Toyin's corner

Race and African Studies

2023-10-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

The birth of African studies in the West is an exploration of Africa, a racialized continent and subject that was explored, othered, and exploited. Britain, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Portugal divided Africa, lumped together people who had no business being together and attempted to destroy their culture and replace them with theirs. The divide-and-rule and restructuring were done to gain control and it would not end there. Race was created to justify the colonialist’s inhumane enterprise. The enterprise would have been disrupted if area studies like the African Studies had not been created to continue to allow them to describe Africa as they would in the face of changing realities -The realities were the world wars and the fight for independence in Africa. Africa was described as inferior through the erasure of its voice and studies were carried out to exercise a different form of power where history is recorded by the powerful as though Africa did not exist before their arrival.

Mbembe (2017) stated that race as a term was created and used to describe a group that is seen as a danger that one must avoid or subdue. While ‘black’ is used to transform Africa and Africans into objects and sites of extraction, ‘white’ is used to represent purity and knowledge. Africans in the diaspora were exploited for free labor to build resources they had no claim to and Africans on the continent were research subjects. African Studies was a discipline to better understand and categorize Africa, and race and its different forms continue to be a major theme in African studies even after many decades. The reasons for this are: on one hand the effects of racism as postcolonial studies have shown and the persistence of racism and neocolonialism. Racial issues are therefore a significant aspect that intersects themes in African Studies. For example, popular arts, economy, social stratification in terms of politics, economy, gender, and gender role, literature can be examined through the racial lens.

Race remains an object of control in African Studies as reflected in the creation and continued privileging of white scholarship in the African Studies Association. Amory (1997) and Alleman (2019) reported the white Africanist enterprise of the African Studies Association that excluded blacks and African people with the claim that they cannot be objective. Herkovist’s blatant racism was rooted in and supported by the institutionalized power to control the narratives about Africa. This imperial belief led to severing the connection between African Studies and Afro-American Studies- another employment of the divide-and-rule tactic. This speaks to their fundamental notion that Africans are intellectually inferior, a claim with which they have placed themselves at the top of the chain. Colonialists thrive by spreading their beliefs and enforcing them through religion culture politics, and economy, even within the African continent. The American-style recolonization of underrepresenting knowledge production shapes the thinking of students who are in the discipline.

Africans and people of African descent have pushed against the one-man story and continue to re-invent narratives around Africa. An earlier movement is the negritude which brought to the fore black excellence. There are Africanists like Ngugi wa Thiongo who took a more radical stance by rejecting the colonial language and there are those who study Africa through a neutral lens like Olaniyan or Gilroy. While the past cannot be forgotten, one must not be blind to the changing terrain- the blurred lines between geographies, languages, cultures, and ideologies.

References

Amory, Deborah (1997) “African Studies as an American Institution,” in Anthropological Locations: boundaries and grounds of a field science, Akhil Gupta and James Ferguson, eds., University of California Press, 102-116.

Allman, Jean (2019) “#Herskovits Must Fall? A Meditation on Whiteness, African Studies, and the Unfinished Business of 1968,” African Studies Review 62 (3): 6-39

Mbembe, Achille (2017) Critique of Black Reason. Duke University Press: Durham

The Impacts of COVID-19 (Kòrónà)

2020-06-06T08:52:00.006-07:00

I slowly became aware of everything. First, the ticking of the clock on the drawer beside my bed, then the softness of the bed, the hum of the air conditioner, then the slight discomfort in my lower belly. I moved my hands over the area and gradually down, and I was shocked to feel it. SHOOT! My eyes came alive! I scrambled off the bed and dashed to the bathroom. How did this happen? I thought I had prepared for this before going to bed this morning because, you see, I had stayed up all night seriously doing nothing. I did prepare, but the sleep position changed things. This thought led me almost immediately to how we try to avoid disaster but, despite our efforts, still encounter what we fear. For example, preparing for an exam but missing it altogether because you somehow manage to have the wrong time, savings that do not cover unexpected unbudgeted expenses, and epidemics/pandemic. It is interesting how the brain quickly finds things to attach the simplest thing ever to larger, more complex situations.

After tidying up, I went back to bed; it was 7:00 am but you would not know it because there is no natural light in the room. I tried to make myself as comfortable as I could be without using a pain reliever and switched off the light, even the ones in the bathroom. Adjacent to me is the radio with the green light timer. I shifted to make myself more comfortable, then I noticed another green reflection from the temperature control panel. Then the slim slip of yellow light from the door. It is not surprising to know that a dark place can at times evoke fear and at another time be a safe zone, and how a dark room can at a point be too lighted. I closed the door on that thought and went back to the previous one about lady issues and COVID-19.

Apart from the meaningless wars to show dominance and exploit others, plagues and diseases have always been forces that indiscriminately strive to continuously wipe out the human race. From the bizarre Dancing plague, Sweat plague, Smallpox, Malaria, the various forms of the black plague, the Spanish flu, the swine flu, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and now the “reigning queen’’ Despite the advancement of research and innovations the developed world has made in combating these strange plagues and diseases, and thinking that they were prepared for anything, they fell helplessly to the ravaging tide of Corona.

COVID-19 has affected the lives of everyone, and will continue to do so in the coming years. I remember the different reactions during the earlier days the virus was reported in Michigan. Some, like me, were a bit scared and cautious- I always had sanitizer on me but was not cautious enough to wear a mask, as I noticed some Asians wearing masks. This was when it had not been made compulsory. Some people on the other hand did not just care. I remember a trip to the grocery store where a man was so interested in making small talk and no one seemed to care that the man was coughing and all over the place even when they had no mask on. On the trip back to my house, another man was on the phone going on about how he does not believe coronavirus is that serious. Though I was not in close proximity with these guys, I went into panic mode and started trying all that could help if I had by any means caught it on the bus by distancing, vigorously washing hands to the extent they became painful, drinking hot lemon water, disinfecting all the time (at the risk of ingesting the chemical). I spent all day following the news, checking counts by countries, states and counties, reading people's accounts of their symptoms, checking the CDC sites for updates. My panic heightened when I started feeling sick even when it was the usual Dysmenorrhea. Healthline reports Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety and depression to be one of the three major effects of Covid on health. I believe everyone at a point has this even without having the virus. There are also long term health issues, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and the risk of other organs being affected.

All learning institutions and religious organizations have been shut down and countries that have what it takes to move to virtual meetings have done so, but those that find themselves in countries with no prospects have and will continue to put education and socio- religious observance on hold until the whole thing comes down. The question is when will it be safe? In one way or the other, we have experienced anxiety over prevention, anxiety about coping with treatment and isolation when we or someone around us has it, and stress with being locked in with family members , especially for those whose home front is chaotic. These are some of the social consequences of the virus on the educational system, religious practices and human psychology.

According to scenario simulations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global growth could fall by 0.5 for the year 2020. COVID-19 has not spared the economy of any country. There has been a massive case of lay-off across almost all sectors apart from health, essential retail, security, and some manufacturing companies. The airlines, tourism, arts, and sport are all closed. As in air transportation, where Helane Becker, an analyst with the investment bank Cowenit, says it could take two to five years before passenger numbers return to the go-go levels of 2019, it would take a lot of time to recover from the economic fall, and people will have to deal with the consequences that come with it.

COVID-19 has environmental effects too, especially with the disposable masks and gloves. Tons of these, when not properly managed, find their way to the sea, causing more harm to the environment. Also, there is heavy reliance on electricity, which does not help the cause of sustainability. There is, however, no doubt that there is less air pollution because there are less chemical emissions from plants and car fumes

Oprah while chatting with Iyanla on a recent episode of Sisterhood Saturdays said that the virus has magnified the fears we had before in that the lockdown has created more time and environment to feed these fears. We should however think of the positivity that comes with it, a sense of purging where we see those things that we think we cherish taken away and at the end come to the realisation of what is most important. This leads to a rediscovering of one's essence. In this way, man despite all challenges is resilient.

Old lady

2019-05-01T23:55:00.002-07:00

It has been a while I last penned things down, but I think that the experience I am about to share deserves to be made known. This is because I know that I could not possibly have been the only one to have come across this. So, on the first day of May, I took a cab (Korope) from Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex to campus. The cab should take five passengers; one at the front and four at the back. When I got to this particular cab, I saw a lady, busy with her phone at the back seat with her laptop bag on her laps and a lunch bag on the seat. When the next passenger came, I took the lunch bag and gave it to her so as to make space for him. Because it was an holiday and there were few people around, the driver decided to just make do with the number he has.

The lady which I will now call Mama returned her lunch bag to the seat. This was uncomfortable for me, but I thought ‘ babe, take it with a grain of salt. You do not have to be influenced and disturbed by everything around you as one Uncle once said.’ I was adjusting to this when Mama suddenly said ‘adjust!’ I was like Me? Why? She insisted that I should create more space for her lunch box. C’est ridiculous! I was beyond furious but the quiet me that has never uttered any retort publicly just asked her why she could even think of another person being inconvenienced because of lunch bag. Have you paid for the space?

She said she did not need to have paid before putting her bag there. She continued by saying she knew I was up to something when I first removed her bag from the seat, that what if the cab man had taken the fourth passenger? What madness is this? Is a bag a passenger, abi iru isokuso wo niyi? Nobody joined this conversation and I wondered why. I had to call the driver to ask him what was really happening. He told mama to place her bag on her laps but she refused. Then I knew she must definitely be a witch. Is this part of the ridicule people with small frame face? Disrespect! Some people can be rubbish and ingredient as my roomy used to say. I am just wondering why people most especially Africans think age must be synonymous with body stature? Have you ever had a similar experience like mine where people think you can be cheated or ride upon because of your small body frame. Let's discuss

Carol

2018-12-23T04:51:00.001-08:00

OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

For this blessed season, Let's reflect on the gift heaven gave and still continues to give us- Jesus, the only hope of man.

Hallelujah!

Do pardon my repetition of the intro 😊 MERRY XMAS!

Opportunist

2018-12-22T05:25:00.001-08:00

What has made your eyes so big, Mr Owl?

Is there really a soul that does not take advantage of situations that come up to better his lot? As I ask this question, my answer is that, only a fool will be given a free meal when he is hungry and not grab it with both hands. So, using a situation that arise not by our making is not a bad idea. For instance, going into a business because of an observed need of people is in a way being an 'opportunity user'. Consulting a friend that offers a service for a reasonably reduced price.

However, a boundary line should be made to prevent becoming an opportunist. An opportunist is someone who takes advantage of any opportunity to advance his own situation, placing expediency above principle. That is when there is a grave consequence to the opportunity presented and used, doing it is simply against all moral rule. There are lots of such scenarios. An hilarious but serious one was a social experimental video that I saw recently, where an ATM broke when people went to withdraw. All the people that were captured hurriedly packed the money, being on the look out to not getting catch. I know they would have thought it was an answer to their prayers. Most of them were either furious or ashamed when the researcher approached them, few thought it was funny. I must confess that their reactions were funny They would have prayed it was real and they were not recorded doing what they did. The logic behind their action might have been that they really need money (everyone needs it, I do too!), or that the money did not actually belong to a particular person, or that the bank should be held responsible for being careless not them, or they just reach the conclusion that insurance will cover it anyway. If you found yourself in that situation, will you take the money or not?

What about opportunistic partners? They suck you dry until you are all bones. Some ladies that the love of money or fame has glued to men, men who really love them. Some men also take their partner as personal maid. Do you have some friends that only approach you when they are in need of your assistance. 😉

Am I an opportunist?

Another level is what the public transports do. What should we call those cab drivers and bikers (Olokade) that charge exorbitant prices whenever they see a corp member (for instance) all with the idea that, this one is new here, he won’t know any better. They also do this during rush hour and during festive periods. I have experienced all. They can demand triple the amount of the normal charge.

What about those offices? The way the secretary or whoever is to attend to people demand for tips is as though they do not get paid at the end of the month. A student that wants to process a document must first settle them with owo coke (As if they do not have children and their whole life depends on owo coke.) I once processed a document at a public service where that the fee on their said website was fifteen thousand but I did it for thirty-five. I later got to know that some do it for fifty-five. Pourquois? They want to build house on the Atlantic ocean.

There have been a lot of cases about Lecturers who because of whatever reason they may have abuse their students. Lecturers asking for money, male lecturers demanding sex from female students, some even the male ones. My take on this is that what if they are not in a situation to get access to these abominable needs (e.g prison), will that urge not disappear?

Teaching English Language as a Non-Native: Introduction

2018-12-19T02:39:00.001-08:00

A good command of English is seen as a sign of good education. The value and prestige attached to the ability to use the language effectively led its expansion. Adedokun (2007) citing Banjo (1989) states that the uniqueness of the language in Nigeria makes it a more demanding subject when compared to other subjects in the curriculum. Adeosun (2014) and Kabiru (2002) itemised Faculties/Institutes of Education, Schools of Education in Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, and National Teachers’ Institute as the institutions charged with the responsibility of training teachers in Nigeria. The acceptable qualification to become an English teacher in Nigeria as well as other countries is a degree in education with English as subject matter.

All professionals generally have the fear of being challenged on their area of expertise. Agreed. No one wants to be found wrong at what one has learnt for years. The non-native English Language teacher is faced with this too. This is because he, as a learner teaches a language that is generally spoken by everyone. Since there are two categories of language learners; those who learn to just communicate and those who learn not just to communicate effectively but to teach others, the question of how the four years in school has made the Non-native English Language teachers better users of the language and transmitters of their knowledge is key to curriculum studies. So, the English Language teacher has three crucial tasks, which are to have the head knowledge of the language rules, use it well at all time, and teach it well. Subsequent posts that are categorized under Teach English will focus on practical lessons on these three areas.

Before then, check out these wonderful links

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english

and

teachingenglish.org.uk

'The Presidency, His Majesty, The Founding Father.’

2018-12-17T13:58:00.004-08:00

Bó bá se wù mí ni mà á ṣe ǹkan mi. Èmi ló nií!
I will do whatever I like with what I own. It’s mine!
That should not apply to instances where those actions negatively affect others.
It’s like, I have my mouth, it's mine, and I can say whatever I like
Then you start screaming in the gathering of humans,
People will know that you are definitely insane.
It’s like, I have my pee pee thing, it's mine, and I can do whatever I like with it
Then you start waving it at people,
You will be taken out and given the help you so much need.

The presidency, the founder also likes to repeat
Bó bá se wù mí ni mà á ṣe ǹkan mi. Nkan mi ni
I will do whatever I want with my property. It's mine.
It’s yours indeed but when ownership of that thing affects lives,
‘I will do whatever I like with my property’ should not apply.

This is my house! This school is mine! The church is mine! The country is mine!
I can and will do whatever I like with my property.

I am the head of this house and my words are the law here.
The school is mine and I need the teachers' salaries now. They will get paid later.
The church is mine and I can impose my will on my flock.
This country is mine and I can sell out my people. It's no big deal, others do the same.

Òjò ẹ̀sín rẹ fẹ e dé, o máa kàbùkù
Here and Hereafter.

Our Rotten System: Education. E e se!

2018-12-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

The shock you feel at seeing what you’ve only until now just read or heard about happening. I can't believe this is real, examination malpractice at its core. On that day, the SSS 3 students wrote Geography and I was the invigilator in charge of the four students that offer the course in the whole school. Although I am in my 20s, in my days at the secondary school, you either take Geography as a science student or do Literature as an art student. Imagine my surprise at seeing only four students sitting in the big hall to write the exam. I told myself, you cannot really criticize all the changes you notice.

Anyways, going back to what floored me, one of the students called me before the examination started and asked ‘Aunt, hope you will not disturb us’ and I replied ‘you should not disturb me.' The first real shock came when the WAEC supervisor told the students as they were about to start that if they have any problem 'make sure you tell me so that I can call your teacher.' I said to myself, 'you must have heard wrongly'. About 20 minutes into the paper, I noticed that 2 of students were acting suspiciously, so, I got up to check. Lo and behold, they were with phones. The students had created a group chat room on whatsapp and the answers had been sent to it. You should know how hot the phones were. Of course I seized the phones without informing the supervisor.

The first paper was to last for 2 hours. Around 10 mins after the phone incident the supervisor repeated the 'if you have a problem statement and not long after, one of the students said ‘aunty, please call Mr Lagbaja. I told them that they are sick in the head for opening their mouth and making that request. They got a means of calling Mr Lagbaja through a passing teacher. Mr Lagbaja, came and I left the hall because I could not just stomach it.

Another shock came when I went back to the hall after Mr Lagbaja had left. One of the teachers walked into the hall and after chatting with the Supervisor, asked me why I took the students' phones. I could not just believe this nonsense. He said that as a teacher I should not be an obstacle to the students success. I asked what the duty of an invigilator was and said I cannot just sit there and allow the students to cheat. He told me to give him the phones and I said that if I did and later sees them with the students, I will get it back. He returned the phones and left . Boy, was I furious? Mr Lagbaja was called to assist for the second paper which was objective. He was practically announcing the answers. Lo ba tan!

It's been months now but I am still baffled at our education ethics. Results had been released and the students are now in the universities. What nation are we building? Is this the fault of the government? What then is the reward of hardwork. Ko dara o!