IN its efforts towards raising its bar of acceptance and international acclaim, KolaDaisi University, Ibadan, has hosted its first research fellow, Mr Colin Bos, from the United States of America.
Mr Bos, a historic research fellow, is a doctoral student of the Department of History at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, North-western University, USA, has a focus in West African intellectual history, indigenous medicine and healing culture.
During his four weeks period in KolaDaisi University, Ibadan, he examined the ‘Role of Textuality and Orality in Healing Cultures’, as well as, ‘The Interaction between biomedicine and social perspectives to health issues at the indigenous level, towards unravelling West Africans’ attitudinal dispositions to science, medicine and diseases.”
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While giving further insight into his study, Mr Bos disclosed that he delved into African history as a motivation for the shame he felt for his ignorance about African history against the reality of some indigenous African practices like, ‘Ifa Divination’ which he rated to be enjoying wider acceptance, to the extent of becoming transatlantic phenomena.
“One thing that has motivated my research was the shame I felt in knowing so little about African history and Africa’s many and diverse cultures. It was disturbing to me when I first studied African history; how this had never been presented to me before even though, I had learnt so much about the history of everywhere else,” he stated.
Mr Bos who could not hide his admiration of the richness of the African culture observed that many cultures were shrouded in mystery, especially those of the Yoruba extraction, but he, however, advocated that “those traditions deserve respect and admiration from around the world.”
He, therefore, called for more study on the African culture beyond the realm of tradition, to appreciate “its deep influence in politics, religion, health and medical histories that had hitherto been taken for granted.”
Hosting the researcher to a luncheon after the four weeks exercise, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kolade Luke Ayorinde, appreciated Mr Bos for his choice of KolaDaisi University, Ibadan and for his research as part of the academic requirements for his doctoral programme.
Professor Ayorinde expressed the hope that the research findings would strengthen the understanding, profile and prestige of the African culture and also be pivotal to human development across shores, irrespective of cultural background.
He also appreciated the dean of the University’s Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences, Dr Rasheed Olaniyi, for facilitating the academic exchange programme with a challenge for further collaborations with notable academic institutions, globally.
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