By Tunji Olaopa
(Being Contribution to TOFAC 2026: An Intellectual Feast on identity Conference, held at the University of Jos, from 7-10 July, 2026)
One of the staples of philosophical ruminations that possesses universal significance is the subject of identity. When the philosopher asks, who are you, she is asking for the mapping of the boundaries of what constitutes the self. What does it mean to talk about the self of a person? What constitutes the identity parameters of that self? Is the self a being or a becoming? While many philosophers over the long existence of the philosophical enterprise have explore what the self could possibly be, so many others too, from David Hume and the existentialists to Buddhism argue that the idea of the self and its identity is an illusion.And yet, despite philosophical approval or disapproval, identity remains a very potent concept in determining and nuancing human social relations. From sexual to ethnic identity, there are lots of conflicts and animosities that run on how people perceive themselves and others around them, especially in the agitation for political and sociocultural resources within a political space. It seems to me that the matter becomes even more cogent and problematic when we try to align the idea of the self with the self’s professional endeavor. This is a fundamental issue because it concerns how we manage roles within the expectations of the society. How do professionals, from the politicians to the public servants, manage their aspirations for themselves and the public perception of their significance? What happens if there is a conflict of interest between one’s responsibility to oneself and one’s responsibility to one’s profession and the society?
