From MUSLIUDEEN ADEDBAYO, Ibadan
No fewer than two hundred and fifty (250) researchers in the social sciences and humanities will converge in the University of Ibadan to attend the maiden edition of the annual Ibadan International Social Science Conference.
The Dean of Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha made this declaration on Sunday.
He stated that the researchers are coming from the United States of America, South Africa and universities across the country.
He maintained that the scholars would provide evidence-based solutions arising from their researches on the problems confronting Nigeria’s development.
Nwokocha said that the opening ceremony which kickstarted yesterday, 5 March 2024, will feature a keynote address by a trustee, Social Science Academy of Nigeria, Professor Lai Erinosho. While the lead paper presenter is Professor Augustine Okereke who was the immediate past Senior Vice President and Provost, Medger Event College, City University of New York, United States of America.
Nwokocha stated that University of Ibadan Social Sciences had played critical roles in the formulation of policies and guiding the government on the the right policies to adopt that will drive the growth and development needed in Nigeria. He added that this conference is aimed at ensuring that Ibadan Social Sciences takes the leadership again.
He stated that the conference theme which is ‘Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues and the Actualisation of Sustainable Development’ was carefully chosen to be able to get evidence-based data on how to address terrorism, banditry, problems associated with urbanisation, transportation problems, health problems, policy gaps, including social protection, (un)employment and decent work challenges in Nigeria.
According to him,”Despite the uninspiring working conditions, Nigerian researchers are probing the problems which affect the country and have findings with recommendations on how these problems can be solved. This conference will aggregate these recommendations and push them out to government and policy actors so that they can come off with evidence driven policies rather than imported policies which often times, lack relevance to the realities on ground.
“Ibadan is stepping up to that leadership position again. We are committed to making our country great with our intellectual input. We are hopeful that the government will listen and tap into the evidence and suggestions to drive the needed policies and development initiatives,” Nwokocha stated.
