--Good news, in any shape or form, is a good way to end the year. I was just about to start writing an essay on why the year 2021 has been by far my "annus horribilis" (Horrible Year, Year of disaster and misfortune), chronicling a litany of deaths, near deaths, sicknesses, hospitalizations, and other mishaps. Then, before I could write a single word, I saw the news flash on my screen from our friend, Dr. Toyin Falola, the professor of professors, flashing the USA-Africa Dialogue news that announced that one of my published articles, Ọmọ tí a kò kọ́: Globalization and Cultural Education among new Generation Nigeria-Yoruba won the annual J. A. Atanda's Prize for the best essay on Yoruba in 2021. At first, I thought it was a different Michael Afolayan (there are at least five of us by that same name) but then, I remember writing an essay with that title in the past. Ironically, I have even forgotten the year I published the article either as a book chapter or a journal article. But it was God's perfect way of chastising my pessimism, rudeness and ungratefulness. Then came the congratulatory message by the philosopher-king, my own aburo, Adeshina. I therefore terminated my essay on what would have been a focus on the evils of the year and reflected over many beautiful things of life - for example, our three daughters are holidaying with us after many years of praying for them to come home; we are alive and well; it was this year that my wife and I were honored by the Osun States' Ministry of Women, Children and Social Service and the Osun State Chapter of CAN for our commitment to public service; none of us was victim of the dreaded C-19 pandemic and its variants; and now, God has crowned the year with an Atanda Prize. Indeed, those who know how to think, must know how to be thankful to God!Essentially, I would like to thank God for a year that ends with some good news. Of course, I lost friends this year, fell sick, and spent time (a whole week) hospitalized, but none of those ended my 2021. It was the Prize news. "Annus Horribilis" would have been my final caption for the year, but God literally (and rightly) twisted my arm and turned 2021 into my "Annus Victoriae" (the Year of Victory).I thank the Committee that selected my article/chapter, and now I have to go to my library to see where on earth I published the said work and see what attracted those respected intellectuals to count it worthy of consideration. I happen to know the great man, Papa J. A. Atanda of Eruwa, and winning an award that honors his name leaves me identifying with the prophecy of Fredrick Nietchze that "Sooner than later, my name will be associated with something holy." An Atanda Prize is a hollowed ground, and I appreciate being walked into it barefooted.Happy New Year to all!Michael Oladejo Afolayan(With a heart full of thanks)On Friday, December 31, 2021, 04:28:12 AM GMT+1, Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:--J. A. ATANDA PRIZE WINNER FOR 2021
Babcock University, the Yoruba Studies Review, and the Jury of the J. A. Atanda Prize are happy to announce the winner of the inaugural 2021 J. A. Atanda Prize for the Best Essay on the Yoruba. The winner will receive a certificate, citation, and a sum of $500. The J. A. Atanda Prize represents a stable and enduring platform for promoting and further developing Yoruba Studies.
The prize celebrates the legacy of Professor Atanda to the study of Yoruba history. Joseph Adebowale Atanda was a passionate historian who dedicated his scholarship to Africa's historiography, especially Yoruba. Popular among his publications are The New Oyo Empire: Indirect Rule and Change in Western Nigeria, 1894-1934; An Introduction to Yoruba History; and Baptist Churches in Nigeria: Accounts of Their Foundation and Growth. More than two decades after his demise, his scholarship remains relevant.
The finalists were selected from a list of short-listed essays chosen by the Editors of the Yoruba Studies Review. The finalists and the eventual winner's selection were according to a professional and rigorous set of guidelines covering data quality, originality, contributions to knowledge, and Yoruba Studies. The finalists presented original ideas and high-quality data on the Yoruba language, culture, and society.
2021 JURY MEMBERS
Chair: Dr. Akinloye Ojo, University of Georgia
Members: Professor Segun Ogungbemi, Independent Scholar
Dr. Bose Afolayan, University of Lagos
Secretary to the Jury: Kaosarat Aina, University of Ibadan
The winner of the 2021 J.A. Atanda Prize for the Best Essay on the Yoruba is Dr. Michael Oladejo Afolayan for his essay:
Ọmọ tí a kò kọ́: Globalization and Cultural Education among new Generation Nigeria-Yoruba
Michael Afolayan's paper is a comprehensive exploration of the semantic, phonological and philosophical implications of the Yoruba verbal particle Kọ́ which, contextually, could mean 'to teach or instruct,' 'to learn,' 'to build,' or 'to anchor or to hang' in the Yoruba language. Afolayan draws attention to an influential aspect of Yoruba indigenous epistemology by highlighting the play on the tonemic and semantic complexity of the language in the use of Kọ́ in a particular Yoruba proverbial, Omo ti a ko ko ni yoo gbe ile ti a ko ta ("the child that is not taught will eventually sell the house that is built"). The paper outlines the case for the high socio-cultural value that the Yoruba people place on the appropriate upbringing of a child based on the compelling argument that building a child's mind is more consequential than building a physical structure. Highly ambitious and didactic, the major strength of the paper is its persuasive argument for the essential transference of cultural education as the foundation for Yoruba nation-building, especially against the backdrop of the looming crisis amongst the new generation of Yoruba people apparently comfortable with violating the norms and values of the society and generally failing to embrace Yoruba cultural literacy. Outlining what Afolayan identifies as the vicious cycle of culpability and loss of the conscience of shame and guilt, the paper proposes half a dozen solutions to remedy this looming cultural crisis amongst the Yoruba both at home and in the Diaspora. The paper exceptionally exposes that which is good in the Yorùbá and present original ideas constructively to highlight the positive in Yorùbá language, culture, and society.
Congratulations!
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