The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has called on political science scholars to ensure their discipline remains relevant to the realities and challenges of modern life. He made this appeal while serving as chairman at the opening ceremony of the 35th Conference of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), held at the University of Ibadan.
Need for Public-Facing Scholarship
According to Prof. Olaopa, there is an urgent need to rebrand political science in ways that make its scholarship more public-facing and accessible. This would facilitate meaningful engagement with politicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders. He stressed that this effort must go beyond traditional town-and-gown partnerships to foster deeper, more critical connections that enable the co-production of political and policy knowledge.
“Such synergy enables the political science community to engage in collaborations with civil society organisations, grassroots movements, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other non-state actors in designing research frameworks and curricula contents for a shared understanding of the status and direction that give the discipline relevance and legitimacy,” Olaopa stated.
Adapting to Modern Realities
Prof. Olaopa highlighted the need for political science curricula and pedagogical frameworks to adapt to current realities, particularly the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He noted that AI is increasingly challenging the way research, pedagogy, and the implications of research for praxis are conceived.
“There is also the further challenge of reflecting on how the curriculum and pedagogy enable political science students and graduates to transition from theoretical instructions to work-integrated learning,” he added.
