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By John Michael Ojo
Professor Toyin Falola, a distinguished Nigerian historian and scholar of African studies, is set to receive an honorary doctorate from North-West University (NWU) in South Africa.This recognition underscores his extensive contributions to African scholarship and his influence in the humanities.
While specific details about the conferment ceremony at NWU are forthcoming, Professor Falola is scheduled to deliver a public lecture titled “Humanities Education for African Futures: Reimagining Scholarship, Creativity, and Knowledge Production in a Changing World” on May 8, 2025, at the Mmabatho Palms Hotel in Mahikeng. This event coincides with the launch of NWU’s new Centre for Teaching Excellence, highlighting the university’s commitment to advancing educational innovation and scholarly discourse.
Professor Falola’s illustrious career includes over 200 authored and edited books, making him one of the most prolific and cited African scholars globally. He holds the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin. He has received numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates from institutions such as the University of Pretoria, the University of the Free State, and the University of Calgary. He has also held prestigious positions, including serving as Vice President of UNESCO’s International Scientific Committee on the Slave Route Project and as President of the African Studies Association .
This upcoming honor from NWU adds to Professor Falola’s remarkable legacy, reflecting his enduring impact on African historiography and education. Falola is celebrated for his scholarly work, mentorship, and efforts to promote African perspectives in global academia. His dedication to decolonizing African studies and amplifying African voices has made him a pivotal figure in the humanities.

Urhobo Renaissance Society Mourns Udu Monarch
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The Urhobo Renaissance Society (URS) has expressed sadness about the passing of a revered king in Urhoboland, His Royal Majesty, Barrister Emmanuel Bethel Otete Delekpe, Owhorhu 1, the Ovie of Udu Kingdom.
The URS which is an umbrella organization of Urhobo professionals and intellectuals described the monarch as a patriot who dedicated his life to the service of humanity and the pursuit of peace in Udu Kingdom until his passing was announced.
In a statement by Prof. Hope Eghagha and Dr. John Uwa (President and General Secretary respectively), the USR extended its “condolences to the bereaved family of the late Royal Majesty—the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, the esteemed members of the royal court, the good people of Udu Kingdom, Urhobo Nation and Delta State. We extend our heartfelt condolences to you all during this difficult time in Udu Kingdom.
“The king’s legacy, wisdom, and leadership will be greatly missed. His dedication to the welfare and prosperity of his people will always be remembered. May the memories of His Majesty’s reign bring comfort to Udu Kingdom at this moment of mourning and preparation for the burial rites. May his legacy continue to inspire future generations.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Udu Kingdom; offering our support and prayers during this period of mourning, the end of an era, and the beginning of a new dawn.”

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The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission ( FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa on Saturday paid tribute to a former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr Wale Okediran, as he turned 70.
Olaopa delivered the tribute titled “Writing the Public Service into the Nigerian Consciousness” at the “70th Birthday Event/Celebration of Dr. Wale Okediran and a Reading/Writers Dialogue” held at the Mamman Vatsa Village, Abuja, by the Abuja chapter of ANA.
Okediran , a medical doctor-turned writer has equally made a foray into politics where he was at a time a member of the House of Representatives.
In his congratulatory message, Olaopa noted the role of the writer in national development. He specifically drew attention to how Okediran has used his medical, literary and political trajectories to improve the lot of Nigerians in particular and humanity in general.
Dr Wale Okediran
As Olaopa put it, Okediran “has come a long way and has blazed many trails so consistently that at a beautiful age of seventy, he has achieved a sublime legacy that embodies existential fulfilment.”
Consequently, to Olaopa, Okediran in his estimation “is Nigeria’s answer to C. P. Snow’s two-culture thesis. According to that thesis, there is a significant and unbridgeable divide between the humanities and the natural sciences in ways that ensure seeming lack of communication between the two. The literary intellectuals and the natural scientists pride themselves on their inability to understand each other, and this, Snow argues, leads to an inhibited intellectual progress. In Wale Okediran, we have a fluid and exemplary personification that firmly undermines that thesis. Dr Okediran fluidly incorporates the love for science and the humanities.”
According to Olaopa, Okediran is the very embodiment of the “renaissance man—the multi-talented man imbued with a secular sensibility that draws on the human condition to articulate an Afropolitan sensibility of humaneness, compassion, strength, open-mindedness, passion and empathy.
It was almost inevitable that Dr Okediran’s love for medicine and literature would be deployed in the service of the humanity in Nigeria and on the continent. Medicine is not just physiological and psychological, at least not in Africa. Medicine ministers to the brutalized bodies of Africans. As a medical doctor therefore, Dr Okediran has the unenviable space to confront the many psychotic manifestations of governance failure in Nigeria.”
Praising further Okediran’s legacy, Olaopa said that his “literary interests and skills provide the opportunity to tell the postcolonial Nigerian stories as he encountered them over the course of his own personal existential and professional trajectories. And this explains Dr Okediran’s path into politics; what better way to effect significant changes than being in the corridor of power?
“One could only wonder how long a man of such literary sensibility would last within the murky space of Nigerian politics. Fortunately, public service is not restricted to being a member of the House of Representatives. Dr Okediran’s public service space encompasses the local, the national and the regional—from the National Old Student Association of Olivet Baptist High School to the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA). Dr Wale Okediran’s literary sensibility enables him to build a community of service. The Ebedi International Writers Residency at Iseyin is a unique and defining sense of the metaphor for Okediran’s enlarged sensibility that draws in people and creates possibilities.”

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By Serges Djoyou Kamga
The University of the Free State (UFS) awarded an honorary doctorate to Prof Toyin Falola, one of Africa’s most distinguished historians, during its April Faculty of Law graduation ceremony on 11 April 2025. This marks the 26th honorary doctorate received by the Nigerian-born academic, whose contributions to African scholarship span decades and disciplines.
Prof Falola, who holds the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin, is widely regarded as a leading intellectual on the continent. His academic output includes over 150 authored and edited books on African history, politics, and epistemology. He has also held prominent scholarly positions, including the Kluge Chair in Countries and Cultures of the South at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
Recognition aligned with transformation and inclusivity
In his address after being conferred with the honorary doctorate, Prof Falola expressed appreciation for the recognition, while emphasising his alignment with the UFS’s core values. “It is an honour for me to accept this honorary doctorate. I’m happy that the university has developed a consensus around the philosophy of transformation, ubuntu, and inclusiveness within this great country and beyond,” he said.
He described the university’s institutional direction as a reflection of a global shift towards equity and human dignity. “The loud and clear message that I’m looking at today is that the university is rejecting all forms of discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, beliefs, or disability, and that you are speaking for all of us as we promote ideas of balance and inclusivity.”
A call to action for the graduating class
Prof Falola also used the platform to deliver a message to the graduating class. “You don’t have the luxury of indifference. We rely on you for change,” he said. “Education is a tool for development. Higher learning institutions must not only train minds to find jobs but also train minds to discover and create solutions.”
Closing his remarks, he urged students to maintain their connection with the university and to let their values guide them in their post-university lives. “As you prepare to embark on a new journey, please consider values as important. Our progress will only be possible by the choices you’re going to make, and our success will depend on the values you choose,” he said.
A legacy of scholarship and cultural preservation
In addition to his scholarly accolades, Prof Falola holds fellowships with the Nigerian Academy of Letters and the Historical Society of Nigeria. He has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Africanist Award from the African Studies Association in the United States and the Lifetime Career Award from the Canadian African Studies Association. His cultural contributions have also been recognised through various Yoruba chieftaincy titles, including the Bobapitan of Ibadanland and the Bobapitan of Ondo Kingdom.
Influence beyond academia
His scholarship has inspired several academic studies and tributes. These include Toyin Falola and African Epistemologies; Falolaism: The Epistemologies and Methodologies of Africana Knowledge; and The Complex Interplay between Power, Politics, and African Agency: The Philosophy of Toyin Falola. A forthcoming book, An Ethos of Transdisciplinarity: Conversations with Toyin Falola, by Prof Sanya Osha of the University of Cape Town, is expected to further explore his global influence.
The honorary degree awarded by the UFS adds to a long list of honours for Prof Falola, whose work continues to shape African and global academic thought.
 
 
 
 
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