1. Preamble
The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), a non-political body of scholars dedicated to promoting excellence in research, scholarship, and the advancement of the humanities in Nigeria, hosted its 27th Convocation, Scientific Sessions, Investiture of New Fellows, and Conferment of Awards of Excellence in Humanistic Practice from 13th to 15th August 2025 at the DLI Nurudeen Alao Auditorium, University of Lagos, Nigeria. The convocation’s central theme, “The Humanities in the Modern Digital World,” set the stage for critical discourse on the intersection of humanistic scholarship, artificial intelligence and technological advancement.
2. Induction, Investiture and Awards
The event featured several landmark moments, including the induction of 31 new members into the Academy and the investiture of 13 new Regular Fellows, including one overseas fellow. Three distinguished individuals—His Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, Mr. Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo, and Dr. Lasisi Olagunju — were admitted as Honorary Fellows in recognition of their outstanding contributions to humanistic values. Additionally, the Academy conferred Awards of Excellence in Humanistic Practice on Ms. Emem Isong Misodi, Mr. Laolu Ogunniyi, Alhaji Teju Wasee Kareem, and Mr. Musa Alao Adedayo for their unwavering commitment to promoting humanistic ideals. A poignant moment was the recognition of 19 Distinguished Life Fellows. These are members of the Academy aged 80 and above who have demonstrated steadfast loyalty to the Academy for at least two decades. Their recognition was a celebration not only of longevity but of sustained commitment to the ideals and vision of the Nigerian Academy of Letters.
3. Inauguration of the Academy’s New Executive Council
Following a free and fair online election held on 31st July 2025, the Nigerian Academy of Letters formally inaugurated its new Executive Council during the 2025 Convocation Ceremony. Since its foundation, the Academy has upheld the tradition of electing a new Executive Council biennially. The immediate past president, Professor Sola Akinrinade, and members of his EXCO, served the Academy from 2023 to 2025 and the newly inaugurated EXCO will serve the Academy for the next two years. Below is the newly inaugurated Executive Council, which will oversee the Academy’s affairs until 2027:
4. The Convocation Lecture and Scientific Sessions
The convocation lecture, delivered by Prof. Francis Egbokhare and titled “The Nature of Reality, Humanity, The Humanities, and Modern Digital Technologies,” underscored the indispensable role of the humanities in shaping artificial intelligence (AI). While acknowledging widespread anxieties—such as threats to human autonomy, job displacement, and cognitive diminishment—Prof. Egbokhare argued that humanistic inquiry has always been fundamental in expanding imagination, interpreting reality, and guiding scientific progress. He emphasized the urgent need for deeper humanities engagement in AI development to ensure ethical and human-centered technological evolution.
During the scientific sessions, three thought-provoking papers were presented. Prof. Olukoya J. Ogen’s “Historicising the Humanities in the Age of AI” traced the evolution of AI and examined its risks (e.g., reductionist thinking, mental passivity) and benefits (e.g., aiding humanistic inquiry and creative processes). Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, in “Reimagining Ethics in Citizen Journalism: Charting a Responsible Digital Public Sphere for Nigerian Democracy,” highlighted citizen journalism as a dynamic yet unregulated digital public sphere. She advocated for synergy between citizen and traditional journalism to enhance transparency and democratic governance. Prof. Gideon Omachonu’s “African Languages in the Modern Digital World: Identity, Trends, and Challenges” exposed the digital marginalization of African languages, thus leading to challenges such as digital neglect, shifting identities of many African language users, no global recognition for the Nigerian variety of English, language exclusion, and digital colonialism. However, he acknowledged the efforts of few community-driven initiatives such as Masakhane, Naijavoices and African Story, just to mention a few, who had been working to amplify the presence of African AI online.
5. Resolutions
Following rigorous deliberations, the Academy resolved that:
6. 5. Recommendations
To advance these resolutions, the Academy proposed the following actions:
The convocation reinforced the centrality of the humanities in navigating the challenges and opportunities of AI and digital technologies. While recognising risks—from ethical dilemmas to cultural erasure—the discussions affirmed that humanistic scholarship must guide technological progress to ensure it serves humanity’s best interests. By fostering collaboration between scholars, policymakers, and technologists, Nigeria can harness digital innovations to preserve cultural identity, enhance democratic governance, and advance global knowledge.