Reclaiming Identity in a Global Age: Lessons from Professor Eunice Omozejie’s Inaugural Lecture

By Esosa Omorogbe

At the 140th inaugural lecture of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Mrs. Eunice E. Omozejie, delivered a compelling and timely reflection on the state of African identity in an era of rapid globalization.

Her lecture, African Migrants, Masculinities, Modernities and Cultural Identities: Decoding Contemporary Realities in Francophone Fiction, interrogates how African values are being reshaped, challenged, and, in some cases, diminished under the weight of external cultural influences.

At the heart of her argument is a call to return to foundational African values that once defined social order and communal harmony. She points to the significance of clearly defined societal roles, deep respect for elders, and the enduring place of motherhood and family structures in maintaining balance within traditional societies.

Equally important, she notes, are indigenous languages and cultural institutions such as marriage, which have historically preserved dignity, identity, and continuity across generations.

Professor Omozejie makes a strong case for literature as a powerful instrument of cultural preservation and resistance. African writers and scholars, she argues, are not merely storytellers but custodians of identity, working deliberately to counter narratives that diminish African heritage.

In a world increasingly shaped by Western ideals, she cautions against the uncritical acceptance of foreign values, urging Africans to redefine modernity on their own terms—modernity that aligns with, rather than erases, their cultural essence.

Drawing on the insights of John Henrik Clarke, she highlights the subtle but profound impact of psychological domination. When a people are made to feel ashamed of their history and culture, she explains, they become easier to control.

This, she suggests, is why reclaiming African history, language, and identity is not merely cultural work but an act of intellectual and social liberation. Her recommendations extend into the educational sector, where she advocates the urgent indigenization of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination literature curriculum.

By prioritizing African authors from both Anglophone and Francophone traditions, she believes young people can be better grounded in the values of respect, morality, and cultural pride. Such reforms, she argues, are essential for raising a generation that understands its roots while confidently engaging the wider world.

In a particularly innovative contribution, Professor Omozejie calls for the integration of literature into medical education. Beyond the science of diagnosis and treatment, she emphasizes the need for empathy, communication, and emotional intelligence in healthcare.

Literature, she argues, can help bridge this gap, offering insights into human experience that science alone cannot provide. The establishment of medical literature libraries in hospitals, alongside the inclusion of humanities in medical training, would promote a more holistic and humane healthcare system.

She concludes with a powerful reminder of the enduring value of reading and multilingualism. Literature, she notes, expands the mind, sharpens memory, and fosters empathy, while also contributing to cognitive health. Her closing charge is simple yet profound: embrace language, read widely, and reconnect with the cultural roots that define who we are.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the 140th Inaugural Lecture and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Professor Andrew Eromonsele said the University is on a forward movement trajectory.

Prof Eromonsele showeredred Encomium on the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo for his unrelenting support for the University, "Just two days ago he has graciously approved the release of ₦1 billion, as part of his promise to offset the unpaid arrears of salaries and other sundry debts incurred during the ignoble tenure of SIT. The Governor has consistently promised that he has a bigger dream for our university. He has advised that we find a way of resolving our seemingly minor crisis without necessarily escalating it to the public.

In a goodwill message, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja........... commended Prof Mrs Eunice Omonzejie for her tenacity and commitment to research in her area of specialization.

The highpoint of the ceremony was the formal investiture and medal decoration of the inaugural lecture, signaling her entrance into the class of distinguished Professors.

Gifts were later presented by family members, associates, friends and well wishers.