The Nnamdi Azikiwe Faculty of Arts led by the Dean, Rev. Fr. Prof. ABC Obiefuna held its 2016 annual international conference recently.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph E. Ahaneku, FAS while declaring the conference open, welcomed all who had come from their various destinations for the conference. expressing hope that the conference would proffer solutions for issues in our society, he commended the faculty for sustaining its international conference for the past five (5) years, and for having attracted imminent personalities to the university. According to him, the conference is quite in keeping with the vision of his administration to sustain academic culture in the university. The theme of the conference “Humanities and Human Development” he said, is quite encapsulating, as humanities are studies of culture expressed through history, literature, religion, language, arts and music.
In his welcome address, the Dean, gave a well tailored lengthy speech, geared towards the humanities contributions to the development of the human person, the person, the center point of humanities. According to him, to discuss human development is to discuss the science of man, and the science of man is the science of human relations, which precedes the cradle and ends in the grave. The concern of humanities is the influences that affect people from birth to demise, i.e. influences that make them who they are. Such influence could come from the family, peer group, education, religious affiliations and the media. These, he said, are called agents of socialization. He concluded by saying that the world is seen and interpreted from the prism of this cognitive map, as it constitutes the person’s attitude to life. He expressed thanks to the VC and all who were of immense help to see that the conference was successful, part of which include the LOC.
The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, CON in his speech said that the greatest investment any nation can give to its citizens is education. An educated mind makes the world go round. The human infrastructure, he opined, is what turns the nation around. It is important to invest in human infrastructure in order to make progress in life. While speaking on corruption, he said that corruption kills entrepreneurship, professionalism and hard work. He urged that there is a dire need for the country to cut down on the cost of governance and channel it towards education. He thanked the University for giving him capable hands to work with, when he was the Governor. The university is the right place to pick reliable brains, he said.
In his speech, the Keynote Speaker, HRH Igwe Ambassador Lawrence O.C Agubuzo, OON, KSM, Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo, Ezeagu LGA, Enugu State, thanked the LOC for finding him worthy to be the keynote speaker. He defined the term, “humanities and development” and related to all the discipline encompassed in the arts. According to him, humanity enhances development and self reliance. Humanities ideas have ruled the world more than the tangible products of science and technology. More so, he said that religion deals with morality while philosophy is an unending adventure. Music is the spirit of life, while language belongs to humanities which is the chief vehicle for handing culture over to generations. A good knowledge of history with good certificate provides needed background, filled with information which paves way and gives room for connections to better the future.
The Lead paper presenter, Rev. Msgr. Prof. Theophilus I. Okere in his lecture said that humanities, traditionally is that core subject of study in the earliest universities and, still today, the indispensible core of any university programme worth its name. Their target is aimed towards the pursuit of knowledge and the truth in the study of man, his being and well-being, the promotion and bringing to perfection of all his faculties in view of man’s optimal knowledge of, adaptation and adjustment to, and amelioration of his human development.
The Departments of Theatre Arts and Music performed to entertain all the guests present, Professors, HODs, Lecturers, Students Friends and well wishers.
