NOUN to award degree in Arabic, Philosophy, 3 Nigerian languages

The Senate and Management of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have approved degree programme in three major Nigerian languages as part of efforts to impact national integration in Nigeria.

Prof. Doris Obieje, Dean, Faculty of Arts, said this at the faculty’s maiden public lecture delivered by Prof. Oladele Balogun of Department of Philosophy, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.

She said degree would now also be awarded in Philosophy and Arabic to help achieve a united country characterised by social order, harmony, unity and equality irrespective of philosophical principles, language and religious differences of the citizens.

Prof. Obieje noted that the public lecture entitled: “Religion, Language, Culture and National Integration: Through the Lens of a Philosopher”, evoked the decision of NOUN management to award degree in the three languages.

“It is my hope that the lecture will equally enhance further our understanding of the values of philosophy, language, religion and other cultural elements in the realisation of unity and progress in our nation,” she said.

Prof. Balogun, while delivering his lecture, noted that religion, language and culture could be used to foster national integration in post-colonial Africa.

He said there was need for peaceful national integration in a country such as Nigeria, where language, religious and cultural differences seemed to place a divide in its collective responsibility of building a united country.

Vice Chancellor of NOUN Prof. Abdalla Adamu had earlier said that language barrier was the greatest challenge the country had ever faced since independence.

He, therefore, announced that N1million would be given to any faculty that organised inaugural lecture aimed at promoting national integration. (NAN)