Calling: Realigning Knowledge Acquisition, Education and Societal Impact in Nigeria
This (still early stage) research-to-innovation, driven by Folusho Titiloye focuses on the contribution of thoughts towards the correction of the existing misalignment of knowledge acquisition, education and societal impact. The absence of the consciousness that the essence of knowledge acquisition needs to reflect in individual, community and societal contributions made evident in the progressive quality of life of a people, has been an overriding cause of the ills of many societies. This research-to-innovation explores the Nigerian society with a view to seeking appropriate indigenous knowledge to address the ills that the current approach appears to have failed at.
Innovation Ecosystem: Including two Nigeria-based Integral Centers
Folusho’s innovation ecosystem is made up of co-researchers-innovators with whom the Lagos based Centre for Integral Social and Economic Research (CISER) was founded. CISER is engaged in a co-creative process that combines the entrepreneurial spirit, financial inclusion as an empowerment initiative, alternative finance models, youth engagement and employment and the evolution of an Integral University born out of indigenous theories propounded by the innovators. The Integral University initiative will be co-evolved with the Africa Centre for Integral Research and Development (ACIRD).
Integral Innovation: Towards Integral Impact-Oriented Education in Nigeria
The Integral University will evolve based on Trans4m’s integral research methodology, which is rooted in Ronnie Lessem’s and Alexander Schieffer’s Integral Worlds model. Folusho adapts this model to his individual transformation trajectory, transposes it to a societal context and draws on the identities of what he refers to as the four “cardinal” points of the Nigerian society. He describes these points as a reflection of the Integral World’s model. He adopts predominantly the Eastern path of Renewal as his Integral Research methodology, with occasional reach to the “Southern” roots.
Folusho and his team posit that man’s essence is rooted in his identity (typically a relational grounding), his “Core”, and the same applies to societies. For transformation to occur, an awareness of that identity is essential. This awareness is a stage of awakening that beckons a spiritual rebirth (a “Renewal”) where curiosity sets in and a hunger for understanding self, “context” and surrounding complexities sets one onto a next phase of exploration and knowledge seeking … a discovery phase. In the discovery phase, one tries to make sense of it all, bringing “Reason” and “Rationalism” to play. Acquired knowledge can then be applied in a realistic and pragmatic way to transform the society. The “Contribution” of acquired knowledge is thereby achieved.
Integral Impact: Aiming to Contribute to an Integral University
This research-to-innovation aims at contributing to the co-creation of an Integral University in conjunction with other researchers. Within the Integral University, the following would need to take place:
- Community based learning which gives a foundation context on which to build towards societal level
- Societal learning, at which stage one begins to sense, if not see the conscious awakening of the society as an entity
- Knowledge creation, where content is developed in order to be institutionalized or propagated
- Continuous capacity building with direct positive impact on the people. This impact can also evolve to be trans-generational.
The University will evolve into a body of knowledge for universal sharing and development.