I agree with Prof. Babawale completely. Professor Falola is inspirational. Prof. Olukoton indeed fashioned the perfect letter.
That Falola is Man of the Year is indisputable. I must confess though that initially, I got a bit nervous, at the statement
that the work was the product of God, or something to that effect:
"The glory is not mine. All that is mine is how God works in me."
I was worried for two reasons.
Firstly, if the work was the product of God and perhaps, by implication, of divine inspiration, then how would anyone dare to apply
historiographical analysis and scholarly criticism to any of the 12 books. They would be, collectively, beyond all forms of evaluation
and assessment. Only renegades and fools would dare to do book reviews, or write critical assessments - critical activities that
academics are prone to do for new publications.
Secondly, claims about divine intervention or inspiration are often followed by the creation of a religion
of some sort - with an "inspired" religious leader at the helm. This is the stuff of which saints and other divine
intermediaries are made.
But then I realized that my interpretation of the statement was too literal, and even erroneous. The professor
simply meant that he was thanking God for giving him the strength to produce the works in question. It is a statement
that atheists and even agnostics may challenge - but pretty much captures the overall spirit of gratitude that Believers
share- no matter their religion or faith. No problem with that. No cause for alarm.
We look forward to the harvest of 2017. May 2017 be a wonderful year for us all.
History Department
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2016 5:08 PM
To: ayo_olukotun via USA Africa Dialogue Series; USAAfricaDialogue
Cc: toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu; adebayow@hotmail.com; adigunagbaje@yahoo.com; amomoh2002@yahoo.com; aolukoju2002@yahoo.com; ayodunmoye@yahoo.com; babsowoeye@gmail.com; bangura@unrisd.org; boyeyinka@hotmail.com; chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com; Ebunoluwa Oduwole; falanalagos@yahoo.com; fawolew@yahoo.com; hafsatabiola@hotmail.com; jumoyin@yahoo.co.uk; lajinadu@yahoo.com; mojubaolu@gmail.com; medaton@yahoo.com; mvickers@mvickers.plus.com; olukoshi@yahoo.com; osaghaeeghosa@yahoo.co.uk; paddykay2002@yahoo.com; profbayo_adekanye@yahoo.com; r-joseph@northwestern.edu; rotaben@yahoo.com; salawuabiodun@yahoo.com; toksx@yahoo.com; waleadebanwi@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fw: column
| From: ayo_olukotun via USA Africa Dialogue Series Sent: Thursday, 29 December 2016 10:11 PM To: USAAfricaDialogue Reply To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com Cc: toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu; adebayow@hotmail.com; adigunagbaje@yahoo.com; amomoh2002@yahoo.com; aolukoju2002@yahoo.com; ayodunmoye@yahoo.com; babsowoeye@gmail.com; bangura@unrisd.org; boyeyinka@hotmail.com; chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com; Ebunoluwa Oduwole; falanalagos@yahoo.com; fawolew@yahoo.com; hafsatabiola@hotmail.com; jumoyin@yahoo.co.uk; lajinadu@yahoo.com; mojubaolu@gmail.com; medaton@yahoo.com; mvickers@mvickers.plus.com; olukoshi@yahoo.com; osaghaeeghosa@yahoo.co.uk; paddykay2002@yahoo.com; profbayo_adekanye@yahoo.com; r-joseph@northwestern.edu; rotaben@yahoo.com; salawuabiodun@yahoo.com; toksx@yahoo.com; waleadebanwi@yahoo.com Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fw: column |
| From: orogun olanike <dam_nik@yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, 29 December 2016 12:35 To: Ayo Olukotun Reply To: dam_nik@yahoo.com Subject: Fw: column |
On Thu, Dec 29, 2016 at 1:21 PM, Ibini Olaide<ibini_olaide@yahoo.com> wrote:
On Thu, Dec 29, 2016 at 1:20 PM, Ibini Olaide<ibini_olaide@yahoo.com> wrote:
On Thu, Dec 29, 2016 at 1:17 PM, Ibini Olaide<ibini_olaide@yahoo.com> wrote:
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