Professor Yusuf Ali; Credit: The Tabloid.net
Professor Mallam Yusuf Laolu, a prominent academic, has underscored the necessity of overhauling the African educational system to empower the upcoming generation, emphasizing the imperative to move away from the inherited colonial framework.
During his address at the recent inaugural Distinguished Public Lecture of Thomas Adewumi University (TAU) in Oko, titled “Decolonizing African Education to Empower the Next Generation,” the esteemed legal scholar and Professor of Law Practice, Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN, stressed the importance of collaborative efforts among African leaders, educators, traditional rulers, and other key stakeholders to achieve this vital transformation and secure the future of the continent.
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Mallam Ali, who formerly served as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Osun State University, Osogbo, elucidated that the colonial education introduced to Africa was predominantly centred on arts and humanities, sidelining science and technology, with its design tailored to serve the interests of the colonial government. He pointed out that the lingering influence of the pre-colonial educational system in Nigeria, and other African nations was deliberately crafted to hinder Africans from competing with the Western world.
Highlighting the success of China’s educational approach, Mallam Ali advocated the adoption of local languages in teaching, suggesting that this method had played a pivotal role in producing some of the brightest minds globally.
Expressing concern about the waning interest in the teaching profession among younger generations, he proposed a restoration of glory to education by prioritizing the welfare of teachers and lecturers in Nigeria and across the African continent.
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