Apegba Ker, a professor of Oral and Comparative Literature at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, has called on the nation’s education planners to evolve measures aimed at saving the oral tradition from total extinction.
Speaking at the 14th edition of the institution’s inaugural lecture titled, ‘The Dynamics of Change – The Oral Artist and the Survival/Preservation of the Oral Form,’ Prof. Ker said that most of things which once held societies together, were being thrown away in the name of modernisation.
He stressed that unless urgent steps were taken to reinvent and accord Nigeria’s cultural values and oral literature their rightful place, the society was heading for doom.
Ker who is also the Dean, Faculty of Languages and Communication Studies of the University, pointed out that oral poetry had since in times past, played a very significant role in building a better society.
He also underscored the relevance and impact of oral artists in entertaining, mobilising and educating the society, towards participating in national development programmes.
He opined the need for the introduction of Nigerian Cultural Studies in the country’s school curriculum at all levels, as well as the invitation of oral artists to perform occasionally before students in order to keep traditions alive.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare, commended the choice of the inaugural lecture topic stating that it was in tune with emerging challenges that are threatening the peaceful co-existence of diverse ethnic nationalities in the country.
He said that the presentation would no doubt, promote harmonious relationship among various ethnic backgrounds in the country.
Maiturare also applauded the school’s senate committee on seminars and conferences for successfully planning the inaugural lecture series of the University.
He reaffirmed the management’s readiness to support every intellectual effort that would make IBB University stand at a very competitive position with her peers the world over.
Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Professor Victor Kolawole said lnaugural lecture is one of the fundamental academic traditions in the University where senior scholars showcased their intellectual research feats for the benefits of humanity.
He said the school was complying with the Keffi Declaration by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors in Nigeria and the directive by the National Universities Commission on inaugural lectures.
