NIGERIAN ACADEMY OF LETTERS

COMMUNIQUE OF THE TWENTIETH NIGERIAN ACADEMY OF LETTERS (NAL) CONVOCATION, SCIENTIFIC SESSION AND INVESTITURE OF NEW FELLOWS HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS ON THURSDAY, 9 AUGUST, 2018.

PREAMBLE The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), an autonomous and non-political body of scholars in the humanities, held its 20th Convocation, Scientific Session and Investiture of New Fellows on Thursday, 9 August, 2018, at the J.F. Ade-Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos, with the theme "Plural Loyalties in a Modernising State". In attendance were 112 professors from different Nigerian and overseas universities. The president of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Professor Olu Obafemi, fsonta, fesan, FNAL, presided over the convocation and the investiture of new fellows, while the vice president, Professor Francis Egbokhare, FNAL, who succeeded Professor Olu Obafemi as president, presided over the scientific session. Twenty-eight new members were inducted and four new regular fellows (Professors Raufu Adebiyi Adebisi; Olutayo Charles Adesina; Isaac Deji Ayegboyin, and Godwin, Sogolo) were admitted into the NAL College of Fellows. Also, in attendance were key dignitaries from home and abroad. The honourable Minister of Education was represented at the scientific session. The convocation lecture which was entitled “Plural. Loyalties and Multiple Identities in Post-independence Nigeria” was delivered by Professor: Siyan Oyeweso, FNAL, a professor of history at the Osun State University and substantive director of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, Osun State.

Executive Committee: Professor Olu Obafemi - President , Professor Francis Egbokhare - Vice President, Professor B. Olatunji Oloruntimehin - Immediate Past President (IPP), Professor Emeritus Ayo Bamgbose (Foundation President). Professor Emeritus Ayo Banjo, Professor Emeritus M. Munzali Jibril, Professor Emeritus Ben Elugbe, Professor Dan Izevbaye, Professor Umaru B. Ahmed, Professor Emiretus Ben O. Oloyede, Professor Sunday Ododo, Prof. Olutayo C. Adesina - Secretary, Professor Olatunji Oyeshile - Treasurer, Professor Adesanoye - General Editor, Professor Maduabuchi Dukor - Assistant Secretary, Professor Unionmwan Edebiri - Honorary Solicitor, Professor B. Rotimi Badejo - Newsletter Editor Vol. 13 No. 47 the 19 November, 2018 MONDAY BULLETIN A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary Page 15 Two well-researched papers on the theme of the convocation were presented at the scientific session by Professor Andrew Haruna, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State; and Professor Afis Oladosu, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan.

OBSERVATIONS:  In the course of these presentations, issues that should engage the attention of Nigerians, most notably, the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council, were discussed. The following specific

observations were made:

Professor Francis Egbokhare, FNAL President,Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL)

Curled from NUC Monday Bulletin