JAMB Registrar, Oloyede Canvasses Sustained Dialogue, Mutual Respect, Deeper Engagement for Scholarly Consensus

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede has called for sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and a deeper engagement with scriptural sources as foundations for scholarly consensus in the society.

Oloyede made the call at this year international conference organized by the El-Mavericky Centre for Educational Research and Development, in collaboration with the Department of Islamic Studies, University of Abuja.

In a statement issued and made available to THISDAY yesterday in Osogbo by the Executive Director of the El-Mavericky Centre and convener of the conference, Sulayman O. Nafiu, noted that the conference examined the lives and legacies of Nigerian Islamic scholars, with a central focus on unity amid diversity.

Professor Oloyede was represented by Professor Afis Oladosu of the Department of Arabic, University of Ibadan.

The lecture advanced the argument that unity does not imply uniformity, calling instead for sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and a deeper engagement with scriptural sources as foundations for scholarly consensus.

The two-day event was held at Faculty of Social Sciences Auditorium, University of Abuja.

However, the Themed is titled “Lives and Legacies of Nigerian Islamic Scholars: Lessons of Unity in Diversity”.

The conference drew a distinguished gathering of scholars and intellectuals from Nigeria and abroad notably from Turkey, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.

The event also underscored Nigeria’s long-standing contributions to Islamic scholarship and its relevance to contemporary global debates on faith, identity, and cohesion.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Mashood A. Baderin, Professor of Laws and Academic Director,College of Law,SOAS University of London, emphasised the historical and moral significance of Nigerian Islamic scholars.

He described them as “vicegerents of the Prophet”, noting their pivotal role in preserving ethical leadership, intellectual rigor, and communal harmony within the Muslim world.

Also, the Executive Director of the El-Mavericky Centre and convener of the conference, Sulayman O. Nafiu, while delivering his address said the gathering was timely, particularly in an era marked by rising polarisation and divisive rhetoric, often amplified through social media.

He urged younger scholars to draw inspiration from the intellectual discipline and moral restraint of earlier generations. “The past is not a relic,” he noted, “but a reservoir of wisdom that should guide the contemporary Islamic ummah.”

The conference also featured Professor Muhammad Babangida of Bayero University, Kano, as the second lead speaker.

Also in attendance was the Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Farooq Onikijipa, OON, and other prominent religious leaders, academics, and public intellectuals.

Their contributions reinforced the conference’s central message: that Nigeria’s Islamic scholarly heritage offers enduring lessons for peaceful coexistence, intellectual tolerance, and religious renewal.

Meanwhile, the organisers have described the conference as a significant step toward repositioning Nigerian Islamic scholarship within global academic and religious discourses, while fostering unity in an increasingly fragmented world.

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede has called for sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and a deeper engagement with scriptural sources as foundations for scholarly consensus in the society.