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5 days ago
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Arts & Life
September 11, 2025 by Our Reporter
…as scholars gather for launch
The launch of Migration and Diaspora Identity in Northern Nigeria and Ghana, 1900–1970 (James Currey, UK), authored by Professor Rasheed Oyewole Olaniyi, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, has been hailed as a timely intervention in the study of migration and identity in Africa.
The event, supported by the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA-Nigeria), was described as a significant contribution to ongoing scholarship on migration and belonging.
In her remarks, IFRA-Nigeria Director, Professor Barbara Morovich, reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to supporting research that situates African experiences within global debates on identity.
Also speaking, Professor Akanle of the Department of Sociology commended the book’s methodology and scope, noting its reliance on oral histories, archival records, and sociological perspectives. He described it as comprehensive and called for further studies on migration beyond 1970.
The book, published by James Currey (UK), was formally unveiled to loud applause. Many attendees described it as not just a scholarly work but also a cultural archive that preserves the memory of Yoruba migrants in Kano and Tamale.
Olaniyi, in the work, highlights how Yoruba migrants navigated inclusion, exclusion, and socio-economic struggles between 1900 and 1970 while maintaining ties to their homeland.
Among dignitaries at the event were immediate past Sean of Arts, University of Ibadan, Professor S. O. Oyetade; Professor Ayo Hammed of the Faculty of Education; Dr Adeniran and Dr Kamil Hamzah of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; Dr M. O. Muritala, Acting Head of History, UI; as well as other scholars, alumni, and students.
English (US)