and governance, adding that the humanities can help humanity to imagine the future in the digital age.
Calling for a synergy between the humanities and the digital world for national development, the president said, “The humanities community must work with technologists and regulators, craft policies on digital ethics, and ensure technology serves African values.”
The convocation lecturer and past president of NAL, Professor Francis Egbokhare, titled his lecture ‘Humanity and the Humanities in the age of emerging technologies’.
The convocation lecturer noted that while humans create their realities, technology augments their biology and realities, and that there is a need for collaboration to make sense of the relationship between humans and digital innovations.
Professor Egbokhare noted that digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have no life of their own, that they are what humans make out of them, stressing that such technologies should be used to uplift people and societies, and not for bad purposes.
The lecture spoke about the fear that digital technology will replace jobs and challenge the authority of man. He said what is regarded as misuse of technology is only a design flaw, adding that technology only brings out the true nature of man, that it cannot change man.
In light of this, the professor further said that all science is humanistic and that technology needs the humanities to better serve humanity, adding, “Technology and science reconstruct, while humans interpret. Hence, we need to establish the extent to which technology is changing man and humanity.”
At the event, 31 professors were inducted as members of the academy; 11 professors were invested as fellows of the academy, including one overseas fellow. Also, the NAL Awards of Excellence of Humanistic Practice were conferred on three distinguished Nigerian media and art practitioners.
Honorary fellowships, the highest honour given to non-members of the academy, were conferred on the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe; Saturday Tribune Editor and columnist, Dr Lasisi Olagunju; and journalist and culture archivist, Mr Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo.
Speaking on behalf of Dr Olagunju and Mr Anikulapo, Igwe Achebe emphasised the role of the traditional institution and digital technology in the development of Nigerian society and the education system.
The foremost Igbo traditional ruler assured NAL that they will leverage the honour bestowed on them to further the cause of the academy and the country at large.
