The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Management has reiterated its commitment towards fostering more engaging and fruitful town and gown partnerships.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Professor Lucian Obinna Chukwu gave the re-assurance during the opening of the 2024 Digital Humanities Workshop and Conference of the Centre for Digital Humanities (CEDHUL). The opening event was held on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the Faculty of Arts Boardroom, UNILAG, Akoka.
Prof. Chukwu pointed out that the University’s award of the contract for the renovation and rehabilitation of the Arts Theatre, further underscores its commitment towards developing Arts talents, thereby deepening the impacts of humanities.
While appreciating CEDHUL for its significant impact in promoting scholarly activities in humanities, Prof Chukwu stressed the need to explore the vast potentials of digital tools and methodologies to retool humanities as well as build capacities of researchers.
He challenged participants to see the convergence as an avenue to deliberate on new and innovative projects as well as foster collaborations which would unlock the full potentials of digital technologies and culture, for the benefit of UNILAG, Nigeria and the world.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director of CEDHUL and Convener of the conference, Professor Tunde Ope-Davies adjudged the workshop and conference a unique confluence of minds dedicated to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and expertise in humanities through the innovative application of digital technology, especially in view of the current realities of unprecedented access to information.
While appreciating the University Management and Faculty of Arts leadership for their support towards CEDHUL, Prof. Ope-Davies said digital tools and technologies have launched a new horizon for intellectual exploration, innovation and social re-engineering.
He implored participants to see the 2-day workshop and conference as an avenue to build new collaborations which would help deepen their understanding of digital humanities.
In their remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Professor Akanbi Ilupeju and the Special Guest of Honour, Mr Adeyinka Adeyemi applauded CEDHUL for its significant leap in championing digital humanities in Nigeria from the University of Lagos.
The opening session of the 2024 Digital Humanities Workshop and Conference featured a keynote address and lecture by the Co-Director, Institute for Digital Research in Humanities, University of Kansas, Brian Rosenblum. He shared perspectives on the imperativeness of Digital humanities and the evolution of the Institute for Digital Research in Humanities at the University of Kansas.
With the theme, Exploring Opportunities and Possibilities in Digital Humanities & Digital Cultures”, the workshop and conference would run between Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16, 2024 at the Language Laboratory, Faculty of Arts, UNILAG.
The Centre for Digital Humanities, University of Lagos (CEDHUL) was established in response to the yawning gap in the field of digital humanities research and learning in Africa, and the growing need to retool scholars and researchers in the human sciences.
Its main goal is to promote the use of computer methodologies and digital tools for innovative interdisciplinary research projects and studies in the humanities and liberal sciences such as history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, religion, law, economics, political science and other disciplines of the humanities and social sciences.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photography: Favour Megwara
