UNILORIN hosts national academies, harps on intergenerational collaboration
By: Muizdeen Adewole
The University of Ilorin last Tuesday (November 3, 2026), hosted the President and Fellows of Nigeria’s National Academies at its maiden Sensitisation Workshop for the Nigerian Young Academy (NYA).
The Workshop, with the theme “Developing Academic Excellence for Impact in the 21st Century: The Roles of National Academies,” was organised by the UNILORIN-NYA Taskforce in collaboration with the National Academies.
Declaring the Workshop open, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Technology and Innovation), Prof. Muhtar Adeiza Etudaiye, said academic excellence must be sustained through deliberate intergenerational collaboration.
According to him, the older generation offers wisdom, experience and institutional memory through mentorship, while the younger generation brings energy, creativity and technological adaptability to drive innovation.
Prof. Egbewole said the future of the university system depends on building capacity in the next generation to transform the country rather than seek escape from it. The engagement, he noted, aligns with the University’s Vision 1:10:500 and the need to translate knowledge into societal impact.
The Vice Chancellor commended the National Academies and the Nigerian Young Academy for the initiative.
In her welcome address, the Chair of the UNILORIN-NYA Taskforce, Prof. Temitope Elizabeth Odetoye, FNYA, said the workshop was conceived to promote a community of excellent, ethical and impactful young scholars.
Prof. Odetoye said the role of National Academies extends beyond recognition to responsibility, mentoring, knowledge production and policy advice for national development. She appreciated the University Management and the Presidents of the National Academies for their support.
Presenting a paper on “Why the Nigerian Young Academy Matters,” the President of the Nigerian Young Academy, Prof. Temitope Olabisi Onuminya, MNYA, said the Academy was created to fill a critical gap for young researchers.
She explained that prior to NYA, there was no common forum or united voice for young researchers in Nigeria, pointing out that NYA now provides that platform and a formidable research voice for Nigeria internationally.
Prof. Onuminya, the first female President of NYA, listed its interventions to include leadership training for early-career researchers, advocacy against plagiarism featured in Nature and Science, nationwide survey on sexual abuse in tertiary institutions with policy recommendations, and COVID-19 prevention strategies with 10 webinars and 8 policy briefs for public health agencies.
Making his presentation on “The Relevance and Impact of the Nigerian Academy of Letters on Intellectualism, Governance, and the Community,” the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Prof. Andrew Haruna, FLAN, FNAL, described NAL as the apex body for the humanities in Nigeria. He said while STEAM disciplines build the nation’s physical infrastructure, the humanities build its societal fabric, anchoring national growth on culture, language, ethics, policy, and critical thought. He added that as the highest scholarly recognition in literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, theatre arts and languages, NAL sets the standard for rigour and integrity, and protects indigenous knowledge from erasure.
Prof. Haruna said NAL’s impact goes beyond the academy into governance and national cohesion. The Academy regularly sends communiqués, policy briefs and position papers to government on education, security and social integration, including its 2026 Convocation Lecture on Mother-Tongue Education and its call to decolonise classrooms. He added that Fellows serve as the moral conscience of the nation, safeguarding democracy and ethics, and now advocating moral guardrails for AI in education and governance. In a multi-ethnic nation, NAL also preserves indigenous oral traditions and languages to promote civic values and counter polarisation.
Prof. Haruna dwelt extensively on mentorship, describing it as a core obligation of Fellowship, not a passive honour. He said Fellows must cultivate the next generation of scholars and bridge the gap between foundational professors and emerging voices.
Delivering the Nigerian Academy of Science lecture, the President, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, FAS, represented by Prof. Musa Toyin Yakubu, FAS, described NAS as the foremost independent scientific body established in 1977.
He disclosed that NAS has elected 308 Fellows since inception, including five from UNILORIN, and serves as Nigeria’s representative to the International Science Council and other global bodies.
Prof. Sambo said NAS impacts communities through science advisory to government, its Research Leaders Mentorship Programme supporting 20 early-career researchers, and promotion of scientific literacy, noting that Fellowship of NAS remains the highest scientific honour in Nigeria.
In his address on the impact of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, the President, Engr. Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, FNSE, said 21st century excellence must be measured by impact, not just publications.
He outlined the roles of National Academies to include promoting research integrity, strengthening academia-industry-government collaboration, providing evidence-based advice on infrastructure and power, and mentoring the next generation.
Prof. Danbatta listed NAEng’s recent national interventions on the 2024 Alau Dam flooding and power sector financial reforms, and announced that the Call for Nomination of Fellows will close on November 13, 2026.
The event was well attended by dignitaries, academics, researchers and students, both physically and virtually. Among those present were Principal Officers of the University of Ilorin, Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments, staff members and young scholars. The workshop ended with renewed commitment to mentorship, collaboration and impact-driven scholarship as the pathway to academic excellence and national development.
