Retelling the African narratives through holistic research
17 August 2017 |
2:42 am
UNILAG in partnership with The University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica, had early this year signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a joint institute called, “The UNILAG-UWI Institute of African and Diaspora Studies.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Rahamon Bello.
The clamour for African renaissance and rejuvenation which experts envisaged will clearly discover the true story of Africa and change the continent’s narratives on the global stage, seems to have received a boost with the establishment of Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
UNILAG in partnership with The University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica, had early this year signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a joint institute called, “The UNILAG-UWI Institute of African and Diaspora Studies.”It was that agreement that led to the establishment and subsequently the inauguration of IADS) last week.
Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Rahamon Bello, in his remarks said with the development, Africa is about to tell its true stories based on facts and not literatures documented by the colonial masters.
Bello who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development Services, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola said the establishment of the institute is a major breakthrough for UNILAG, UWI, Africa and the black race, as its functions will broadly look at every aspect of the black man, and catalogue his values and what he stands for to the world.
According to him, the institute will be of immense benefit to the realisation of true picture of African origin by combining the functions of teaching and research, while providing a platform for researchers and making research materials available to the general public through resource persons, conferences and seminars.
He said, “We have to move out from under colonialism and tell our story, as of today the narratives on Africa is one story perceived from the perspective of the colonial masters. We have a lot of innovative ideas, a lot of things in our culture that we can export but we don’t have confidence to say this is who
much right to be in this world as everybody else.
“UNILAG is gradually achieving the goals of its founding fathers. It is our hope that the research findings at the institute will inform policy and system change in the continent, as well as contribute significantly to training of researchers. The overriding purpose is to project the true picture of Africa contrary to the narratives of colonial masters. We will tell our own stories based on fact and not on the literature compiled by the colonial masters. It will increase our global footprint and attract international students thereby making us truly global.”
Noting that the development will also change global discourse and influence the Nigerian narratives, Bello stressed, “the institute through research will address critical issues about the black man. I believe that the African pragmatism and relationship to the earth is something we can explore. We have a lot of things that we can push onto the global stage. Now we are taking charge to tell the world our real stories.”
Vice Chancellor of UWI, Professor Hilary Beckles, had during the signing of the MoU, expressed joy that the concept, which has been in the pipeline for some 41 years now, has finally emerged.He said many people have written about African history without having travelled to the continent to have a first-hand experience, but he believes the institute, which is envisioned to be a platform for exchange of cultural and social ideas and research excellence in pursuit of knowledge for the development of Africa, the African Diaspora and the world, will soon change that.
“We are shrinking space, unifying ourselves and removing barriers and laying the foundation for the rise of an understanding of global Africa. For the better part of 100 years we have been working separately, but this (the institute) will remove the divide. We’ll now work together and flesh out the details.
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Director of the institute, Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, on his part, regretted that Africans had relied so much on the documented literatures projecting negative narratives about the continent.He noted that the institute will bring all scholars and persons interested in Africa and Diaspora studies together to discuss and proffer solutions to the problems related to the black man.
He said, “The IADS is a research institute established for research about Africa and the diaspora. It is a joint institute established by both UNILAG and UWI, Jamaica, to have a base for researchers and scholars about Africa and diaspora. It will also serve as the home ground for the teaching of a masters degree in ADS, a joint masters degree between UNILAG and West Indies.
“The institute’s vision is to be a foremost institute for the exchange of cultural and social ideas and research excellence in pursuit of knowledge for the development of Africans at home and the diaspora as well as humankind. The mission is to provide a platform for profound and groundbreaking research, which will help to propel national development and encourage global discourse, especially between Africans at home and the diaspora.
Falaiye listed the primary objectives of the institute to include providing a forum for research into African culture, language, history, politics, social life, economics geography, religion, medicine and Pharmacognosy; raise grants in furtherance of research about Africa; provide a platform for the cross fertilisation of ideas on the African condition in a multidisciplinary manner; create awareness on the need to have detailed studies of the African situation; and teach aspects of African cultures from multidisciplinary perspective.
“Before now, those who claim to be expert experts on African issues are those who come from the other side. We want to change all that. We want to fund, direct and determine the goal and objectives of our research. In six months this institute will stand on its own and fund itself. Our research must address specific issues and give results to affect human existence and improve the quality of life of the black people.”
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