The Vice-Chancellor of Ojaja University, Professor Jeleel Olasunkanmi Ojuade, has urged African scholars, artists, filmmakers, universities and policymakers to embrace indigenous knowledge as a foundation for innovation and sustainable development.
Ojuade made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 39th International Conference and 40th Annual General Meeting of the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artistes (SONTA), hosted by Lead City University in Ibadan, Oyo State, on August 18, 2026.
Speaking on the theme, “From Heritage to Futures: Reimagining African Indigenous Knowledge Systems as Epistemic Foundations for Performance, Film and Sustainable Development,” the Vice-Chancellor challenged stakeholders to rethink the role of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems in shaping the continent’s future.
He said African performance traditions extend beyond entertainment, noting that dance, theatre, music, festivals, rituals and storytelling have historically served as systems for producing, preserving and transmitting knowledge.
Ojuade also described film as a living archive capable of preserving African languages, philosophies, traditions, histories and collective memories while taking indigenous stories to global audiences.
Addressing the growth of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and other emerging technologies, he called for stronger integration between ancestral wisdom and technological innovation.
“The challenge before us, therefore, is not to choose between heritage and innovation but to ensure that innovation remains rooted in heritage.”
He also urged African universities to become laboratories where Indigenous Knowledge Systems intersect with contemporary technologies, encouraging students and researchers to develop original theories and creative solutions rooted in African realities.
Concluding his address, Ojuade invoked the Yoruba proverb, “Odo to ba gbàgbé orísun rẹ̀ yóò gbẹ,” meaning, “A river that forgets its source will eventually run dry.”
He urged Africa to see its heritage not as a burden of the past but as a compass for navigating the future, reaffirming Ojaja University’s commitment to African-centred scholarship, cultural knowledge, creativity and innovation.