Prof. Terlumun delivers inaugural lecture

Prof. Uji Wilfred Terlumun, a scholar of social and economic history, has presented his professorial inaugural lecture averring, strongly, that humans are, by nature, migrants.

The title of his lecture was, “Migrations, Social and Economic Development in Historical Trajectory.”

According to him, humans are always in transit, in search of upward social mobility as well as emotional and psychological safety.

Terlumun said: “Humans, whether they lay claims to have descended from the sky, ocean, or wherever, are migrants and the fundamental questions should not be about whom owns the country or dominance.”

The professor of social and economic history stressed the need to interrogate fundamental issues such as the “nature of migration and migrants in Nigeria and if the migrant experience in Nigeria produce economically relatively stable nations like the United States, Brazil or Singapore or Malaysia.”

He argued that migrant groups, both domestic and or national, are drivers of economic growth that contribute significantly to the gross domestic product and enhance national income receipts.

Terlumun has over 100 papers published in journals, books, technical reports and monographs.

In his address, the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), Prof. Shehu Abdul Raman, described Terlumun’s presentation as remarkable one, saying: “Inaugural lectures are expected to be delivered by true professors within 12 months from the day of their appointment and yours is less than a month which is remarkable.”

Welcoming participants to the occasion, Prof. Josephine Odey, the Chairperson, Inaugural Lecture Committee of the University, said that Prof. Terlumun was, “indeed, a historian, today you have made history because you were promoted last month you had your inaugural lecture about a month after that.”

Terlumun a pioneer academic staff and headed the Department of History and International Studies, FULafia.