Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, on Sunday, conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (D. Litt, Honoris Causa) on Professor Toyin Falola. Falola was conferred at the 10th convocation ceremony held at the Alhaji Remi Sanni Stadium of the institution.
In his acceptance speech, the Nigerian-born US-based Professor of History said he received the award on behalf of his fellow students.
Falola, who said he is now an alumnus of Adeleke University, promised to engage in actions that will promote the university.
“I am receiving this award on behalf of my fellow students because I’m now an alumnus of Adeleke University. I will not do anything to tarnish the image of the institution. Rather I will work to promote the university,” he said.
Falola, who had earlier delivered the convocation’s commencement lecture on the relationship between spirituality and success, urged the graduands to take inspiration in the life of the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr Deji Adeleke, whom he described as a philanthropist personified.
Professor Falola said Dr Adeleke has been generous in helping people, adding that providing education is the most important thing he has done.
“I am receiving this award on behalf of my fellow students because I’m now an alumnus of Adeleke University. I will not do anything to tarnish the image of the institution. Rather I will work to promote the university,” he said.
Falola, who had earlier delivered the convocation’s commencement lecture on the relationship between spirituality and success, urged the graduands to take inspiration in the life of the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr Deji Adeleke, whom he described as a philanthropist personified.
Professor Falola said Dr Adeleke has been generous in helping people, adding that providing education is the most important thing he has done.
“You should not do anything that can bring disrepute to your families or the institution. You must all be good ambassadors of Adeleke University. As you are graduating today, you are not going out to become a millionaire tomorrow that is not the way it works”.
“You have to persevere for at the appropriate time, you will reap a harvest,” he told the students.”
Earlier in his lecture, Falola stated that “Spirituality encompasses a sense of connection to something greater than oneself, a pursuit of meaning, and engagement in practices that foster personal growth, connection, and transcendence.
“In contrast, success is traditionally viewed through the lens of achieving specific goals, acquiring wealth, contributing to the community, attaining status, or achieving personal fulfilment.
“Integrating spirituality into the pursuit of success offers individuals a deeper sense of purpose and motivation, fostering emotional resilience, stability, and ethical decision-making.
“Furthermore, a spiritual approach expands the definition of success to include personal fulfilment, harmonious relationships, and overall well-being, promoting a more balanced and satisfying life.
“In today’s modern world, the prevalent definition of “success” often revolves around tangible wealth, career achievements, or social status. Ironically, these external markers of success can lead to increased stress as individuals gleam at other people’s lives in their professional hustle.
“So, in the quest for success, one could easily get distracted by chasing titles or achievements and thereby get disconnected and depleted spiritually. Many people burn out in the relentless pursuit of this conventional form of success in their quest to seek a connection to a source greater than themselves.
“In essence, spirituality is an essential part of the human experience. Research consistently points to the fact that living a spiritual life can offer greater meaning and purpose to life. Spirituality could thus play a critical role in the pursuit of a balanced, fulfilling, and sustainable kind of success.
“Spirituality involves not only self-knowledge but also fosters self-growth through practices such as meditation, fasting, prayer, and contemplation, enhancing self-awareness and serving as a foundation for personal identity.
“As individuals aspire to achieve their life goals – such as starting a family or being healthy – and engage in fulfilling or meaningful activities in their lives, they tend to pursue personal success.
“Those who experience such a sense of success typically have greater subjective well-being, such as ‘flow’ at work, increased happiness, greater love and compassion, and enhanced satisfaction in their relational experiences, daily living activities, and intimate experiences. Symbolically, this sense of success is likely to be self-referenced in nature – that is, intrapersonal. It refers to one’s happiness and fulfilment rather than being more behavioural or outwardly recognized. Self-reference involves relating something to oneself, while intrapersonal is directed towards the self.”
Professor Falola is a Distinguished Professor of African Studies whose scholarship transcends the boundaries of Africa, establishing him as a global icon for his revolutionary contributions to knowledge, particularly in the areas of African epistemologies and African history. His work has profoundly impacted the academic community, offering new perspectives and deeper understandings of African cultures and histories.
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