A Special Light: Wisdom Ages in the Mouth of the Elders!
As the world waits on the University of Carolina Wilmington for the Falola @ 60 Conference and Book Presentation, the legendary Professor Michael Vickers, who taught Political Science at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Nigeria some 45 long years ago, ruminated on the person and contributions of Professor Toyin Falola to world development and wondered if his strength of character, enterprise, boundless energy and overall contributions to humanity have anything to do with 'the mystic and magical' that surround the city of Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba peoples.
Professor Vickers, whose knowledge of Yoruba, Nigeria and Africa politics runs deep and broad, had also taught and conducted researches at universities in America, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He was at University of Ife, Ile-Ife before Professor Toyin Falola began his career at this great institution of learning and, as a living witness, maintained that although much has been said in praise of Professor Toyin Falola¹s contributions to global development, words might be inadequate to describe Falola's numerous contributions. Professor Vickers will however dazzle his audience at the Conference Dinner and Book Presentation with a "Toast to Falola" that will include a few introductory words in "Ijinle Yoruba". As Yoruba says, "enu agba l'obi ngbo" (wisdom, like kolanut, ages in the mouth of the elders). Who can fault Professor Michael Vickers? Was he not at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife long enough to know its various grooves? Was he not in Africa long enough, and had he not seen enough of world academe, to know that people like Professor Toyin Falola are few and hard to find?
Earlier, Professor Lovejoy likened Toyin Falola to a Yemoja. Scholars in Britain likened him to Esu in much the same way as Professor Bangura likened him to an Egyptian sage. Now, Professor Vickers maintains that other wondrous spirits special to that mystical area of Great Light, early entered the being that is Toyjn Falola. "For me", he noted, "there was something special about that Ife locale; something that lifted me in power, human engagement and accomplishment; a Special Light".
Professor Michael Vickers is the author (with Ken Post) of Structure and Conflict in Nigeria, 1960-65 (London & Madison, 1973). His other scholarly achievements include Ethnicity and Sub-Nationalism in Nigeria (Oxford, 2000), Odes of Forest and Town (Sussex, 2002); Phantom Trail: Discovering Ancient America, (New York, 2005), A Nation Betrayed: Nigeria and the 1957 Minorities Commission (Trenton, NJ, 2010), Phantom Ship (Trenton, NJ, 2013), and Looking Back from the Future: View From Onitsha (Forthcoming, 2014). Professor Vickers holds a doctorate in Political Science and West African Studies from the University of Birmingham. He is Emeritus Director of Parliamentary and Public Affairs, The Hillfield Agency (UK).
In addition to contributing to the book honoring Professor Toyin Falola, Professor Vickers will Propose the Toast to Professor Falola at the Conference Dinner prior to the Book Presentation. The introduction to the Toast, as noted above, will be rendered in Yoruba.
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