As the country’s pre-eminent national institution for the humanities, the NAL promotes excellence in the arts and literature and operates as an independent, non-political entity dedicated to advancing humanities scholarship and fostering public engagement across the country.
President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters Professor Andrew Haruna (left) congratulates Prof Okeja at his induction
The induction, which took place in Nigeria on 13 August, recognises Prof Okeja’s contribution to philosophy and the humanities and places him among scholars distinguished for their contributions to intellectual life, especially the ideals of the humanities.
Prof Okeja described the induction as a memorable occasion, particularly because of the Academy’s rich history and the diversity of disciplines represented among its Fellows, including foundational fellows, including Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka and global icon of literature, Chinua Achebe.
“The induction was memorable and the sense of history that reflected in the proceedings made the event special. Equally remarkable is the diversity of the fields represented at the Academy,” he said.
The recognition comes alongside a number of other prestigious honours in Prof Okeja’s career, including his election and induction into the American Antiquarian Society and affiliation with leading universities and research institutions in the continent and beyond.
For Prof Okeja, however, these recognitions are connected by a common commitment to advancing humanistic values.
“Although these recognitions are unique in their own way, I see an alignment in the commitment to the promotion of all that is excellent about humanity. A prestigious body such as the Nigerian Academy of Letters has contributed immensely to the advancement of humanistic values,” he said.
His intellectual work centres on fundamental questions of political philosophy, which has been strengthened by his movement between different academic disciplines, institutions and cultural environments.
“One of the overarching goals I pursue in my work is to provide answers to fundamental questions of political philosophy. Inhabiting different cultural environments and moving between fields of inquiry have only enriched this quest,” Prof Okeja said.
At Nelson Mandela University, this intellectual project is closely connected to his leadership of the Centre for Philosophy in Africa within the Faculty of Humanities. The Centre advances research and scholarly engagement focused on African philosophy and broader questions concerning Africa’s intellectual, political and social future.
Prof Okeja sees the Centre’s work as part of a wider effort to revitalise the humanities and strengthen the contribution of African scholarship to global intellectual conversations – a crucial step towards imagining a desirable African future.