As
part of our efforts to advocate against superstition, promote peace, justice
and social tolerance and development, the Humanist Association for Peace and
Social Tolerance Advancement (HAPSTA) on Friday 29th August 2014, holds its 4th
international conference in honour of late Prof. Olusegun Oladipo, a
quintessential scholar and a humanist of international repute.
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A cross-section of participants at the conference |
The
conference had as its theme, “Humanism, Existential Predicaments and Africa”, affords the participants the opportunity to discuss superstition, which has
continued to bedevil Africa despite the growth of science and technology, in the modern world, social reconstruction, communalism, religious profiteering, witchcraft, modernity, among other issues.
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Prof. O. B. Lawuyi delivering the keynote address |
The preference for the choice of the
topic and the setting is predicated on the prevalence of the instances of
superstition and its induced ilks such as witch-killing, ritual killing, and commonplace discrimination against religious minorities and the killing of albinos in contemporary Africa.
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Mrs Kehinde Oladipo receiving the Post-Homous Award bestowed on Prof. Olusegun Oladipo |
The
conference which started at 9:30am, as scheduled, had 105 participants in
attendance among whom are scholars and other eminent personalities such as
Prof. Tunde Lawuyi, who delivered the Keynote Address, Prof. Wale Olajide, who delivered the Welcome Address; Dr. C. A Udefi who chaired the opening session
of the conference, Prof. Francis Offor who declared the conference opened, Dele
danladi Agbeyo (an eminent humanist), Prof. Dipo Irele , Dr. Bolatito Lanre-Abass, Dr. Christopher
Agulanna, Dr. Adeshina Afolayan, Dr. Sola Olorunyomi, among others; papers were
also presented by 18 other humanists and scholars from diverse views
(religious and non-religious).
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Danladi Dele-Agbeyo receiving the Outstanding Humanist Lifetime Award in Pragmatic Humanism |
The
conference, which many considered a huge success on the part of the organizers, found the trio of late Prof. Olusegun Oladipo, Levi Fragell and Danladi Dele
Agbeyo worthy of being honoured with different categories of awards for their
contributions to humanism in Africa and the world at large.
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A cross-section of participants |
The
second and the third session of the conference which was about paper
presentation started and ended as scheduled, and the conference came to a
logical conclusion during the plenary session (with conference resolutions).
HAPSTA appreciates the participants and guests, and wished them safe trip back to their various destinations.
Noah Balogun