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By Abubakar Umar
The Vice Chancellor of Ojaja University, Eyenkorin, Ilorin, Professor Jeleel Olasunkanmi Ojuade, has emphasized the need for African dance to evolve alongside technological innovations while preserving its cultural authenticity.
Professor Ojuade made this known during his address at the opening ceremony of the 10th Annual International Conference of the Association of Dance Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria (ADSPON), hosted by the University.
The conference has as its theme: “The Concept of Detty December and the Emerging Trends in the Practice of Dance in Contemporary Nigeria/Africa.”
He urged participants to explore how traditional dance forms such as Bata, Atilogwu, and Eyo can coexist with emerging trends, including AI-driven choreography and social-media-inspired dance culture.
Welcoming scholars, researchers, and performers from across the country, the Vice Chancellor announced a major academic milestone: the approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) of the Department of Dance at Ojaja University—the first of its kind in any tertiary institution in Nigeria.
Professor Ojuade described the approval as “a symbolic affirmation that dance, as an academic and cultural discipline, has found a permanent home at Ojaja University.”
He noted that the new department positions the institution as a living archive of African performance traditions while deepening its commitment to integrating indigenous knowledge with technological innovation.
He explained that this year’s conference brings together participants to interrogate how popular culture, digital media, tourism, and globalisation continue to reshape dance practices across Africa.
The theme, he said, compels scholars to examine both the cultural and economic dimensions of the rapidly expanding “Detty December” phenomenon, which he described as a “performative economy and a creative laboratory where movement meets meaning.”
Reiterating that dance remains central to African identity, the Vice Chancellor described it as “the archive of a people’s memory and the architecture of their becoming.”
He called on scholars to use the conference as a platform to generate new knowledge, strengthen professional collaboration, and safeguard Africa’s dance heritage amid global transformation.
Professor Ojuade also expressed gratitude to the university’s Chancellor, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, for his unwavering support, which he said has propelled the institution’s vision for cultural revival and creative scholarship.
He acknowledged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for fostering an enabling environment for education and the arts.
In her remarks, the National President of ADSPON, Professor Mariam Asabe Niye, stressed that dance goes far beyond entertainment.
She underscored the need to correct widespread misconceptions, noting that dance is educative, intellectually stimulating, and a tool for learning, innovation, and global dialogue.
She added that the annual conference aims to deepen knowledge and strengthen professional exchanges in the field.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Duro Oni of the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos, highlighted the unifying power of dance across African societies. He urged Nigerian dancers to embrace digital media as a strategic tool for showcasing their creativity on global platforms.
According to him, dance is “the hidden language of the soul,” and its teachers, scholars, and practitioners must preserve its authenticity while adopting modern technologies that enhance performance, documentation, and global visibility.
The opening ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Ambassador Ndanusa Usman Sheu; the representative of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke; the Wife of the Delta State Governor, represented by Chief Eunice Aina; a representative of the Ogun State Governor; the representative of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; and the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, represented by Oba Muraina Adebanjo Adedini, Asoya of Ile Isoya Kingdom in Osun State.
Renowned scholar Professor Olu Obafemi and other academics were also in attendance.
Editing: Abdullahi Ahmed
