…hails VC on uncommon development
By Wole Balogun
S.A Media to VC
A young lecturer with the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Dr. Oluwaseun Osadola of the Department of History and International Studies, has won an outstanding fellowship grant of the British Academy to be hosted by the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom (Uk). Dr. Osadola’s academic feat in this respect, has brought a great honour to the upwardly mobile Ivory Tower. The fellowship grant’s worth is £26,477,00.
Dr. Oluwaseun Osadola of the Department of History and International Studies, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE)
Themed, Benin Imperialism in North-Eastern Yoruba Land, the grant affords the FUOYE don a rare research opportunity covering historical facts about the idea of imperialism as an economic arrangement orchestrated by the west and partly aided by African accomplices.
Its research focus reads in part: “
Imperialism as an economic arrangement is not only synonymous to Britain and other European nations; it is a known and practiced act in the West Africa sub-region even before 1600. Benin and the Oyo empires are examples of earlier societies that expanded their empires through military and socioeconomic conquest. Imperial expansion and state building created enduring processes of cultural exchange and borrowing.
The proposed research will examine cultural exchange and inter-ethnic diffusion as a result of Benin’s influence in Eastern Yoruba land, looking particulary into the evolution of the casting of naturalistic bronze sculptures from the thirteenth to nineteenth centuries. As the overwhelming majority of these artistic works and cultural treasures are held outside of Nigeria – and primarily within British museums and university collections – this research fellowship will examine donor files and museum collections in the UK to illuminate the cultural history and aesthetic traditions of pre-colonial Nigeria.”
Furthermore, substantiating the history of African societies in the face of foreign opinion’ is the core statement that motivates Dr. Osadola’s research. Contrary to various views by non-African authors on the understanding of African history, he opines that the in-depth analysis and understanding of African history can only be well carried out by African researchers who live, love and understand the variances within the premise of African development.
In the light of the foregoing, there are four research plans that address his research interest:
Economic Development of Nigeria within the Colonial sphere and post colonial phase;
Diplomatic/intergroup relationships among cultures in West Africa;
African development studies; and
War studies within the West African contex.
Responding to the admirable feat, the FUOYE don said:”
Winning the British Academy Grant for a visiting fellowship is a significant achievement for me and my home institution (Fuoye). It is all to the glory of God and the advancement of humanity.”
He equally appreciated the visionary, liberal and amiable Vice-Chancellor of the varsity, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina for providing an enabling teaching and research environment which is ensuring a rapid academic development of all staff and students of FUOYE.
