Inaugural lecture represents significant milestone in lecturer’s career — Abdul Rahman

Professorial inaugural lecture has been described as one of the hallowed traditions of the academia by the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman.

He said that an inaugural lecture represents a significant milestone in an academic’s career, celebrating their promotion to the rank of professor at university.

Abdul Rahman spoke during a workshop orgarnised by the FULafia Senate Committee on Inaugural Lecture with the theme: “Setting Standards for Inaugural Lecture.”

He said that inaugural lecture is significant in the career of academics, pointing out that such an occasion provides academics opportunity to showcase result of their research, innovation and teaching ability to members of university community and general public.

The vice-chancellor, who made his views known through a paper he presented at the event titled: “An overview, content and format of an inaugural lecture: Message to professors and other academics”, pointed out that such events, however, makes it incumbent on new professors to develop ability to conceptualise complex technical and abstract matters and express them in simple and logical terms.

Doing so, he added, would allow “people who have not had the priviledge to grapple with the subject for extended periods to quickly grasp the elements at play.”

For departments, Abdul Rahman said that inaugural lecture represents a chance to celebrate coming of new professors and opportunity to work with audiences, within and out of university, with a view to establishing new, and strengthening old, relationships.

According to him, inaugural lecture event can also be used to attract government attention, funders of research, collaborators and viable stakeholders.

Earlier, in her speech, the Dean, Faculty of Education, Chairperson of the FULafia Senate Committee on Inaugural Lecture, Professor Josephine Egbor Odey, thanked the vice-chancellor for constituting the committee which, she said, has paved way for new professors to be inaugurated.

Odey said that an inaugural lecture is an auspicious occasion for universities to acknowledge the appointment or promotion of new, full professors, introduce them to the academic and non-academic community and to provide opportunity for engagement with the greater community.

The inaugural lecture workshop, which took place at the Senate Chamber, had in attendance the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Idris Amali, Registrar, Dr Abubakar Mamuda, Bursar, Daniel Wilson, Librarian, Dr Iyoro, and all professors and associate professors of the University.