Prof Afisi advocates Education Curricula reform that must include African perspectives in science, logic, ethics
Professor of Philosophy of Science, Logic and Cultural Rationalism, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Lagos State University, Prof. Oseni Taiwo Afisi, has advocated that Education Curricula must be reformed to include African perspectives in Science, Logic and ethics.
Prof Afisi who is also the Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the reputable institution, made the recommendation while delivering the 108th Inaugural Lecture of the Lagos State University (LASU) at Ojo, Lagos State on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
The theme of the inaugural lecture was “The Oracle and the Open Society: Rethinking the Evolution of Authority and the Pursuit of Epistemic Justice in African Philosophical Thought.”
In his recommendations to educators he said “Curricula at all levels of education must be reformed to include African perspectives in science, logic, and ethics. Beyond token inclusion, educational content should reflect the depth, complexity, and contemporary relevance of African Philosophies. Teaching methods should emphasize dialogical reasoning, moral accountability, and cultural thinking rooted in local language, oral traditions, and community experiences. Textbooks and learning materials should be developed to support these aims.”
Prof Afisi also spoke to the scholars, saying that the intellectual community must rise to the challenge of rethinking epistemology beyond the western canon. He said, “Scholars should embrace epistemic pluralism by critically engaging indigenous knowledge systems and legitimizing their methodologies within global discourse. Research must not only be methodologically rigorous but also socially responsive. Interdisciplinary work that bridges Philosophy, science, and African worldviews should be encouraged through collaborative platforms and funding.”
Professor Afisi stated that all his recommendations are not only to scholars, but also to educators, policy makers, technologists, and cultural costodians, to build societies that are not merely informed by data, but inspired by wisdom.
He state, “In an era where algorithms increasingly shape perceptions, decisions, and policies, it is no longer sufficient to accumulate information, we must ensure that such information is interpreted through lenses grounded in ethical reflection, historical consciousness, and cultural relevance.”
Speaking further, he made recommendations to the policy makers, saying, “There is an urgent need to institutionalise plural approaches to knowledge. National policies should formally recognize and regulate the interface between biomedicine and traditional healing systems. Morever, Education policies should mandate the integration of African Philosophies in humanities and science education. Public intellectuals and Philosophers should be appointed to policy advisory roles to ensure reflective and culturally sensitive governance. I advocate the inclusion of Philosophy as part of courses taught in our JUPEB or A/Levels system in Nigeria.”
He did not end there, Prof Afisi also made his advocacy felt by the Technologists and Innovators, he said, “Technological development in Africa must go beyond adoption to active design and innovation grounded in African values. AI systems must be built with transparency, fairness, and communal accountability at their core. Algorithmic decision making tools should be subjected to ethical scrutiny informed by African communication ethics such as Ubuntu. Innovation hubs and tech curricula should incorporate training in Philosophy of technology and digital ethics from African perspectives.
And to the cultural custodians and community leaders, he said, that the preservation and revitalisation of indigenous knowledge must be prioritized, not as artefacts of the past, but as living, adaptive, systems. He added, “Oral traditions, symbolic systems, and communal governance practices, must be documented, taught , and integrated into modern civic life. Community elders and custodians of culture should be recognized as co-educators and co-thinkers in shaping Africa’s intellectual and moral future.”
In conclusion, the erudite Professor said that wisdom is not merely the possession of knowledge, but the just and meaningful application of it. “Let us, therefore, reimagine African societies where Technological advancement is tempered by moral insight, where Education is guided by critical consciousness, and where governance reflects dialogue and dignity. Let Africa not only thrive in data but lead in wisdom.
“Let the oracle speak, let the algorithm listen, let the people reason together, and may the African open society not be a borrowed idea, but a living tradition, critically reconstructed, philosophically grounded, and ethically sustained,” Prof. Afisi averred.
