The Historian and the Past in the Present Age: Omolewa and Adesina’s Inaugural Lectures in Perspective

In their inaugural lectures, Omolewa and Adesina emphasized the importance of history in studying the changes that have occurred over the years across all aspects of humanity, particularly in education. This paper aims to examine the contributions of Omolewa and Adesina, delving into their arguments and insights. While this paper may adopt a critical approach, it also acknowledges the value of their work. It presents a dissenting view from Omolewa's perspective on historical education, particularly regarding his analogy of history as a rearview mirror and the objectivity of historians. The paper contends that historians must be aware of historical texts' inherent limitations, biases, strengths, and weaknesses and should employ rigorous validation methods, including internal and external criticism, in evaluating sources.