Madiba Saidy, I must commend you for the useful postings you've been forwarding to the L, for the past few weeks. I don't know about others, but I, personally, have found most of these postings very useful, even though I do not subscribe to some of the views/ideas being propagated by some of these authors. Brother Saidy, keep the mails coming. You are doing a good job. It is my policy to read every literature, whether written by the enemy or the friend!!! Ebrima Ceesay, Birmingham, UK. >From: Madiba Saidy <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: ALI MAZRUI AND SKIP GATES' AFRICA SERIES >Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 14:43:41 -0800 > >ALI MAZRUI AND SKIP GATES' AFRICA SERIES > >Ali Mazrui's "preliminary" critique of Henry-Louis' Gates Africa series >has been pounding cyber-space with an energy that I have not >experienced since I became its reluctant and fitful tennant. I am not >on the iasa-list - to which this is addressed - nor on any other >circulation list, yet I have had this critique copied to me from over >two dozen directions, sometimes culled from other lists of whose >existence I was not even aware - not surprisingly, since, as already >admitted, I am not really into Internet. I find it odd, very odd. There >appears to be a driving mechanism behind this, quite outside the normal >exchange of opinions on a work that is admittedly, by its very nature, >bound to raise controversy. I find it odd also that, even more than >Charles Johnson's fair summary of various critiques, Ali Mazrui's >text appears to have surfaced with the greatest frequency. Of course, >we must assume that this have to do with his stature as the undisputed >African specialist of our time. > >I see also that Ali Mazrui is pressing his assiduous pursuit of a rival >by accepting to engage in a further discussion on these series on WLIB >radio on the night of Sunday 7th November. I have been invited to >participate but I cannot, as I have not watched the entire series and >unfortunately cannot do so before the live broadcast which is tomorrow. >Moreover, I prefer to watch (or read) any kind of creative or >intellectual product at my own pace, and to avoid succumbing to a pace >dictated by a demand for critical interjection or the prospect of >polemics. > >It is a pity that Ali Mazrui failed to be guided by his own commencing >caveat which concedes: "Since I have myself done a television series >about Africa, perhaps I should keep quiet about Skip Gates' WONDERS OF >AFRICA" This of course is understating Ali Mazrui's own place in the >Africa project. His happens to be the only other television series of >this dimension by a black scholar on the subject of Africa's past and >present. In short, Ali Mazrui has a fifty per cent stake - at least - >in the reception that may be accorded to a work that, in effect, >constitutes a challenge to a long-held monopoly. Every >knowledgable critique of Skip Gates' work evokes, unquestionably, an >implicit referential from the only preceding series of its kind. Yes >indeed, Ali Mazrui should have kept quiet. As Charles Johnson's summary >has shown, there are other equally competent - both scholarly and >creative - minds that can pass valuable commentaries on this new >contribution to perspectives on Africa. > >However Ali Mazrui may present himself, he is being a covert plaintiff >in his own cause, and it is my deeply held conviction that the delights >of objective criticism and intellectual enlargement have been sullied >by his energetic, propulsive voice in this exercise. It crosses the >ethical bounds of intellectualism and deserves the condemnation of all >who believe that the virtues of criticism transcend self-interest. >Ali Mazrui and I, let me frankly acknowledge, are ancient adversaries. >With this level of indecorous conduct, I am reconciled to the fact that >we are likely to remain so for a long time to come. > >Wole Soyinka >Woodruff Professor of the Arts >Emory University, Atlanta > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------