A Nigeria Frontiersman: The Life and Works of Anthony Ijaola Asiwaju
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Date
2008
Authors
Adeboye, O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Regional Institute, Imeko
Abstract
It is a well-known fact that the historian does not only seek to understand his society through study of its past, himself is also a product of the society. This dialectical relationship is evident in the manner in which he impacts his society on the one hand, and in the way society fashions and directs his own gazes and emphases, on the other hand. It is this paradigm that is employed here as we examine the life and works of Anthony Ijaola Asiwaju. His own background, upbringing and experiences in a border community which straddled Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, not only made him keenly aware of the disparity between his community and other ‘mainstream’ societies within the same Yoruba culture area, but also led him to re-conceptualize borders as bridges and not as barriers to communication. It is, therefore, not surprising that Asiwaju’s academic/research career was devoted to issues pertaining to boundaries and comparative colonialism. The comparative element in his works encapsulates his desire to establish patterns and uncover underlying principles of inter group relations across national boundaries, and variations in the colonial experience in Africa. By this approach, he has been able to challenge existing models and explanations, and in the same breath proffered new models. This is indeed a passion borne out of experience. As a product of the famous (but now defunct) Ibadan School of History, he also imbibed the idea of history as a pragmatic tool although he transcended the borders of the Ibadan school by employing concepts
and models in his historical interpretation, and by seeking to directly influence public policy by his writings and advocacy on boundary issues. His numerous engagements with policy-makers in the public arena are testimonies to the relevance of this latter approach.
This chapter is divided into six parts. The first examines Anthony Asiwaju’s early life, while the second deals with his university training and academic career. The main thrusts of his scholarship are discussed in the third part. The fourth section examines his service to the nation and to the international community while the fifth part discusses his leadership within his local community and family life. The last segment assesses his impact on the historiography of colonialism and borderlands in Africa.
Description
Scholarly Articles
Keywords
Historian , Researcher , Leadership , Boundaries , Research Subject Categories::HUMANITIES and RELIGION
Citation
Adeboye, O. A. (2008). A Nigerian Frontiersman: The Life and Works of Anthony Ijaola Asiwaju in Yomi Akinyeye (ed.), That They May Be One: Essays in Honor of A.I. Asiwaju, Imeko: African Regional Institute, 3-40