A professor of African and Post-colonial Literary Studies in the Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Abel Joseph, has advocated the introduction of Northern Nigerian Literature and Cultural Studies into the educational curricula of tertiary institutions in the North.
Prof. Joseph made the call while delivering the 17th Inaugural lecture series of the university on the topic, “Weaving the tapestry of northern Nigeria fictional imaginaries from the provincial to the pluriversal” held at Adankolo Campus of the institution in Lokoja, Kogi state.
He said, “In this regard, the strategic position and historical relevance of Lokoja, like Badagry, in the history of Nigeria , particularly Northern Nigeria can not be ignored. As a matter of fact, Holy Trinity School Lokoja established in 1860 by Bishop Ajayi Crowder is the first primary school in Northern Nigeria.”
The University Don who also advocated for the establishment of a Centre for Nigeria Cultural Studies at the Federal University Lokoja , stated that such effort if accomplished would midwife a project to canonise Northern Nigeria writers.
“It will further secure for Federal University Lokoja that capacity for knowledge production and the possible canonisation of same in much the same instances that, for example, Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Nigeria (Nsukka), Benin, Obafemi Awolowo, have succeeded in canonising Nigerian writers like Achebe, Clark, Soyinka, Okigbo, es Okpewho, Osundare, lyayi, Ojaide, and a host of others.”
In his remarks, the vice-chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, said the lecture title “signifies not just a scholarly discourse, but also a celebration of the richness and diversity entrenched in the nation’s literary heritage.”
He commended Professor Joseph for his “unwavering commitment to scholarship and his dedication to expanding people’s comprehension of Northern Nigerian fiction.”
Introduce Nigerian literature, cultural studies in northern tertiary institutions, FG urged
