Concerned with the loss of Political Philosophy and the associated skills in logical and critical thinking, the Kano based Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) is introducing an Institute of Philosophy and Political Theory. By that, it hopes to enable final year undergraduates, first year graduate students and other interested individuals to reclaim this area of knowledge which most of the public universities are unable to provide because the classes, for example, are so large as to be antithetical to the teaching of Philosophy. According to CITAD, this has meant many graduates in the social sciences who are hardly different from students of craft schools trained in craft skills without understanding the underlying logics of either the skills or the trade they will practice.
It is, therefore, seeking to provide a platform for young intellectuals to be exposed to certain topics and debates that they will otherwise not have gotten or get in their formal university curricula; provide alternative avenue for young people to be groomed in critical thinking; serve as inspiration for other scholars by honouring and acknowledging the depth of the scholarship of Professor Ibrahim Muazzam of the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano who has had extensive experience teaching political theory, political philosophy and related topics that have continued to influence the critical thinking of many people who have passed through Bayero University, Kano as well as complement the youth development programmes of CITAD.
The institute which would be a three day, non-residential programme initially is, however, expected to become a weeklong residential institute. Even at that, it would involve lectures and reading of the classics of political thought, theory and philosophy; engage with current topics such as globalization while also enhancing debating advantage of the students. CITAD says it has developed criteria on the basis of which students would be selected, asking interested applicants to apply online or call 09099993738/08036509534
