Gbenro Adesina
The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), has conferred its prestigious Fellowship on two eminent scholars of University of Ibadan (UI), Professors Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Lateef Babatunde Ayeleru from the Department of Modern European Language, Faculty of Arts, currently serving as the Director-General, Nigerian French Village, Badagry.
According to a statement issued by the Premier University’ Director of Communication, Olatunji Oladejo, NAL noted that the conferment of Fellowship on Ekanola is based on his profound scholarship and not because he is the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the nation’s Premier University.
He was admitted to the NAL’s College of Fellowship at the 22nd and 23rd (Combined) Convocation and Investiture of New Fellows at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday, 12 August, 2021.
At the impressive ceremony, the Academy’s Secretary, Professor Ayobami Kehinde said the body “confers the award of the Fellowship of the Academy on the basis of their outstanding contributions to scholarship and extension of the frontiers of knowledge in their various subjects of the humanities”.
He said, “The Fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Letters are a group of distinguished scholars of the humanities, nominated and selected in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the humanistic scholarship. The new Fellows have been elected following a robust review process; they have been recognised for the excellence of their research outputs and highly accomplished in their fields”.
As for Prof. Ekanola who was elected as a New Regular Fellow in the area of Philosophy, the outgoing President of the Academy, Prof. Francis Egbokhare said: “Just a quick one, I need to say that Prof. Ekanola is here as a Fellow on the recognition of his scholarship not because he is the Acting Vice-Chancellor. We don’t reward people because of administrative positions. We need to state it clearly.
In a brief but well-crafted citation on Prof. Ekanola by the orator, Prof. Mabel Osakwe, at the event, read as follows: “Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola holds B.A. Philosophy, First Class Division), Obafemi Awolowo University, 1991; M.A. Philosophy 1995 and Ph.D. Ibadan, 2003”.
“A Professor of Philosophy and Ethics, he was born on 2 December, 1969. He was appointed an Assistant Lecturer in Ibadan and rose through the ranks to Professorship in 2010. He has published extensively in reputable outlets in his field till his recent 2021 publications”.
“Prof. Ekanola is a profound and focused scholar who engages in robust and in-depth research in his field. He has significantly contributed to the field of philosophy, especially African Philosophy, Ethics and Logic”.
“An enduring brilliance of his research endeavour is his conceptual approach of deploying analytical skills in classifying and resolving classical issues in ethics as well as social and political practices”.
Other humanistic scholars inducted at the convocation were Professor Ahmed Parker Yerima, Professor Frank Maduabuchi Dukor, Professor Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi, Professor Lateef Babatunde Ayeleru, Professor Isidore Okeawolam Diala, Professor Abayomi O. Akinyeye, Professor Andrew Haruna, Professor Imelda Icheji Lawrence Udoh, Professor Olusegun Adesina Adekoya, Prof. Justice Obi Nwachukwu-Agbada, Prof. Mabel Evweierhoma and Prof. David Jowitt.
Also, His Eminence, Most Reverend Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, was elected as an Honorary Fellow while Prof. Tanure Ojaide, NNOM, was elected as an Overseas Fellow of the Academy at the convocation.
