Pius Adesanmi:
God's blessing.
New year.
New and immense challenges on the work front.
Yesterday, I resumed work officially as Director of Carleton University's Institute of African Studies.
She is the only stand - alone African Studies Institute in any Canadian University.
I am the first African national to be her Director.
Watch this space and my columns for my tribute to my predecessor, colleague, and brother, Professor Blair Rutherford, who, as pioneer Director for two terms, built the Institute from scratch and made her the Canadian behemoth of knowledge production on Africa that she has become. Blair has built a very busy Institute, a beehive of year - round activities about Africa. It is not going to be easy writing a tribute to him but I will try in the coming days.
Preparing for this position means that I spent much of 2015 in intense consultations with colleagues here at Carleton and so many of my mentors and colleagues in the global community of African (ist) scholarship. I ran ideas by people, solicited help, support, collaboration, goodwill, the whole works.
Carleton colleagues have been wonderful since the appointment was made. I've knocked on so many doors for consultations. So many warm hearts have welcomed me to their offices to listen to me drone on about my vision and mission. So many have been helping with all my planning.
Beyond Carleton, the majority of the senior scholars who spent 2015 carefully preparing me for the task ahead are sadly not on social media. Professors Paul Zeleza, Bayo Olukoshi, Obioma Nnaemeka, and so many in the circuits of African thought aren't here on social media but they have been working on my plans.
But many of my senior iroko trees are also here on social media . They said, "accept the position, we shall support you". Professors Ato Quayson, Tade Aina, Adeleke Adeeko, Rem Raj, Kenneth Harrow, Pinkie Mekgwe, I have done what you and those who are not on social media said I should do. You said, fear not. I am not afraid.
Professor Anjali Prabhu, do not forget what we discussed.
I have no illusions about the enormity of the task ahead.
God, work with me, not for me.
Pius Adesanmi :
Africa has been visiting her son on the new job. First to come calling was Joy Osiagwu of the Nigerian Television Authority. She came with her cameras and big equipment, visited the Institute, and settled down to an extensive documentary style interview with me about the Institute and our work.
Then came Her Excellency Nouzha Chekrouni, the Ambassador of Morocco to Canada. She came, saw the Institute, and we discussed collaboration.
This week, Her Excellency Ambassador Jane Onsongo of Kenya came calling. She visited the Institute and we discussed collaboration.
Not a bad first two weeks.
Compiled rom Pius Adesanmi's Facebook posts
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