Social and Management Sciences

FACULTY COURSES SYNOPSIS

Philosophy

The Faculty of Social & Management Sciences, at the University of Africa at Toru Orua, is, by definition, the space-time where communities and social phenomena are studied and researched. We approach learning as a dynamic process that binds the acquisition of knowledge to the living experiences of persons and societies. Thus, knowing is doing, and it is in doing that we come to understand the relationship between the self and others, the emergence of societies, political systems, organizational paradigms, and governance representations.

We also acknowledge that the Faculty must be one of the preferred enablers of projects that nurture the development of people and communities. It’s vast intellectual, experiential, and human capital, when shared with the involving community, can exert a significant influence on its development. We believe that intellectual labor, community-based research, and management of real situations are the foundations of an education that is not preparation for life, but life itself.

Objectives

The Faculty of Social and Management Sciences investigates the intersection of business and society. World conditions demand leaders capable of understanding the inherent complexity of an interdependent and highly globalized ecosphere where boundaries dissolve, and challenges emerge. These are some of our main objectives:

1. To create a learning experience that fosters the ability to question the world, to think critically and logically about personal and social phenomena, to engage in the processes of social development and change, to understand the complexity of human existence in its social, business, and governmental expressions.
2. To expand students’ understanding of the interdependence of a diverse and globalized world. We must be conversant with humanity’s accumulated knowledge, but our schools must not become closed environments focused on dated explanations of life. The world is our classroom, and as such, knowledge becomes an emergent discovery where students confront their understanding of reality with known theoretical approaches.
3. To study the inherent interconnectedness between the social and the business sciences. The aim in science is the formulation of strategies of understanding and action that bring about the emergence of a just, equitable, and knowledgeable world.
4. To catalyze the development of leaders able to make reasonable decisions in the face of ambiguity. Our world has reached high levels of polarization and experiences the re-emergence of ideologies that have proven to be the harbingers of dehumanizing discrimination and political authoritarianism.
5. To promote the emergence of cultures of citizenship that foster personal, social and economic development and peaceful coexistence, as well as the emergence of just, literate, and responsible citizens and communities.

Acting Dean, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences

DR GODWIN POI

Godwin Poi holds a first degree in Economics and Accounting and a master’s degree in Business Administration (specializing in Financial and Strategic Management). He also holds a doctorate (PhD) in Management (specialising in Human Capital Development. He obtained all his post-secondary qualifications in the United Kingdom, (UK).

He won several awards, prizes, distinctions and commendations throughout his studies and working in the UK.

He is a member of many very high profile professional bodies such as Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA – ICAEW), member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ACA – ICAN), Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), the Institute of Economic Development in the UK (IED), Academy of Management, Nigeria (MAMN) and many others.

He was previously a Manager and Consultant with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) in their London Office and held numerous senior positions in industry, including Executive Director of Finance & Corporate Strategy and at some point, the Deputy Chief Executive of a one-time largest inner city regeneration agency in the UK (Renaisi Limited).

He was head-hunted back to Nigeria in 2009 after over 30 years of sojourn studying and working in the UK to initially start as the General Manager in charge of Human Capital Development (GM-HCD) and later the ED/CEO with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency - Rivers State government owned intervention agency. In these capacities, he travelled to over twelve countries managing the Rivers State government overseas scholarship programme.

He lectured at the Claude Ake School of Government (CASG) in UNIPORT on their post graduate programme before joining the University of Africa, Toru-Orua as a Senior Lecturer in 2018.

His current research and teaching interest cover the areas of small businesses, Entrepreneurship and innovation development.

He has over forty publications in both national and international journals.

As well as the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, he is also the Acting Director of the University Advancement & Linkages (covering partnerships and collaborations) as will as Director of our Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation