Wale Adebanwi

Wale Adebanwi (born 1969) is a Nigerian-born first Black Rhodes Professor at St Antony's College, Oxford where he was, until June 2021, a professor of race relations, and the director of the African Studies Centre, School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, and a Governing Board Fellow. He is currently a Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Adebanwi's research focuses on a range of topics in the areas of social change, nationalism and ethnicity, race relations, identity politics, elites and cultural politics, democratic process, newspaper press and spatial politics in Africa. Quotes The greater responsibility lies with social forces within African states. Adebanwi was discussing responsibility for strengthening democracy after colonialism and the Cold War. He argued that African societies possess organisational resources capable of supporting deeper participatory democracy. There are sufficient organisational and agential materials to build coalitions. Adebanwi was arguing that African societies have the organisational capacity to construct coalitions capable of defending and deepening democratic practices. It was both terrific and terrifying. Adebanwi used these words when recalling his experience as a young Nigerian journalist working during the period of military rule. He described the danger faced by journalists and activists of his generation. It was like the duty of our generation to be the foot soldiers for the democratic struggle in Nigeria. Adebanwi was reflecting on the role played by journalists and activists during Nigeria's military era. He described democratic struggle as a generational responsibility among those involved in the country's pro-democracy movement. Public affairs journalism is a great laboratory for studying politics. Adebanwi was explaining how his early career in journalism influenced his later work as a political scientist and social anthropologist. He described journalism as an important practical environment for observing political life. We waste too much money in the continent, particularly Nigeria, on parties. Adebanwi was discussing philanthropy and education. He contrasted long-term educational investment with the substantial amounts of money wealthy Nigerians may spend on parties, celebrations and funerals. External links Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Academics from Nigeria Category:University of Cambridge alumni Category:University of Pennsylvania faculty