Why African civilisation was relegated to background – Varsity don

A university don, Prof. Chukwuma Opata, has said that human civilization commenced from African before moving to Europe and other parts of the world. Opata said this yesterday during the memorial lecture in honour of Late Prof. Catherine Acholonu at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State. He regretted that the failure of Africa […]

A university don, Prof. Chukwuma Opata, has said that human civilization commenced from African before moving to Europe and other parts of the world.

Opata said this yesterday during the memorial lecture in honour of Late Prof.

Catherine Acholonu at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State.

He regretted that the failure of Africa to tell the story had made the Western world not only claim the civilization but also regard Africans as people without history.

 

The memorial lecture was organised by the Catherine Acholonu Centre for African Cultural Sciences and the Department of Tourism Studies, UNN.

While urging the African to tell their own story, Opata disclosed that the civilisation actually started in Igboland and stressed that there were facts to prove it.

The university don, who was also a guest speaker, described Acholonu as an advocate for Nigerian identity, who ensured that the Nigeria’s contributions to civilization were not only remembered but also celebrated.

According to him, the late academia worked diligently to ensure that artefacts like the Ikom Monoliths were included in the World Monuments Fund in its 2008 Watch List of 100 most endangered sites for cultural presentation.

“Her life’s work, which included blended scholarship with activism, was dedicated to the preservation, repatriation, and global recognition of Nigeria artefacts and cultural legacies.

“She championed many causes, particularly the fight for the recognition of Nigeria contributions to global issues.

“One of the Acholonu’s most notable initiatives was her tireless advocacy for the repatriation of Nigerian artefacts that had been taken to other countries during colonial period and now reside in private collection and museums worldwide,” Opata said.

Earlier, the Acting Head, Department of Tourism Studies, Dr Chidinma Oguamanam highlighted the significant contributions of Professor Acholonu’s to the understanding of the Igbo people and their cultural heritage.

Oguamanam said that Acholonu was a visionary scholar whose research challenged traditional narratives and provided new insights into Igbo history.

According to her, Acholonu’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of scholars and researchers, especially on the complex history of the Igbo people, and paid tribute to the great scholar.

Also, the daughter of the late professor, Ms Ifunanya Acholonu said the perception of Black Africa by western scholarship as dark, dormant, without history or civilization had always rankled her mother, who was fascinated by the Black African identity.

She said that though her mother was not a historian but a scholar of literature, African literary studies and linguistics.

The Acting Head, Department of Tourism Studies, Dr Chidinma Oguamanam highlighted the significant contributions of researchers to the understanding of the Igbo people and their cultural heritage.