DOCUMENTATION AND CRITIQUE OF THE DISTINGUISH PERSONALITY

LECTURE ORGANIZED BY THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN STUDIES AND CENTRE

FOR BLACK AND AFRICAN ARTS AND CIVILIZATION.

PREAMBLE

The lecture held on Wednesday 5th October 2011, it was slated for 10:00am, but commenced at
about 12 noon. It took place in one of the largest lecture room of the Institute of African Studies.
The auditorium was packed full with students (mostly from IAS & CBACC and students from
other departments like Theatre Arts, Philosophy, Anthropology e.t.c.) Also in attendance were
lecturers (within and outside the university) Heads of Departments and Directors of Institutes.
The hall could not contain all as some stood and others were in the next room watching and
listening through a projector.

The programme started with a welcome address by the Vice Chancellor read by a representative,
followed by opening remarks by Director IAS and Director General CBACC. This was followed
by short address by representatives of various departments and associations present, which
included linguistics & African Language, English by Prof. Raji, Philosophy by Dr. Offor,
Theatre Arts by Dr. Awosanmi and Anthropology by O. B. Lawuyi; also, Peace and Conflicts
Student’s Association and African Studies Student’s Association, after which the citation of the
guest lecturer was read by one of the female students of IAS.

THE LECTURE

The lecture titled “Education in the Era of Globalization” was delivered by the renowned
professor and erudite scholar of post colonial studies also referred to in the welcome address by
the representative of philosophy department as “the third and female trinity of postcolonial
studies” Professor Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak.

The beautiful woman who looked younger than her 69 years of age was dressed in her Indian
attire, she held every one spellbound with her uncanny brilliance and unshakable confidence with
which she tackled the topic under discourse, this made everyone to listen with rapt attention until
there was a distraction outside due to the refreshment that was being brought in. The latter
development angered the speaker a bit but she was placated and the situation was put under
control and tranquility was restored.

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE LECTURE

The main focus of the lecture was on a rethinking of the impacts of globalization on education,
she explained that postcolonial studies has opened out space for others to see what is happening
elsewhere, she also emphasized the need to rethink humanity’s education in new ways,
encouraging a need for good humanity education. She noted interestingly that, enforcement does
not change mind that “you don’t change minds easily”. Through her activities in the subaltern
studies, she seeks to create problems solvers and create a platform for voice. She however noted
regrettably that in so many communities, most people have been cognitively damaged.

After her lecture, many questions were asked which she reacted to. Someone asked why most of
her works are so hard to comprehend. She agrees that she may not be a particularly fantastic
writer because during her early days, she was a very intellectually insecure person which
affected her writing style a lot, but over the years, she revealed that her writing style has changed
a lot and she is a bit simpler and easy to comprehend.

PERSONAL OBSERVATION ABOUT THE SPEAKER

She has wealth of knowledge and has read widely. In the course of her lecture she referred to so
many written works and authors; the likes of Soyinka and his work The Road, Achebe, Derrida
and a whole lot of others.

She has a keen interest in the status of the oppressed of the society with particular focus on the
marginal position of the subaltern women. She has attached a special importance and attention to
the problems of gender and subaltern identity. She has a humane yet radical commitment to the
cause of social mobilization, education and development.

She is down-to-earth, bold, blunt, confident and insists on what she wants, she looks strict and
highly principled; she has a fighting and never-give-up spirit, this made her to pursue her dream,
borrowed money to go to the US, stayed and excelled in a strange land, despite being a woman
and an Indian.

She is also gender sensitive and a bit bias to the female gender. During the program, she
embraced all the ladies that came up to give address and also insisted that a female student must
ask her a question if not she will be too sad on her mother’s birthday and go back home with a
bad reputation about U.I., a female student latter stood up to ask a question dear to the speaker’s
heart about women marginalization, she was visibly pleased to answer, though the whole thing
seemed trivial but she took it so seriously.

CONCLUSION

The seminar spurred me and created a new desire in me to know more about the speaker because
prior to the time I attended this seminar I barely knew little or almost nothing about this speaker,
but I now have the urge to know and read more about this extremely interesting scholar. My
contact with her has made me to develop a love for her, her works and her passion. She has also
ignited the passion in me to be the best I can be as a woman and never be deterred by any
unpleasant situation.

The lecture was indeed an eye opener. In future, a lecture of this caliber should be well
publicized and a bigger venue be used. It is a worthy initiative by the Institute of African Studies.
Kudus!