The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Nigeria, hosted the British Council Nigeria’s GREAT Talks on Monday, February 2, 2025, drawing students and staff into a timely conversation on law, project leadership, and the accelerating influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Rahamon Adisa Bello Auditorium was filled to capacity as participants gathered to broaden their understanding of how AI is reshaping professional practice and leadership across disciplines. Setting the tone for the event, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Foluso E. A. Lesi, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, warmly welcomed participants and facilitators. He described the hosting of GREAT Talks Nigeria as a reflection of UNILAG’s enduring commitment to learning, dialogue, and global engagement.
Welcoming representatives of the British Council, scholars from the United Kingdom, members of faculty, and students, Professor Lesi noted that the GREAT Talks platform offers a rare opportunity for direct engagement with global thought leaders on forces actively reshaping societies and professions. He emphasized that themes such as artificial intelligence, robotics, climate change, digital transformation, leadership, and innovation are no longer distant concepts, but realities redefining how people live, work, and lead.
Highlighting the programme, he drew attention to the two featured lectures: Law, AI and the Future of the Legal Profession by Professor Stephen Levett of York Law School, and Project Leadership in the Age of AI and Digital Transformation by Dr Anthony Olomolaiye of the University of Warwick. He underscored the value of these sessions for students, noting that exposure to global perspectives helps bridge theory and practice, illuminate emerging career pathways, and sharpen the skills required in an increasingly interconnected world. For faculty, he added, the initiative opens doors for academic exchange, collaborative research, and curriculum enrichment.
At the institutional level, Professor Lesi affirmed that hosting GREAT Talks Nigeria further strengthens the University of Lagos’ standing as a hub of academic excellence and global engagement in Africa. Coming shortly after the formalisation of UNILAG’s partnership with the University of Birmingham, the programme aligns with the University’s vision of producing future-ready graduates and globally competitive thought leaders. He encouraged students to participate actively, describing moments like these as fertile ground for curiosity, critical thinking, and the imagining of new possibilities.
Law, AI and the Future of the Legal Profession
The first session, Law, AI and the Future of the Legal Profession, was delivered by Professor Stephen Levett, Director of the Sustainability Clinic at York Law School. He examined the evolving landscape of legal practice in the face of increasing AI integration into daily activities and professional workflows. Drawing on Maya Angelou’s reflection that one must understand the past to know where one is going, Professor Levett traced the evolution of legal practice from handwritten notes and typed transcripts to computerisation and, more recently, AI-powered tools such as Garfield AI, which supports tasks including debt recovery.
While acknowledging AI’s growing capabilities, Professor Levett stressed that human intelligence remains indispensable. He examined how generative AI, designed to please users, can produce errors, raising unresolved questions about accountability and responsibility. He charged participants to move with the times by acquiring proficiency in the use of AI, while cautioning that it should never become a fallback pilot for human reasoning.
Responding to questions from the audience, Professor Levett noted that it is no longer possible to “put the AI genie back in the bottle,” as AI has become deeply integrated into everyday life. He advocated that staff, young legal scholars, and students across disciplines should resist outsourcing their thinking to machines. Offering insight into the scale of the UK legal market, he highlighted the need for continuous innovation in legal practice to ensure human relevance in the years ahead.
Project Leadership in the Age of AI and Digital Transformation
The second session, Project Leadership in the Age of AI and Digital Transformation, was delivered by Dr Anthony Olomolaiye, a Professor at the University of Warwick and Head of the Industrial Management Education Group. Participants were challenged to adapt proactively as the dominant force of change in this era continues to be AI. Dr Olomolaiye shared research comparing human and artificial intelligence, outlining projections of AI’s rapid advancement in the near future.
He observed that with increasing research into the fusion of robotics and AI, humanity is approaching an era in which humans and intelligent machines will increasingly share the same spaces. Against this backdrop, he examined the future of project leadership, defining a project as a set of unique, coordinated activities with a clear beginning and end, undertaken to achieve specific objectives within defined parameters.
Dr Olomolaiye asserted that the future lies in Human–AI collaboration. He explained that in leadership, human influence remains essential, since AI cannot motivate teams, demonstrate empathy, or navigate cultural nuances. These human attributes, he noted, remain critical to effective leadership and successful project delivery.
GREAT Talks at UNILAG: Insights for a Changing World
The overarching takeaway from GREAT Talks at UNILAG was a clear call for individuals to continually equip themselves intellectually, remain adaptable, and develop proficiency in the dominant knowledge systems of their time, without surrendering their capacity for critical thought. Participants left the session with a renewed, future-ready outlook.
GREAT Talks is a lecture series delivered by subject experts from the United Kingdom. Through initiatives such as this, the University of Lagos continues to create pathways for its community to access global insights and perspectives, offering a world-class intellectual experience from right within its campus.
Author: Nike Ogunshakin
Photographer: Joshua Michael
