Distinguished historian and public intellectual, Prof. Toyin Falola has called for a paradigm shift in knowledge delivery methodology and vision in Nigerian tertiary institutions, following the fast growing influence of Artificial Intelligence on academia and global learning,.
The don made the call while delivering the Babcock University valedictory lecture titled, "The Transformation of Babcock", held at the University’s main campus in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, which marked a key part of the week-long transition programme for outgoing President/Vice‑Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo.
According to Prof. Falola, the influence of AI and shorter attention span of the Gen Z and Gen Alpha, as well as other external forces call for a more proactive, friendship‑driven teaching approach to replace authoritarian methods in knowledge delivery.
“AI is reshaping how knowledge is accessed,” he said. “More than 90 % of what you want to teach is already available through AI, and the shorter attention spans of Gen Z and Gen Alpha demand a new, proactive, friendship‑driven approach to teaching rather than the old authoritarian model.”, he stated
His lecture traced Babcock’s journey from its humble beginnings to its present status as a hybrid, globally‑oriented institution. To underscore his point, Falola referenced statistics from his newly released book, The Transformation of Babcock, a work based on interviews with over a thousand alumni, faculty and community members.
“I worked on this book in secret,” he revealed. “It is a story of the journey, the setbacks, and the university’s relentless pursuit of excellence – the trailblazers whose dreams and visions made it become what it is today.”
The lecture highlighted five legacies that incoming President/Vice‑Chancellor-elect, Prof. Olutunde Afolarin Ojewole inherits: academic expansion, medical excellence, full accreditation and quality assurance, global affiliation, and pedagogic innovation.
Falola in the book, warned of pressing challenges such as economic volatility, rising energy costs, frequent power outages and fierce competition from other tertiary providers.
To meet these obstacles, he urged the university to secure a US $200 million endowment, strengthen its alumni association, and launch a Babcock University Institute of Innovation.
He also called for initiatives in cultural diplomacy, sustainability, and a continued dialogue between faith and science.
The lecture also provided platform for Prof. Falola to present the outgoing Vice‑Chancellor Prof. Ademola Tayo with the Thabo Mbeki Award for Leadership Excellence, on behalf of the University of Texas at Austin and with the approval of former South African President Thabo Mbeki.
The award recognizes a leader “committed to the renaissance of Africa and an unblemished record of excellence in leadership.”
Additionally, His Imperial Majesty Prof. Fuankem Achankeng I, Paramount Ruler of the Atoabechied Kingdom, Cameroon and John Mc Naughton Rosebush University Professor, USA, conferred upon Prof. Tayo a revered title NkemMiaAkateh in recognition of his skillful governance and leadership.
Prof Falola concluded with a direct appeal to the Babcock community to move from the authoritarian teaching to a model that values relationships, critical thinking and ethical formation.
“We must move from authoritarian teaching to a model that values relationships, critical thinking and ethical formation. That is the path to sustaining Babcock’s legacy and shaping the future of Nigeria’s higher education" he maintained
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