Sociology Professor in the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law, Emika Obioha, delivered his inaugural lecture focusing possibilities of rectifying a depleted social order to restore social balance at the Mthatha Campus in May.
Speaking under the theme: “Reclaiming the Social Order in an Antithetical Social Control Labyrinth: Realities, reasoned Imagination and Intervention,” Obioha said, “This lecture is motivated by the state of social order in my lived society and the over three centuries old - sociological enterprise quest for social order.”
In his 25-year-long long career in teaching and research, the professor interrogated criminal justice organs that affect social control function, and how they work to maintain the desired balance and equilibrium in society.
“When using the cause and consequence approach in assessing social order, it has been my observation that the world has witnessed unacceptable levels of social disorder, marked by unbelievable rates of mayhem, and system fragility.”
Though modernisation and growth of science have been catalysts of this depletion, Obioha emphasised the detrimental effects of socially problematic behaviours and deviances as “the main drivers in the quagmire of social order depletion.”
Crime and criminalities, violent conflicts, sexual offenses, illicit drug and human trafficking were just some of the issues he highlighted as the root cause of an unstable and unbearably hostile society.
The researcher showed great concern for the recent crime statistics presented by the South African Police Services (SAPS) where violent and death-causing crimes such as murder, sexual offense and attempted murder ranked as top three.
“Hate, expressed in gun violence has escalated to unbearable proportions as we have witnessed in some provinces in the country in the past couple of months. There are numerous, but uncounted and unreported cases of arson, murder, armed robbery, domestic violence, kidnapping and other undesirable inhuman assaults.”
Addressing the gathering, Vice Chancellor and Principal of WSU, Prof Rushiella Songca said, “It is a proud moment and an indication that the ranks of the cadre of our full professors is swelling and we are building a cohort of professors that contribute to knowledge production and problem solving in a complex and quickly evolving world.”
Obioha’s supervision and mentorship efforts have seen him produce more than 48 honours students, 33 doctoral and masters’ graduates and plus 10 other students in the pipeline.
In his closing remarks, Obioha sent a call to members of society to re-establish community institutions, refocus education and training to be a contextually relevant and problem-solving mode.
The event was graced by his excellency Consular General, High Commission of Federal Republic of Nigeria, South Africa, Andrew Idi, academics and the WSU community at large.
By Ongezwa Sigodi