Lead City University to host inaugural memorial lecture in honour of late Olukotun
Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State, has perfected plans to host an inaugural memorial lecture in honour of the late renowned scholar and public intellectual, Prof. Ayo Olukotun.
Olukotun was a renowned Professor of Political Science who died on January 4, 2023, at age 69.
A statement issued on Monday by the lecture’s organising committee, said the lecture, scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, 2025, will be held at Adeline Hall within the university’s premises, starting at 10:30 am.
The lecture, themed “Ayo Olukotun and the Nigerian Nation,” will be delivered by globally acclaimed historian and professor at the University of Texas, Austin, Prof. Toyin Falola.
Falola said, “Ayo Olukotun was the voice of our nation. He has repeatedly screamed warnings into the ears of Nigerian leaders and citizens through his pen to rouse the nation from its slumber. The symposium aims to reflect on Olukotun’s intellectual prowess and its impact on nation-building.”
Speaking about the upcoming event, the Vice-Chancellor of Lead City University, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemo, said the lecture was a way to immortalise the legacy of Olukotun, whose works shaped the discourse around governance, media, and national development in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, a former senator and seasoned public servant, commended Lead City University for hosting the event, describing Olukotun as “a scholar who combined academic brilliance with practical engagement in national discourse.”
The Registrar of Lead City University, Dr. Ayebola Ayeni, emphasised the university’s commitment to intellectual excellence, noting that “the choice of Prof. Toyin Falola as guest lecturer reflects the high intellectual standards the university upholds.”
Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Dr. Igho Fayomi, encouraged both students and the general public to attend physically or join via Zoom, saying, “This lecture is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the life of a man who left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s intellectual and political space.”
