Ogunleye Esther

The International African Pragmatics Association in Conjunction with the Department of English, University of Ibadan, on Monday, 19th January 2024, started the third African Pragmatics Conference (AfPCON2024) themed ‘Pragmatics and Global Security.’

The three-day conference is a meeting of academics, students, and public policy makers worldwide whose interests lie in the contextually-grounded language use and its interface attainment of peace and security in Africa. In attendance were eminent personalities including the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale; Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba; Dean, Faculty of Art, University of Ibadan, Prof. S. O. Oyetade; Head, Department of English, University of Ibadan, Prof. N. O. Fashina, to mention a few.

The conference, which marked the third worldwide meeting of the African Pragmatics Association after the first and second conferences were held at the University of Ghana and Nairobi respectively, was held at the Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, UI Hotels in the University of Ibadan campus and garnered over 200 hashtags in countries over and beyond Africa.

In a welcome and introductory speech by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, he stressed the need for oneness and unity in Africa and the importance of human security and patriotism worldwide. He urged the visitors to explore the beauties of the University of Ibadan and its environs during their short stay on the campus. After welcoming all visitors from far and wide to the university, he declared the conference open.

Also in a bid to foster academic cooperation and advance the study of pragmatics, the event, marked by engaging presentations and shared insights, aimed to explore avenues for collaborative research and knowledge exchange. The conference comprised esteemed scholars and researchers from various African nations including Ghana and Kenya.

Throughout the programme, delegates participated in a series of seminars, workshops, and business meetings, covering a wide range of topics within pragmatics, including speech acts, implicature, and intercultural communication. Department lecturers and postgraduate students actively engaged with the visiting scholars, exchanging ideas and perspectives on the latest developments in the field.

Prof. Nana Aba expressed her gratitude for the warm reception and productive discussions, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in advancing research. She emphasized the need for greater representation and recognition of African perspectives in the global discourse on pragmatics.

Professor Aderemi Raji-Oyelade, of the Department of English, University of Ibadan, lauded the visit as a significant step towards building bridges between academia in Africa and the rest of the world. In a critical analysis of minimalist and variational pragmatics, proverbials, and global security, Prof. Remi Raji further encouraged research in pragmatics and related disciplines geared towards the scientific understanding of African societal and communicative dynamics.

The visit concluded with a cocktail reception, where APrA members in Africa and university members had the opportunity to network. Both parties expressed more optimism about future collaborations and the mutual benefits they would bring to the study of pragmatics since the inception of The African Pragmatics Association in February 2020.