All the great ones:
I am enjoying this debate. For those who have been with us since foundation, remember that Wole Soyinka, Appiah, Henry Louis Gates, Mamdani, Zeleza, distinguished economist, Adebayo Adedeji, Ali Mazrui, Barbara Harlow, Lindfors, Ibrahim Gambari, etc. were all part of us. As people used insulting languages and abused others, all fled.
Tade Aina once sent me a note that he does not want anyone to abuse him because he disagrees. He stops contributing.
Serious intellectual disagreements are needed and must not generate insults. Those who disagree with us are not our enemies! But you cannot call someone names and expect that they will read your piece.
If we can return to this level of civility, more voices will come out and enrich our intellectual world. There is a Yoruba proverb:
Even God does not know everything!
Even God is not wise enough!!
You and I know very little, indeed so little do I know that I tell myself that I don't know anything each time I wake up.
TF
No comments:
Post a Comment