The International Centre of Excellence in Environmental Humanities (ICEEH), Federal University Lokoja (FUL) - led by Emeritus Professor John Ayotunde (Tunde) Isola Bewaji, PhD, MADE, FNAL (Director) - is set to host the third (3rd) Annual International Conference of the Academy of Africana Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts (AAIRTA).

The Academy of Africana Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts (AAIRTA) is an intellectual institution for the study of the Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts of Africa and its Diaspora. The Academy of Africana Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts (AAIRTA) is an international non-for- profit secular member society for the study of history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, theology, spirituality, theory, practice and praxis of Africana Religions, Theology and Arts. The Academy of Africana Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts (AAIRTA) is an international interdisciplinary, non- confessional association for the scholarly study and research on/of/about indigenous religions, theology, spiritualities, and arts of Global Africa.

In Collaboration with:

Institute of Cultural Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria Center for Cultural Studies and Creative Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; LASU Center for Afro-Brazilian Studies (LASUCAS); and Pan-African Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAFSTRAG), Lagos, Nigeria.

Under the Distinguished Chief Host, the Vice Chancellor, Federal University Lokoja: Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, PhD, AvHF, FHSN, FNAL
Venue: Federal University Lokoja, Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria
Dates: October 27-31, 2025

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS AND PANEL PROPOSALS

Main Theme:
Codex, Liturgy, Rituals, Holy Sites, Saints and Ancestors, Theology, Arts and Symbols in Indigenous Africana Religions, Theology and Arts

SUB-THEMES:

• Codex – Exploring the Scriptural Elements of Indigenous Africana Spiritualities and Practices in different epochs and many formats
• Liturgy – Exploring the Liturgical Elements of Indigenous Africana Spiritualities and Practices in their many formats
• Rituals - Exploring the Ritual Elements of Indigenous Africana Spiritualities and Practices intheir Sacred, Secular and Profane formats
• Theology– Exploring the Theological Elements of Indigenous Africana Spiritualities and Practices in their many formats
• Arts– Exploring the Artistic Elements of Indigenous Africana Spiritualities and Practices in their many formats
• Symbols and Memorials – Exploring the Symbolic and Memorial Elements of Indigenous Africana Spiritualities and Practices in their varied formats.
• Indigenous African Epistemes, Medicines and Pandemics
• Origin, Needs and Use of Global African Indigenous Religions
• African Languages, Gnosis and Ontology in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Themultiverse’s relationships with Africana Indigenous Religions – Yoruba Orun Meje (Seven Heavens and the many Universes)
• Fauna, Floral, Knowledges and African Environmental Humanities
• African Languages, Being, Identity and Society in Africana Indigenous Religions
• African Languages, Aesthetics and Religion in Africana Indigenous Religions
• African Languages, Gender, Sexuality and Ageing in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Morality and Society in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Political Economy, Business and Development in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Rites of Passages of Temporary Cycle, Life Crisis/Cycle Rituals, and Rituals of Rebellion in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Prophets, Prophecy and Divination/mantic praxis in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Management of Africana Indigenous Religious knowledge Assets
• Codification, Documentation and Transmission in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Scriptural Synthesis – Doctrinal Codex, Doctrinal Politics, the many faces of the Politics of Documentation through Signs, Symbols, Spaces and Places in Ourstorical Contexts
• Calland Training of functionaries in Africana Indigenous Religions – Science, Metaphysics
• Liturgy, Traditions, Ceremonies, and Communions in Africana Indigenous Religions
• The private and public, the Sacred and Profane in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Continuity and Change in Africana Indigenous Religions – the Digital Impact
• Ecology (Use, Abuse and Preservation) in Africana Indigenous Religions
• Africana Indigenous Religions in the face of the Media, Branding and Advertising (ReligiousEconomy or the Economy of Religion)
• Artsin Africana Indigenous Religions – Music, Dance, Art, Performance, & Architecture among others – Ifa to the Digital World.
• Decolonizationand the literature on Africana Indigenous Religions
• Otherrelated issues which facilitate further discourse around Conference theme and

Background

The purpose of the Academy of Africana Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts (AAIRTA) is to promote the study of the Indigenous Religions, Doctrines, Theology, Spirituality, Signs, Symbols and Arts of Africa and its Diasporas through the international collaboration of all scholars, teachers, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and general public in Africa and elsewhere whose research/interest has a bearing on the subject.

There is no gainsaying that African Indigenous Religions have been among the fastest growing spiritualities in contemporary times. The reasons for this growth are not farfetched: its inclusiveness of all human beings, tolerance of diversity and differences, environmental sensitivity, respect for all beings, non-belligerence and avoidance of unnecessary violence to nature, others and community, humanism, capacity for adaptation (which ensured that even on the horrendous plantations where African patriots were forcibly held captive and enslaved in the Americas and black horrendous enslavement in the Arabia before the Atlantic slavery, African spiritualities have survived and triumphed), and the profound and scientific knowledges and insights which they purvey were just few of the appealing factors drawing the attention of the World to African Indigenous Religions and Spiritualities. It is, therefore, incumbent on us who are the inheritors and intellectual scions of these traditions and spiritually incomparable civilizations which have been much denigrated, derogated, maligned and demonized, which have remained like the proverbial cat with nine lives – hard to kill – to reclaim our ancestral matrimony and patrimony and celebrate the virtues of African indigenous intellectual and spiritual heritage. By organizing these Conferences, Seminars, Colloquia, Workshops, Forums and Lectures, the Academy of African Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts (AAIRTA) is carrying out the mandate declared in its constituting framework:

1. By providing a forum for multilateral communication between scholars and practitioners of global Africa’s Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts;
2. By facilitating the exchange of academic resources and information between them;
3. By encouraging the development of linkages and research contacts between Scholars and Practitioners and Institutions in Global Africa;
4. By developing publishing opportunities for AAIRTA Scholars and Practitioners globally, and,
5. By organizing annual academic conferences, seminars, workshops, colloquiums, and forums both within and outside Africa.

The world is paying attention to Africa and her enduring, humanizing and inclusively wonderful traditions. We in AAIRTA are laying the foundations for the development of solid scholarship to provide the kinds of leadership which future generations of African researchers can depend on, without having to look outward for validation. AAIRTA, as the only Academy devoted to African Indigenous Religions, Theology and Arts, considers this Conference to be appropriate as we transition from the Decade of Peoples of African Descent and look towards other SGDs and MDGs. If we have enough graduate students take up of participation in the Conference, a Research, Publications and Grant-writing Workshop will be organized to enrich the capacity of our future researchers and leaders of knowledge production.

KEY DATES

1. Deadlines for Submission of Abstracts, Panel Discussion, Round Tables: June 28, 2025
2. Letter of Acceptance to Participants: July 31, 2025
3. Submission of Final Papers: September 30, 2025

Conference Dates: 27th October to 31st October, 2025
Arrival: 26th October, 2025
Departure: 31st October, 2025

CONFERENCE FEES (Inclusive of Lunches and Refreshments)

All Payments are to be made to AAIRTA First Bank Account 3112244519 and Receipt sent via email to Academy (AAIRTA) Conference Secretariat: [email protected]

Local Transport and Accommodation

The Conference Local Organizing Committee will make the arrangements and negotiations with Managements of Hotels and Guest Houses to obtain group rates for participants for the duration of the conference. This will be communicated to Participants for their early Accommodation Booking arrangements. Group transportation will be provided from Airport and to the hotels within city as part of the Institutional (University, Academy and Center) Support and responsibility. Please, note that hotel bookings by participants and monitoring the conference will be made online.

Confirmed Plenaries:
Prof Tabona Shoko on Shona Dr Click on Ndebele
Prof Xhosa IR
Dr Setume on Tswana. Dr Koitswe on Xhosa Dr. Lilly Mlisa

Activities for the Conference:

1. Launchingof Volume 1, No 1 of African Journal of Indigenous Religions – AJIR
2. Launchingof Two Volumes of Books published from last two Conferences
3. Launchingof Special Volume of Anthology from AAIRTA Seminar Series
4. SpecialResearch Project on African Indigenous Religions and Environmental Humanities

Abstracts, Pannel, Round Table and Exhibitions, Informercial Proposals to be sent to Conference International Scientific Committee:

Academy (AAIRTA) Conference Secretariat: [email protected] Emeritus Professor Tunde Bewaji: [email protected]

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