Dear Colleagues,
You will recall that last year the Igbo Studies Association sponsored a well-received panel, "Towards A New African Active, Vocal Constituency in The West (And The World)," at the African Studies Association conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Following the importance of this topic, and the enthusiasm shown by presenters and audience, OFO: Journal of Transatlantic Studies offered to publish a Special Issue of the journal on this topic, with Dr Obi Nwakanma as guest editor.
Already we have Six papers ready to go press. However, we still have room for a few more papers. Since there were others who contacted me last year but who we could not accommodate on the panel, I hereby request those individuals to submit their papers relating to the broad theme to Dr Nwakanma (Obi.Nwakanma@ucf.edu) for inclusion in the special issue of the journal. Papers focusing on other African vocal figures (other than Igbo) are mostly welcome. Submission should reach Dr Nwakanma by April 15.
Please refer to the full description of the theme below:
TOWARDS A NEW AFRICAN ACTIVE, VOCAL CONSTITUENCY IN THE WEST (AND THE WORLD)
In the pre and post-World War II eras, generations of Africans overseas, mostly Igbo, including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu, K.O. Mbadiwe, Mbonu Ojike, and Kwame Nkrumah galvanized African students in the United States so that their presence was felt throughout the country. Purposefully, the students wrote letters to editors, Op-Ed commentaries and book reviews of burning issues that affected Africans. They enlisted friendly Americans to protest and demonstrate with them for pan-African causes. African students were sensitive to all African issues such as the Nigeria-Biafra war, the Congo Crisis, liberation struggles in Angola and Mozambique, and anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa. Remarkably, the interests of African students were not limited to their home countries but extended to the entire continent.
In recent times, however, the situation has changed. Despite the fact that many more Africans now reside in the US and other Western countries, and large numbers teach in universities or work in other places, Africa as a whole lacks an active, vocal, and resident constituency in the US. Africans, most of them naturalized citizens, now live in the shadows! Africans, particularly the Igbo, now live in a state of sullen withdrawal, and do not wield the social power commensurable with their bourgeoning numerical strength in the US and elsewhere. As much of the "news" out of Africa these days is about kleptocracy, "419", terrorism, disaster, or rigged elections, no one, not even Africans, shield the continent and its people from the mud splashes of the muckrakers! Why do Africans, especially the Igbo, deny themselves the energy and galvanic dynamism they used to impart to African movements abroad?
It is anticipated that panelist will interrogate the issues more broadly, and to explore innovative and effective ways through which Africans can re-establish an active, vocal presence in the United States and globally through their numerous intellectual and professional luminaries, especially scholars, lawyers, creative writers, media experts and other professional groups to burst out of the shadows and begin to repackage their ideals and influence positively for the public domestically and globally.
Regards,
Apollos Okwuchi Nwauwa, PhD
Professor, History & Africana Studies
Director, Africana Studies Program
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403
Tel: (419) 372-9483 or (419) 372-2269
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/history/faculty-and-staff/apollos-okwuchi-nwauwa.html
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/africana-studies/faculty-staff.html
____________________________________
*Editor, OFO: Journal of Transatlantic Studies
*Associate Editor, Igbo Studies Review (ISR)
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