The Obafemi Awolowo University Committee in charge of Capacity Building for Early Career Researchers under the Central Office of Research held a seminar today 17th October 2023. The Guest lecturer was Professor Adesegun Fatusi, the Vice-Chancellor, the University of Medical Sciences and he spoke on Advancing Competencies in Research through Critical Thinking. The seminar was held at the Ajose lecture theatre and had 113 participants in person, and 393 participants online via Zoom.

The lecture highlights the centrality of critical thinking to life, scholarship, society, and personal growth. The key elements of the lecture included the importance of asking questions about different aspects or positions of an issue or topic, making informed and correct assumptions, and basing conclusions of any issue on rational, sceptical, and unbiased analysis. The speaker identified the following critical thinking keys: Clarifications of thinking purpose and context, Questioning of source of information, Identification of argument, Analysing source of argument, Evaluation of source of argument of others, and Creation or synthesis of own argument.

Participants asked questions relating to the application of some of the critical thinking skills to the Nigeria context, and the speaker responded to them.

The Chair of the Committee, Prof. Joshua Aransiola highlighted that the seminar is one of the many activities of the committee and listed all the sub-committees and their terms of reference. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebayo Bamire commended the participants present and the committee for the success of the seminar. He encouraged members of the University community to participate in similar programmes that will strengthen the research profile of the university and contribute to the development of the country. He also appreciated the Guest Lecturer for his willingness to give back to Obafemi Awolowo University whenever he is called upon.

Dr (Mrs) Okoya present the gift to the speaker while Prof (Mrs) Olumakaye gave the vote of thanks. The seminar closed with further announcements of other activities being planned by committees under the Central Office of Research. These include the manuscript writing training, grants proposal writing, writing and publishing of review articles among others.

Report prepared by Ayodele Oke and Edited by Oladimeji Ogunoye, Central Office of Research, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.