UNILAG’s IADS, celebrates Black History Month, advocates intensified global awareness
Celebration
The Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS) University of Lagos, on Wednesday celebrated the Black History Month 2026, describing it as a moment of ‘intensified global awareness’.
The theme of this year’s celebration is: Century of African Self-Representation; Nigeria in the Globalisation of Black History.
Recall that this year’s Black History Month, February, is recognised and celebrated in the U.S. and 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of this all important commemoration.
The Media Lab community took time every day and especially this month, to reflect on the experiences, history, culture and contributions of the Black American community.
This theme in the U.S. highlights the evolution of the celebration, from its 1926 origins, “Negro History Week,” to a month-long national observance.
It also emphasises the, “long and proud tradition of African American military service,” and contributions to national greatness context.
It equally encourages focusing on the profound ways that “work and working of all kinds,” (labor) intersected with the experiences of the Black people.
In his opening remark, Director of the IADS, Prof. Ayo Yusuf, said the Black History Month could be seen as a moment of intensified global awareness, while the institute represented a continuous structured effort to advance the same ideals.
According to the director, together, both contribute to a broader movement that seeks to educate, empower and connect people of African descent across the world, reinforcing the importance of history as a foundation for present identity and future progress.
“We gather here today to formally recognise and reflect upon the enduring contributions, achievements, which is the 8th edition, having commenced in 2019 and the influence of black individuals and communities, whose works had shaped societies, strengthened institutions and enriched cultures across generations.
“The IADS mandate centres on rigorous 70 per cent research 20 per cent teaching and 10 per cent advocacy.
“This institute shares a strong and meaningful connection with Black History Month, as both are grounded in the recognition, preservation and celebration of African heritage and the global experiences of people of African descent,” he stated.
Yusuf further described the Black History Month as an important moment of “acknowledgment and intentional reflection “.
“It provides us with the opportunity to examine history with clarity, appreciate progress that has been made and to recognise the resilience, innovation and excellence that continue to define black experiences worldwide,” the director noted.
According to him, the period also serves as both a commemoration of historical struggles and a recognition of the cultural, political, scientific and economic advancement made by black individuals and communities.
He added that it also served as a platform of education, reflection and cultural pride, emphasising the importance of understanding African and diasporic histories that had often been overlooked or marginalised.
“The connection between IADS and Black History Month lies in their shared mission and objectives. Both seek to reclaim and highlight African narratives, challenge historical distortions and foster a sense of identity and pride among people of African descent.
“While Black History Month operates a global commemorative period, IADS provides an institutional and academic framework that sustains these conversations throughout the year.
“Moreover, IADS often engages in activities such as public lectures, seminars, exhibitions and community outreach, that align with the themes of Black History Month.
“These activities create opportunities for dialogue on issues such as colonialism, cultural resilience, Pan-Africanism and the ongoing contributions of Africans and the diaspora to global development,” Prof. Yusuf stated.
Delivering his keynote address, Prof. David Aworawo, stated that the main focus for this year’s celebration was to access and highlight of what had happened in the past 100 years, with regards to the contributions of people of African descent and communities worldwide.
According to the Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, this reflects on the theme for the year, which he describes as apt.
He noted that the essence was to commemorate the existence of the black people, thereby affording them the opportunity to reflect who they are, where they were and where they should be.
According to the don, there is the need for citizens to reflect and ponder how Nigeria has participated in the globalisation of black people.
He noted that the African self representation had expanded tremendously, noting that people of African descent were visible, because their values, belief and culture among others, were still well preserved.
“African self representative has been well carried out and Nigeria has featured prominently in this endeavour.
“There has also been some advocacy for people of African descent, the struggle for freedom, liberty and equality and Nigeria, has participated greatly in this, by way of documenting history, not just for Nigerians but also for the world generally.
“It is difficult to see people outside Nigeria, who have beaten Nigeria to this; indeed, Nigeria has featured greatly in the area of documentation of history and this contribution is almost unequaled,” he said.
Speaking further on the contributions of Nigeria in the globalisation of black history, Aworawo noted that the country had also taken a lot of risks in ending racial inequality in the continent
“So, Nigeria’s place in black self representation has been vast in terms of documentation and the struggles of colonialism,” he said.
The high point of the occasion was a quiz competition among invited Secondary School across the state.
Schools that participated included Queen’s College Lagos, Maryland Comprehensive High School and Igbobi College.
Others are Grace School, Federal Government College Ijanikin, Holy Child College and Dansol School among others.
At the end of the quiz competition, Maryland Comprehensive High School came tops, while Igbobi College came second, with Onike Girls Junior School, winning the third position.
