The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Scholars

  • 35 scholars for Ade Ajayi’s memoirs

    No fewer than 35 scholars and academics converged on the Ojoo Ibadan Avenue, residence of Professor Emritus Jacob Ade Ajayi for a final deliberation on the forthcoming book to commemorate his 85th birthday celebration.

    The meeting, which was chaired by Prof Ayo Banjo, witnessed the 10-minute presentation by each of the scholars who had each been given a topic to write upon.

    Among the scholarsat the meeting were: Prof Michael Omolewa, Professors Jide Oshuntokun, Bolanle Awe, Festus Ogunlade, Kunle Lawal, and Kyari Mohammed.

    Other contributors were Professors Funke Adeboye, James Morrison, Lalage Bown, Roza Ismagilova, and Liu Naiya among others. The coordinator of the event, Prof Omolewa in collaboration with the eldest child of the celebrator, Mrs Yetunde Taiwo, expressed appreciation to the contributors.

    He said the book is not meant to laud the octogenarian, whom he said detests praise singing. Omolewa noted that Prof Ajayi has given them the free hand to write anything about him.

    “The book will highlight all the phases of life and work of the academic,” Omolewa said.

    Chapter one of the book, which title has not yet been decided, focuses on the birth and childhood of Prof Ajayi. It was written by Mr Dipo Ajayi, the editor of the defunct Daily Times Newspapers, who incidentally is Prof Ajayi’s brother. His secondary and post secondary education was written by Osuntokun, Omolewa, and Ogunlade. According to Prof Omolewa, the conclusion will be entitled: “The Future of the Past.”

     

  • Scholars Memo to aid reading culture

    A new educational journal, Scholars Memo, is now seeking to help secondary school pupils and youths to imbibe good reading habits.

    The full-colored magazine published by Digital Torch has tailored its content to what appeals to young ones.

    Its Media Operations Director, Olamide Dawodu said the vision that births the Magazine is that of inculcating leadership skills, good character, discipline and academic excellence in youths for the overall development of the nation.

    He advised parents to help their wards develop good reading habits at home by exposing them to books.

    ”It is imperative for parents to ensure that the children read and study extensively at home. All stakeholders, parents, schools, students, governments, corporate organisations and individuals have roles to play to reverse the poor reading habits of our youths. Students on their part must be aware that they are products of what is in them by way of the quality of knowledge and exposure they acquire,” he said.

    Scholars Memo is divided into two parts: Tutorial (Learning Made Easy) where basic subjects are simplified and treated by experienced professionals; and the General Interest section which feature articles that are educative, entertaining and motivational.

    It also contains Health tips, jokes, and cartoons and puzzles to educate, refresh and to inspire the students and generally the youths to greater height.

    Dawodu said the publication is the firm’s contribution to youth empowerment.

    “As youth development vanguards and stakeholders in educational and moral development of, the publication of Scholars Memo is our modest effort and contribution. We also expect that all wise parents will play their roles by availing their children and wards a regular supply of the magazine which is distributed to government offices, corporate bodies and schools nationwide,” he said.

     

  • Scholars chart road map for Africa’s growth

    Scholars chart road map for Africa’s growth

    For three days, scholars in Africa and Africans in Diaspora converged on Missouri, US to brainstorm on how to explore the huge opportunities Africa offers and how the Diaspora can strengthen its relationship with the continent, reports Assistant Editor Arts, OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

    “Although Africa’s presence in the Diaspora was made possible under unsavory historical circumstances of enslavement (particularly to the Americas) and emigration imposed by stifling economic conditions on the continent, the continent’s Diaspora remains a major but largely underexplored segment of the African population in the effort to galvanise Africa’s growth and development.”

    This statement by the Director-General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Prof Tunde Babawale set the tone for discussions at international conference held at Millennium Students Centre, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He said there is limited shared knowledge about Africa and her huge untapped and underutilised resources between Africans and peoples of African descent. These potentials, he added, receive footnote acknowledgement whenever references are made to them adding that little is known about them worldwide. According to Babawale, numerous opportunities abound on the possibilities of deepening relationship between the continent and its Diaspora but only limited efforts have been made to take advantage of these opportunities.

    He said the conference, which has as theme; Africa and the Diaspora in the New Millenium is spurred by the need to assist in the exploration of the huge opportunities Africa offers the Diaspora to expand and consolidate its relationship with the continent. But Babawale said that in 2010, African migrants recorded $40 billion in remittances to their home countries, which play important roles in reducing the incidence and severity of poverty on the continent. These, he said, help many African households diversify their sources of income and give them opportunities for the much needed savings and capital for investment on the continent. “Added to this, Africa’s Diaspora can limitlessly provide the intellectual, financial, political, cultural and social capital required for the continent’s growth and development.

    He said that the conference theme was informed by the need to address the challenges and opportunities created by the phenomenon of global linkages and transnational networks that impact and shape identities, cultural heritages and relationships between Africans and the people of African descents worldwide. He hoped that the conference would promote relationship between Africa and her sixth region (African Diaspora), promote research and scholarship on Africa and the African Diaspora, and showcase to the world the contributions of Africa and African Diaspora to human progress.

    “CBAAC’s choice of theme for this year’s CBAAC’s International Conference is further informed by the impending declaration of this decade as Decade of People of African Descent. The decade, if so declared by the UN would help to strengthen national actions and regional and international cooperation for the benefit of people of African descent in relation to their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights, their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture,” he said.

    In a communiqué, the conference recommended that activist scholars, civil society organisations and the press should critically re-engage African governments to make them proactive, transformational and accountable to their people. Scholars should deepen their knowledge about typically African epistemology and employ African systems of thought to provide explanations for Social Science issues of development and democracy in Africa. It also recommended that declarations, reports of working groups and protocols affecting Africans and people of African descent in the Diaspora should be given the widest publicity and circulation to ensure awareness, promote interest and inclusiveness.

    Other resolutions included: that African intellectuals, research institutes, cultural agencies, public intellectuals, mass media and engaged individuals should design an Afro-centric model for the creation of a supra national consciousness based on the intrinsic values of African culture to provide a counter discourse to the existing ideology of racial inequality, stigmatization and intolerance.

    That in view of the failure of existing methodology, the UN should bring activities associated with the declaration of 2011 as the International Year of People of African Descent and decade following, away from the cozy conference rooms to the public domains in Africa and the Diaspora,

    That existing linkages between Africa institutions and their counterparts in the Diaspora should be strengthened and deepened to promote a better understanding of African social realities, and that the African Union should create opportunities for Africa and Diaspora cooperation to address contemporary problems of HIV/AIDS, public health challenges and youth empowerment, gender matters and not just money remittances.

    The conference held between October 30 and November 1, had participants and delegates drawn from Nigeria, Brazil, France, Cape Verde, Eritrea, USA, Niger Republic, United Kingdom, Argentina, Antigua, Jamaica, Liberia, Senegal, South Africa, Israel, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana.

    Present were Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Prof Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, Nigeria’s Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister, Chief Edem Duke, Prof. Niyi Coker Jnr, Mr Ephrem Andemariam, Chancellor, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados, Prof Sir Hillary Beckles, the Secretary for the Policies on Traditional Communities of the Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality – SEPPIR, Mrs. Silvany Euclenio Silva who represented honourable Minister of SEPPIR, Brazil, Ms. Luiza Barros, and St. Louis County Executive; Mr Charlie A. Dooley. Others were Chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis; Professor Thomas George, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Director of International Studies and Programmes, University of Missouri-St. Louis,   Prof Joel Glassman and Prof Wande Abimbola, (Awise Agbaye) of Ifa Heritage Institute, Oyo.