By Ibrahim Bello
The Federal University, Birnin Kebbi (FUBK), has urged Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunities therein in literature to propel dynamic future.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Muhammad Zaiyan-Umar stated this while declaring open a maiden International Conference of Literary Scholars Association (LSA) held at the institution in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
The theme of the maiden conference is: "Imagining the Future: African Literature, Popular Culture, and Digital Humanities."
The V-C said the international conference aimed at tapping opportunities from literature in the country, while reiterating his commitment to promoting academic ideals.
"This conference, which is the first of its kind, is a pointer that we will be able to achieve more if we want to succeed.
"I will never turn down any effort from the academic staffers that will put the university on the map of progress," he assured.
The VC commended the paper presenters for excellent presentation and the LSA for organising the maiden conference.
Earlier, Prof. Asabe Kabir-Usman, said the association was open to scholars, teachers and students of literature, as well as film producers of literature from the country.
The overall motivation, she said, was the development of scholarship and knowledge of literature, as well as individuals who subscribed to the goals of the association.
"The theme of this maiden conference: "Imagining the Future: African Literature, Popular Culture, and Digital Humanities", is timely and relevant to national and global literary trends as they affect our various societies.
"The theme is futuristic and projective, focusing on the various paradigm shifts in the literary world," she said.
Kabir-Usman hoped that various scholarly papers emerged from conference would generate not just critical discourse but suggestive commendations that could propel a dynamic future for world literature.
Delivering his paper, Prof. Abubakar Aliyu-Liman, from the Department of English and Literary Studies, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, opined that written narratives were transposed or adapted through the cinematic medium.
"The growing culture industry promises to be a goldmine for the teeming unemployed graduates of English and Literary Studies.
"The world is eagerly waiting for our intervention, by tell our own stories through the most popular media of the day, the digital media," he said.
As teachers, according to him, they need to reflect over the profound technological changes that are taking place, not only here in Nigeria but all over the world.
"In particular, we need to investigate literary and cultural renaissance and the robust experiments with culture happening in Nigeria via ubiquitous technological mediatisation and mediation.
"For students, researchers and scholars, to borrow Marx insights above, we need to creatively and innovatively define the ways in which we can turn the challenges faced by disciplines in the humanities into opportunities for wealth creation and the very survival of our professional callings as well," he opined.
Aliyu-Liman, who presented a paper titled: "Imagining the Future: African Literature, Popular Culture and the Digital Humanities," urged the students to tapped by industrious individuals and groups.
The first lead paper on: "Migration in the Annal of Human History," was virtually presented by Dr. Jonas Akung, from Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Calabar.
Additionally, the second lead paper titled: "African Literature and New Form Literary Act" was also virtually presented by Dr. Saeedat Aliyu, from Department of English and Literary Studies, Kwara State University, Malete.
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