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International Colloquium in Brasilia, Brazil November 9 – 13, 2009
For a beneficial relationship between the continental Africans and Africans in the Diaspora, CBAAC hosted the 4th edition of its International Conference series in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Colloquium on the theme: “Teaching and Propagating African Culture to the Diaspora and Teaching Diaspora History and Culture to Africa” held from 10th to 14th of November, 2008. The colloquium brought Black and peoples of African descent together at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to discuss the present state of knowledge about African and Diaspora history and culture, examine its curriculum, identify the problems confronting it and appreciate its relevance to contemporary developments in Africa and the Diaspora.
The conference was organized by the CBAAC, Nigeria and the Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality (SEPPIR), the Presidency Brazil in collaboration with such organizations as Pan African Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAFSTRAG), Institute of Afro Brazilian Studies, Palmares Cultural Foundation, the State University of Rio de Janeiro and the Association of African Historians. The conference had in attendance participants from twenty five countries across Africa and other continents of the world. Countries represented include; Nigeria, Brazil, USA, Argentina, Jamaica, Guyana, Ghana, Gambia, Trinidad, Mexico, Kenya, Eritrea, Tanzania, Senegal, Niger Republic, France, United Kingdom, Sudan, South Africa, Germany, The Netherlands, Israel and Canada.
It also had in attendance representatives from CBAAC Nigeria, SEPPIR Brazil, the African Union (AU), Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) South Africa, UNESCO, Smithsonian Cultural Institution, Association of African Historians (AAH), Association of African Political Scientists (AAPS), IPEAFRO Brazil, PANAFSTRAG International and Palmares Cultural Foundation. Dignitaries in attendance included:
- Professor (Emeritus) Abdias do Nascimento, leading specialist on African-Diaspora History and a Brazilian of African extraction gave the keynote address;
- Ambassador Amina Salum Ali, African Union Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United States of America
- Professor Toyin Falola, renowned historian and scholar of international repute
- Mr. Ali Moussa Iye, Chief of History and Culture, UNESCO
- Professor Anthony Asiwaju of the African Association of Historians
- Professor Benjamin Olatunji Oloruntimehin, a retire Professor of history at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife now with Ajayi Crowder University, Oyo, Oyo State Nigeria.
- Dr. M.M. Matlou, Chief Executive Officer of the African Institute of South Africa, (AISA)
- The Nigerian Honourable Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation was represented by Hajia Hussaini, Maryam Inuwa while Hajia Zainab Biu represented the Nigerian National Commissioner for UNESCO.
- Professor Adekunle Amuwo, Executive Secretary, African Association of Political Science
International Colloquium in Brasilia, Brazil November 9 – 13, 2009
Following its successful outing at the 2008 edition of its annual International Conference held at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2008, the Brazilian Government specifically requested that CBAAC partner with it through Brazil’s Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Policies on Racial Equality (SEPPIR), the Presidency, Brazil, to co-host a repeat of the 2008 Conference again around the theme: “Teaching and Propagating African History and Culture to the Diaspora and Teaching Diaspora History and Culture to Africa” in Brasilia, Brazil.
In recognition of the practical demonstration of the Brazilian government’s keen interest in the teaching of African history and to further strengthen the working relationship between the continental Africans and the Diaspora African particularly the relationship between Brazil and Nigeria, CBAAC appreciated this gesture and honoured the invitation from the Brazilian Government by accepting to host the 5th edition of its International Conference series in Brasilia, Brazil. The Colloquium on the theme: “Teaching and Propagating African and Diaspora History and Culture” held as scheduled and had in attendance:
- Professor Boubacar Barry, leading specialist on the History of Integration in West Africa and Prof of History at Cheikh Anta Diop University and Fellow at CODESRIA, Dakar Senegal, gave the keynote address titled: “The History of Africa and the African Diaspora in the 21st Century”
- The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Bello Sheidu Ozigis who represented the Nigerian Honourable Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Senator Jibril Bello Gada
- Senator Yisa Braimoh, Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Hon. K.G.B. Oguakwa, Chairman, House Committee on Culture and Tourism, Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Representative of Brazil’s Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Policies on Racial Equality SEPPIR, the Presidency Brazil, Mrs. Magali Naves Director of the Department of International Co-operations
- Mr. George Ufot, Ag. Director of Culture, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Nigeria.
- Professor Molara Ogundipe, Professor of English, Africana and Gender Studies and a renowned scholar of international repute
- Prof J-M. Mabeko Tali, Professor of History at Howard University and member of UNESCO’s Scientific Committee for the Pedagogical Use of the General History of Africa. He also represented Mr. Ali Moussa Iye, Chief of History and Culture, UNESCO
- Professor Dele Layiwola, Director Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan
- Professor Ibrahim Maina Waziri, University of Maiduguri Nigeria.
- Prof Kofi Anyidoho, a Poet, and Professor of Literature at the University of Ghana
- Professor N. Andre Siamundele, Assistant Professor of French and Francophone Studies at Wells College, Aurora, New York, USA.
The Colloquium had participants and delegates from twenty-two countries drawn from all the continents of the world including the faraway Brazil, Nigeria, Canada, Denmark, Congo, USA, UK, Mexico, Senegal, Colombia, Argentina, Ghana, Paraguay, Mozambique, Cameroun, Cuba, South Africa, Niger, Cape Verde, Namibia, and France were in attendance at the colloquium.
All the addresses read at the opening ceremony attested to the timeliness of the colloquium and drew attention to the need for Africans at home and in the Diaspora to close ranks and explore common grounds for enhanced cross-continental exchanges and cooperation. From the number and quality of papers presented and from the incisive and thought provoking sessions, the 2009 CBAAC colloquium is yet another landmark achievement and a consolidation of an enduring working relationship between Nigeria and Black, African people and other people of the world.
The combination of these successes and some identified areas of further co-operation and collaboration between CBAAC and SEPPIR informed a proposal through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from SEPPIR for the legalization of an enduring working relationship between CBAAC as representative of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the one hand and SEPPIR representative of the Brazilian Government on the other hand. |
