By By Ademola Ajao
THE first female Professor of Computer Science in Africa, Prof. Adenike Osofisan, has declared that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and humans must work together in collaboration.
She made the declaration while delivering her keynote address at the first annual summit of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Oyo State Chapter, held at Lagos Hall, Ibadan Business School, on Thursday.
Prof. Osofisan explained that AI should represent human reasoning and not replace human judgement, stressing that accountability must be clearly defined. “Somebody must be accountable,” she said.
The renowned scholar urged academics and researchers to collaborate with practitioners rather than limit their innovations to laboratories. “They must meet practitioners to study how they operate,” she advised.
Highlighting the dangers of overdependence on technology, she cited the Air France crash, which occurred because the pilots relied too heavily on autopilot and consequently lost their skills.
According to her, computer science students must develop technical literacy to understand what AI can and cannot do. “They must know when to question AI and when to trust it,” she said.
In her words: “Education must focus on wisdom — knowing what questions to ask and how to make decisions. Show students how to use AI as a partner and not allow it to take absolute control. AI must not replace human thinking.”
Prof. Osofisan also cautioned the Federal Government to reconsider the digitisation of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations, noting that some schools abroad are reverting to manual examination methods.
Earlier in the programme, the President and Chairman of the ICSAN Governing Council, Mrs. Uto Ukpanah, commended the Oyo State Chapter for conceptualising, organising, and hosting the maiden summit. She noted that Oyo State has a proud history of pioneering achievements and that this event marked another first for the chapter.
In her welcome address, the ICSAN Oyo State Chapter Chairperson, Mrs. Faoziah Oluokun, observed that artificial intelligence is reshaping global decision-making, service delivery, and institutional management.
“For us as governance practitioners, chartered secretaries, administrators, policymakers, and corporate leaders, the challenge is to embrace this technological wave while ensuring that human values and institutional integrity are not compromised,” she said. “How prepared are we to manage the impact of AI — both its opportunities and its risks?”
She praised Prof. Osofisan for delivering the keynote paper titled ‘The Future of Decision-Making: Human-AI Collaboration,’ which, according to her, underscores that AI is not meant to replace human judgement but to enhance it.
“The future belongs to those who can strike the right balance — leveraging the power of AI tools while safeguarding the indispensable role of human discretion, wisdom, and ethics in decision-making,” Mrs. Oluokun said.
According to her, the maiden summit was designed to serve as a platform for engaging discourse among practitioners, policymakers, academics, and industry leaders; sharing practical insights on how AI can be harnessed for good governance; and strengthening ICSAN’s role as a custodian of corporate governance and administrative excellence in Nigeria.
She concluded by appreciating the national leadership of ICSAN, particularly Mrs. Uto Ukpanah, as well as the Summit Chairman, Mr. Olatunde Busari (SAN, FCIS), and all sponsors and partners who contributed to the event’s success.
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