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Nigeria is letting the Black race down by failing to achieve its manifest destiny, said Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi.
The former Minister of External Affairs made this assertion during the 2016 Convocation Lecture of the University of Ibadan last week.
In a paper entitled, ‘Nigerian Exceptionalism – Nigeria’s Quest for World Leadership’, Akinyemi said: “On the official level, Nigeria sought to concretise its nexus with the world’s Black community by announcing the establishment of a museum of Black and African arts and civilisation.
“But the fact is the cultural angle is begging the question. No one is denying that Nigeria or Africa has a culture, a culture of stamping the feet, wiggling the waist and bottom; talking drums and kakaki trumpets. I am not saying that is all African culture is. We now have African literature, which has earned several Nobel literature prizes, African paintings, and ancient and modern sculptures.
“But what the Nigerian government focuses on is the stamping of feet and wiggling of waists. That is not part of the existentialism that the Diaspora Blacks are demanding from Nigeria. They are demanding the evolution of a modern powerful state.” (The Guardian)
•Photo shows prof. Akinyemi.
