Prof Simon Ortuanya, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has charged scholars in faculties of humanities and social sciences to step up their ideological mediators to guide public policy.
Ortuanya gave the charge in Nsukka on Thursday while declaring open the 2026 Hybrid International Conference of the Faculty of the Social Sciences of the university.
With the theme: “Security, Governance, and Sustainable Development in a Fast-Changing World.” .
He said that scholars in the humanities and social sciences should bridge the gap between theoretical research, and societal realities by helping the public navigate complex social, political, and cultural changes.
” We should not measure our worth by the number of our publications rather than by the quality of meaning we return to the lives of our people.
“We should not allow others, far removed from our realities, to define for us what security means, what good governance looks like, and what counts as development.
“Most time we are consumers of imported frameworks rather than mediators who test those frameworks against the truth of our communities,”he said.
Ortuanya noted that, humanities and the social sciences scholars stand between the raw manifestations of reality and the meanings our communities make of them, we must help build holistic and honest views of their world.
“No matter how remarkable the innovations our colleagues in the sciences produce, it remains our responsibility to interpret what each innovation means to humanity,”he said.
The VC, who was represented by Prof Michael Onyia, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, urged the conference organizers and participants to reclaim the mediating seat by interrogating every innovation, as well as measure themselves by impact, not number of output.
In a Lead Paper presention titled “Unraveling the Trial of Insecurity, Fragile Governance and Poverty”.
Prof Damian Odunze said that, in a fast changing world, security, transparent governance and sustainable development are deeply inseparable, adding that to ignore one is completely to undermine others.
Odunze cleric, who is from the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Delta State University, emphasised the urgent need for action from the academic community to use their research and policy advocacy to interrogate bad policies and governance.
“Scholars must step out of the ivory tower and transition from passive observers to active participants, using rigorous research and policy advocacy to directly challenge systemic injustice.
“By championing transparent governance as well as help to build a truly equitable society,” he said.
He thanked the faculty for finding him worthy to present the lead paper in the conference.
In a Keynote speech, Prof Christopher Isike, Head, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa, said that good security in any country depend on good government anchored on responsibility, accountability and transparency.
Isike, expressed concern on the rising insecurity challenges in Africa, and urged leaders in the continent to join hands together and find a lasting solution to the situation before it gets out of hand.
Earlier, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Science in UNN, Prof Chidi Nzeadibe said that recent happenings in the global geopolitics, governance, security, human rights, among others demanded interrogations to determine its connection with sustainable or unsustainable development.
“Faculty of Social Sciences has a long standing tradition of engaging in the dissection of contemporary issues and challenges in global .development.
“To seek solutions , make prescriptions and policy proposals for effectively dealing of our annual conferences.
“This year’s conference sustains that tradition amidst the myriad development challenges bedwelling our country, continent and the world,”he said
The Dean expressed appreciation to resource persons and participants who participated either physically or virtually in the international conference.
Nzeadibe also expressed special appreciation to VC and the Management of UNN for always giving maximum support and attention to the faculty.
Our correspondent reports that Dr Olajumoke Ayan. Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University was among resource persons who presented paper virtually .