Ojogbon Globalization

This paper was presented in a panel discussion in 2004, for a conference organized by women writers of African descent, "Yari Yari Pamberi: Conference of Black Women Writers from all over the Globe" (October 12-16).  The venue was New York University.  I was invited to participate by one of my aunties, Dr. Rashidah Ismaili AbuBakr .   I was as usual, very much embroiled in the "busyness" of everyday life, but given that I love and respect Aunty Rashidah, I agreed--with trepidation.  Why trepidation?  I am not what an old, good friend calls a "Lit Crit", her shorthand for literary critic and creative writer.  The panel discussion was to center around " The cultural interaction and adjustments of writers in exile and writers who have immigrated to other locations. "  I felt therefore obliged to channel "Lit Crit" type energy and write a short story.  This is not a true story but a pure fictional treatment derived from imaginative stor...

 Continued from January 26 blog Respect for good governance is not alien to Africans.  This is also demonstrable historically.  Again, I will use the example of the Yoruba who were so intolerant of tyranny and absolutism that they called upon tyrants to commit suicide by presenting any such ruler with a calabash into which his/her head is expected to be placed in short order.  This is of course, extreme and inhumane, but it may be boiled down to the essential philosophy of rejecting tyranny and absolutism, and thus, refashioned and re-cast as a fundamental commitment to good governance-the rule of law, due process, etc., and made a fundamental part of our emergent democracy instead of the current situation when we speak democracy and act tyranny, or on the other hand, we import any and everything that is faddish from the outside, with no consideration fo rmaking such institutions acceptable and understandable to our people.  Many of our leaders, female or...

I  almost decided to take a break today, just to celebrate the receipt of the advance copies of one of the two books co-edited with Olufemi Vaughan, Geoffrey Canada Professor at Bowdoin College, Maine.  The book:  Transnational Africa and Globalization .  NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.  The project began many years ago.  It's great to have brought it to fruition.  The table of contents is as follows:   Chapter 1:  Transnational Africa and Globalization: Introduction; Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome  & Olufemi Vaughan   Chapter 2:  Africa, Transnationalism & Globalization: An Overview; Olufemi Vaughan   Chapter 3:  Black Internationalism and Transnational Africa; Rod Bush   Chapter 4:  What About the Reciprocity? Pan-Africanism and the Promise of Global Development; Mora McLean   Chapter 5:  Transnational Africa: Un-Pledging Allegiance: The US Nation Must Make the African Connection; Me...