Varsity Don Advocates Historical, Cultural Research Centre in Lagos

Funmi Ogundare 

A professor of History at Osun State University, Siyan Oyeweso, has called on the Lagos State Government to establish, as a matter of urgency, a centre for historical and cultural research that will be saddled with the responsibility of researching the history, culture, economy, politics and social aspects of the state across space and times.

Oyeweso said this in Lagos at the 10th-year memorial lecture titled, ‘The Debt we owe Lagos State University and the Peoples of Lagos State: Reflections on the Life and Times of Professor Olakunle AbdulRasheed Lawal (May 1959- December 25, 2013)’, in honour of Prof. Olakunle Rasheed Lawal, former Head, Department of History and International Studies, LASU, who was responsible for restructuring the academic structure of the department’s curriculum.

Oyeweso explained that when the centre is established, It will organise intellectual forums, such as symposia, colloquiums, seminars, workshops, roundtables and conferences, where experts across various fields in the humanities can brainstorm on various issues affecting Lagos.

He said the Lagos government should follow the example of the Arewa House in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, adding that this has become a popular practice in most important states and cities in Nigeria. 

“Today, there are the Centre for Ilorin Studies (located in the University of Ilorin), Centre for Ile-Ife Studies (in the palace of the Ooni of Ile-Ife) and Centre for Benin Studies,” Oyeweso stated. 

He emphasised the importance of documenting the people’s history of Lagos while expressing concern that it is constantly distorted, noting that “even the presence of the Lagos State Research and Archive Bureau has not deterred this distortion.”

He stated that among many other factors, an obvious weakness of the bureau “is its inability to establish synergy with other stakeholders in the history and culture sector of Lagos.” 

He also stressed the need for the immortalisation of LASU’s past heroes and heroines, such as the founder of the university, the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, its first Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Afolabi Olumide, the first female Vice-Chancellor and one of the first female lawyers in Africa, Prof Jadesola Akande, who laboured so hard to put the university on the path of glory.

“I have not seen any building or campus named after the founder of the university, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the Executive Governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983. This is also true of the first Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Afolabi Olumide, who was in the saddle when the university was in its infancy,” Oyeweso explained. “Also, the first female Vice-Chancellor of LASU, one of the first female lawyers in Africa, Prof Jadesola Akande, is today a remote figure in the annals of the university.” 

He added, “Prof. Eniitan Bababunmi Abisogun should also be immortalised, given his total dedication to scientific scholarship and academic commitments as standard best practices. He was there during the most challenging time in LASU and restored peace when the university was constantly at war against itself.

“As for the Department of History, we should also immortalise Prof. Gabriel Ogundeji Ogunremi, the pioneer Head of Department. He was there for us from the inception of the university, providing academic guidance and mentoring until his passage to immortality on December 26 2001.”