By Akinnodi Francis, Ondo

Academic icon and Professor of History at the University of Texas, Austin, USA, Oloruntoyin Omoyeni Falola, has warned that Africa risks becoming a casualty of digital imperialism unless urgent steps are taken to embrace and domesticate technological advancements, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Delivering a thought-provoking address during the convocation ceremony of the Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED), Ondo, Prof. Falola said the era of AI has redefined global development, stressing that knowledge and mental productivity have now overtaken land and industrial tools as key drivers of wealth.

“The manufacturing age is long gone. This is the age of financial and digital intelligence where immense wealth can be created from the comfort of your room,” he said.

The scholar expressed fears over what he termed ‘digital colonisation,’ cautioning that foreign interests are already exploiting Africa’s slow pace in digital development to gain undue advantage.

“Digital imperialism is real, and its dangers are subtle yet destructive,” he warned, highlighting threats like computer tracking, unauthorised access to private data and the gradual erasure of privacy in a cashless economy.

He advised Nigerian parents to take active interest in the digital lives of their children, pointing out the dangers of uncontrolled access to the internet, especially pornography and other harmful content that could derail young minds.

“AI cannot be stopped. But it must be guided,” Falola said, urging parents, guardians and institutions to instill digital discipline in the younger generation.

He also charged university teachers to abandon outdated methods and embrace digital teaching tools.

He emphasised the need to foster partnerships between teachers and students, describing the traditional authoritarian classroom model as obsolete.

“The age of command and control in the classroom is over. Teachers must become friends and mentors to students if they want to remain relevant,” he stated.

Prof. Falola also called for urgent upskilling among educators, especially in ICT, noting that learning has now become multi-directional.