Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Strategic Human Resource Management, and 13th Inaugural Lecturer in the 2023/2024 academic session of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Olusoji James George has called for the adoption of multiculturalism and meritocracy in Nigeria.
He made this call while delivering his Inaugural Lecture titled: Meritocracy – 0 Versus Mediocrity – 10. The result of the Nigerian Federal Character Principle (FCP) and the Consequence of Brewing the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in the Same Melting Pot – Exploring the Epistemology of Multiculturalism and Meritocratic Principle of Justice on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at the J. F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS presided over the lecture which was well attended by staff, students, friends, and well-wishers of the Inaugural Lecturer.
In his lecture, Prof. Olusoji George advocated for the adoption of multiculturalism and meritocracy to ensure equal opportunities and promote efficiency in governance, because the Federal Character Principle as practiced in Nigeria is discriminatory and counter-productive. He also suggested a shift towards a Presidential system of government to encourage healthy competition among states and address issues of diversity management amidst increasing expatriate presence.
He explained that embracing the epistemology of multiculturalism enables a deeper understanding of cultural diversity, identity politics, and power dynamics, informing policies and fostering social inclusion and meritocracy in multicultural societies like Nigeria.
According to him, Thomas Mulligan advocated for a meritocratic society where justice is achieved through equal opportunities and distribution of social goods based on merit. Meritocracy, as a political philosophy, promotes assigning power and positions based on individuals’ demonstrated competence and abilities, rather than factors like gender or ethnicity.
Born on Friday, August 12, 1955, Professor Olusoji James George holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, an M.Sc in Industrial Sociology, MPhil in Organisational Behaviour & Human Resource Management (OB & HRM) in 2008 from Brunel University, West London, UK and Ph.D. in OB & HRM in 2010 from the University of Bradford, UK. He joined the services of the University as Lecturer I at the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences (formerly known as Faculty of Business Administration) in 2011 and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Strategic Human Resource Management and Strategy in 2021.
Reporter: Ndidi J. Odinikaeze
Photographer: Samuel Dosumu
