Break new grounds, solve societal problems with research, UI VC, others tell scholars

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Kayode Adebowale; a renowned security scholar, Prof. Olawale Albert; the founder of Achievers’ University, Owo, Dr. Olabode Ayorinde; the Dean of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, UI, Prof. Peters Obutte, and others have called on scholars to break new grounds and barriers aimed at solving societal problems through their research.

They made the call during the first Ibadan International Conference in Multidisciplinary Studies of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies in collaboration with the TETFund Centre for Excellence in Multidisciplinary Studies of the University of Ibadan.

The two-day event took place at the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Resource Centre, UI, the Oyo State capital.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebowale, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Peter Olapegba, said scholars must break new grounds and solve problems for the betterment of society.

He said, “The programme is about coming together from different disciplines. The world is about multidiscipline. We must break new grounds because research is all about problem-solving for the betterment of society. When we work together, we solve bigger problems, not just working in a silo. It is about finding new and better ways of solving human problems.”

In his address, Dr. Olabode Ayorinde, who was the chairman of the occasion, also harped on the need to break new grounds through a multidisciplinary approach.

According to Ayorinde, the complexities of the 21st century require more than a silo approach to education.

“We need to break ground and barriers within disciplines. Research must contribute to societal development. Our research efforts should not gather dust,” he said.

On his part, Prof. Olawale Albert said the faculty was trying to build the capacity of scholars for them to look beyond their training and break into larger grounds by using the tools of their discipline.

Albert said: “Nowadays, scholarship cannot be what it was. In the past, we engaged in silo scholarship. But things have changed. You must be able to use your field of specialisation as a launch pad for connecting with the whole world. The good example I usually cite is the work of Prof. Niyi Osundare. Prof. Osundare read English Language, but when he writes, you see politics in his writing, psychology, sociology, and others.

“That is the direction scholarship is going. We have been preaching it for a very long time. The faculty is trying to build the capacity of scholars to be able to look beyond their narrow training and break into larger grounds by using the tools of that discipline.”

The Dean of the faculty, Prof. Peters Obutte, said research must solve the problems of society, adding that synergy was key in this direction.

The dean said: “It is bringing about the need to redefine intellectual inquiries. That is research within the conflict of existential problems. Our research must solve our problems. Knowledge is supposed to bring light and possibilities. We must be genuine seekers of knowledge.”

A former Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, who was a keynote speaker, went down memory lane on how he stated the need to strengthen the existing and create new interdisciplinary institutes and centres in the university that would reflect the current reality, not the past history of subject divisions.

“I have always been a strong believer that some of the most exciting things in science and discoveries are at the boundary between different disciplines,” Olayinka recalled.

On his part, the convener and chairman of the Organising Committee of the programme, Dr. Olawale Emmanuel Olayide, disclosed that, the idea of convening a conference by the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies was first conceived by the Pioneer Dean, Prof. Olawale Albert, in 2020.

He added, “Unfortunately, the idea was not brought to fruition during his tenure. The second Dean of the Faculty, Prof. W. M. Olatokun, also tried to resuscitate the noble idea in 2024.

“The Board of the Faculty, chaired by Prof. Olatokun, actually set up the Faculty Conference Committee before the end of his six-month tenure. The current Dean, Prof. Peters Obutte, sustained the status quo on the proposed Faculty Conference. Thankfully, the vision of the founding Dean is now being realised under the third Dean of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies.

“Put succinctly, the processes that have led to the hosting of the First Ibadan International Conference in Multidisciplinary Studies (IICMS) 2025 are similar to a relay race and exemplify the ideals of sustainability, recognising the power of vision and purposeful leadership.”