Filed by Eretz Okee-IGBO
In a webinar Lecture, themed, "Artificial Intelligence And Educational Challenges And Opportunities For Education In Rural Communities," dateline 1st February 2025, Ogbuefi C.N.C. Igboegbuna [ODELỌRA], spoke as a witness to the next generation.
His delivery was like a time capsule into the resume of history as he lectured at the 2025 United Nations Day of Education and the 6th Legacy Lecture for Barr. JUNI and Lady Irene Menakaya.
Great importance was that the synergistic layouts of the well-informed speakers that preceded him, prepared the audience for his lustre presentation.
They included Dr Osita Anị̀emeka (President, South Saharan Open University); Lady Rachel A. Lundgren of the I Believe Global Foundation; Hajiya Maimuna Mohammed (Schools Reforms, Min of Basic and Secondary Education) and Prof Rosemary Ada Igbo (Community Education and Dean, Faculty of Education).
Other rapportuers were Amb. Pamela Odibeli (CEO, Start Right Development Services Ltd.); Prof Dele Adiola (Deputy Dir. Computer Resources Center, FUTA) and Kofi Agyabeng Konadu of The Progressive Sage. Vincent J. Vicari (Regional Dir.) and Kathleen Cronin (Outreach Coordinator), both came from the Ramapo College of New Jersey. Drs. Nnamdi and Jide Menakaya (Director and V/President), represented the Bar JIM Foundation.
The tech-speakers had bolstered AI as one sure way to fire up creative energy and shore up optimism in Education. Thus, they pervaded the unction that worked the audience to super energy level.
When he delved into the biographies of the Menakaya couple, to pinpoint on their bequests; Ogbuefi Igboegbuna, himself a social writer and community cultural repertoire, traced socio-educational achievements in the old Anambra Division by bio-streaming the lives of JUNI and Irene, the couple that worked for the future of Omambala people.
To JUNI he credited with developing a mindset for creating paradigms against fixations in single profession. He mentioned that he (JUNI) may probably be the first of one man to bestride Community Assignment as Lawyer, Pharmacist and Journalist, using their tools to enhance researches in social understanding and economic impacts.
He highlighted the Pro Iresearch fortes of JUNI to be, 'Igbo Legal System,' 'The Igbo and Jewish Race,' 'Osebruwarism,' 'Ancestral Worship,' and 'Chi and Jewish Tradition' some of which according to the Ogbuefi, were enunciated as part of JUNI's 'Genealogy Research Project' at the University of Jos, Nigeria.
On Lady Irene Menakaya who capped her educational pursuits with studies in Nursery Education at the prestigious Oxford University, London: Odelora acknowledged her tireless efforts in laying the foundation for the Pre-Nursery/Nursery Education as we now have them in the Onitsha areas and beyond.
This she did with her 1972 establishment of the Irene Menakaya International Nursery and Primary School, encouraging indigent families continuously. Had ever been, relentlessly!
In the combined situations of espousing knowledge to safeguard the future of Education in the rural areas, reactions to Ogbuefi Odelora's lecture was tear-jerking as it was surreal. We would have to reference the presenters platform for appraisals.
The next speaker at 7:12pm was Prof. Ada Okika. Her presentation was “Call-to-Action: AI and Education Next Agenda”. She talked about the adoption of homeschooling, education in rural communities, and stated that quality education in rural communities will lead to development. She also talked about the Five Ps in Sustainable Education such as People, Prosperity, Potentials, Peace, Partnership. She encouraged policy training on AI for teachers as this will lead to feasible impact, before the 10th anniversary of Bar. Juni and Irene Menakaya. She concluded by saying that all hands must be on deck to give children in the rural areas quality education to be global citizens and that we should help the government to help us.
International Day of Education: AI and Education
Dr. Ada emphasized UNESCO’s efforts in promoting AI in education, advocating for AI as a tool to enhance rather than replace traditional education. She stressed the need for inclusive, equitable education systems aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4.
3. Presentation by Prof. A.J. Okika
Prof. Okika elaborated on the foundational role of education in society and the necessity of leveraging AI responsibly. She called for teacher training and a commitment to making AI safe and accessible.
Call-to-Action by Prof. Ada Okika
Prof. Okika emphasized the importance of homeschooling, rural education, and AI policy training for teachers. She called for collaborative efforts to provide quality education to rural children.
Outline of Recommendations from the rapportuers:
1.Teacher Training: Governments and educational institutions should invest in AI literacy for teachers.
2.Infrastructure Development: Enhance digital infrastructure in rural areas to support AI-powered education.
3.Policy and Regulation: Establish robust AI compliance and data privacy frameworks.
4.Public-Private Partnerships: Foster collaborations between governments, NGOs, and tech companies.
5.Community Engagement: Promote AI literacy at the grassroots level.
For its specific target the take-home reflections about AI from the Lecture can be summed into;
i. That Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to machines ability of performing cognitive functions and tasks that typify human intelligence such as learning, reasoning, perception, trouble shooting and general creativity.
ii. AI research was initially focused on solving general problems through symbolic reasoning with developed programs that could prove mathematical theorems, understand languages and play games at competitions.
iii. With limitations of symbolic AI becoming apparent researchers have broadened AI applications so to solve more complex real-world problems.
iv. The future should hold no limitation in recognizing shifting sectorial probabilities especially as Education remain the invaluable key to future development.
Yet, as dedication grows in the advancement of machine devices inputs for Education appeal, two things are still likely to impart the common simplicities in the rural choices.
While one view supports the array of hope which AI offers, the other is distinctive about general fears.
One haps the limitless possibilities of AI to break the discomforts of stress and time management, such that the crossroad of situations where sometimes we are left in the interregnum of even thinking where we stopped our ordinary actions should be no more.
Or, should we anymore have the lags in simple acts as remembering how we went with our personal effects like keys and hand phones when the choices in AI alignment becomes the rescue?
The general fear, is about apprehensions that mankind may have limited chances against a self-replicating system, especially a sentient Artificial Intelligence that already may master the areas of human thought processes.
The fear is real that such an intelligent system that would know the human frailty and weaknesses, can be automatic in fighting even its human creators on the grounds of 'saving the planet.'
Though concerns may also be shared about the custumiers of AI in both domestic and industrial functions to prevent the algorithm from doing the negativities, the UN Day of Education Lecture is timely in responding to calls for ethical uses in the rural communities.
We appreciate the organizers of the 2025 UN Day of Education and the 6th Legacy Lecture:
For the effects and giant success immense gratitude goes to the Bar JIM Foundation and of course, to the UN Rep/Executive Director, CTADA, Prof Ada JUNI Okika (Nee, Menakaya) for making the event a milestone of reckon.
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