The former Primate of the Church of the Nigeria [Anglican Communion], The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, and the Head of Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan [UI], Prof. Olumuyiwa Olusesan Familusi, on Tuesday called on President Bola Tinubu to rescue, revive and revamp Nigerian public universities rather giving licences for new ones.
Okoh and Familusi decried the deplorable situation of Nigerian universities.
They made the call during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Department of Religious Studies’ conference in honour of Primate Okoh which took place at Trenchard Hall of the university. The conference themed: ‘’Religion, Artificial Intelligence and Migration’’.
The awardees included Primate Okoh, the Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, Dr. Humphrey Olumakaiye [postposthumously], Dr. James Odedeji, Rev. Samson Ajetomobi, Dr Gomba Fortune Oyor [posthumously], and Evangelist Annah Afolabi.
Okoh, who responded on behalf of other awardees, assured the Head of the Department that they would do their best to support the department. He expressed gratitude and happiness for the honour bestowed on him and others.
Speaking on the state of the nation, Okoh urged Tinubu to rescue Nigerian universities from their current nadir situation.
He said: ‘’We pray that things improve. If places like these are ignored our future is in danger’’.
‘’I am not a teacher; it’s only my wife that is in education. But I think that a place like this one needs more attention. The leaders know what programme they have, and how they want to implement them. But they should spare thoughts for the higher institutions; universities are not to be treated as an option. Education should be given priorities. Other countries that have developed never treated education as optional. If I meet President Bola Tinubu today, what I will tell him is to make our universities centres of excellence, and not just all this approval they are giving left, right and centre; there are too many. We have no facilities to absorb them thereafter. So, they should select centres of excellence, where our children can go to without escaping into institutions abroad. We can do it. Look at how this American man is disgracing us. If we build our own, will he be talking like that?’’
Also, the HOD, Familusi said the president should revamp, revive and rescue the education sector, lamenting that the Academic Staff Union of Universities [ASUU] embarked on strikes due to the poor state of public universities.
The HOD said: ‘’There is much infrastructure decay in our universities. It is one of the reasons ASUU goes on strikes continuously. So, in that case, if the government cannot do it all, let well-meaning Nigerians come to our rescue. The president should revamp, revive and rescue the education sector’’.
Speaking on the conference and the awards, Prof. Familusi said: ‘’The department holds the conference biennially, which has become a ritual. This year, we are interrogating the intersection of religion, artificial intelligence, and migration. If you look at the three variables, man is at the centre. Man is involved in religion. Man uses artificial intelligence. Man migrates in any form. Every religion itself is a form of migration”.
Prof. Francis Egbokhare, who was the keynote speaker, situated the role of artificial intelligence in religion. According to Egbokhare, ‘’every tool has its effects on human biology and psychology. There is the cognitive diminishment that can arise when human beings become lazy, no longer apply their brains, and when we outsource thinking. And then, there are also the problems that will arise when AI now replaces the pastors, because you have capacity now to create AI agents that can serve the role of the pastor and counselor .That is where the risk is’’.
In his paper titled: ‘’Changing Faces of Interdisciplinary Studies- Migration and Religion”, Prof. Babatunde Adedibu said AI presented serious ethical concerns about privacy, bias and dehumanisation.
Prof. Bolanle Oladejo, who was the second paper presenter, Prof. S.M. Mepaiyeda who was the chairman on the occasion and the Dean of Arts, Prof. Solomon Oyetade extolled the virtues of Okoh and other awardees.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor [Administration], Prof. Peter Olapegba, said the conference was to bridge the gap between the town and the gown, and share ideas that would improve living.
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