Abissa 2014 was a Blast, but I Suspect Georgetown has a Segregation Problem

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#Abissa2014, AfroBeatz, AfroChique, Alphadi, American University, Georgetown race relations, Georgetown University, Haile Supreme, Stefanie Palencia, University of Maryland, Vivian Ojo

Kudos to the Africa Society of Georgetown for putting on an awesome cultural event last night!  The evening got off to what seemed to me to be a quintessentially catholic school start, with two white guys in jackets and ties banging on drums, but the Georgetown Percussion Ensemble was pretty talented and things only accelerated from there.  The evening consisted of various fashion shows, dances, and even a little spoken word.  Performance groups from other local universities – American University and the University of Maryland – took the stage and I also saw quite a few people wearing Howard apparel.

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Discussing Nigeria’s National Assembly at AU – (Healthy?) Intellectual Tensions

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American University, Arsenio Hall, Bridgewater State University, Carl Levan, Joseph Fashagba, Landmark University, Nigeria, Nigeria Legislature, Nigeria Politics, PDP, Shaheen Mozaffar, Tea Party, Yvonne Captain-Hidalgo

From L: Fashagba, Mozaffar, LeVan

My last event of a very busy Tuesday (other posts to follow) brought me to American University, where the energetic Carl LeVan had convened Dr. Joseph Fashagba of Landmark University, Nigeria to speak on ‘Politics and Parties in the Nigerian National Assembly’. Serving as discussant was Shaheen Mozaffar of Bridgewater State University, who bluntly noted that he did not find Fashagba’s analysis ‘very useful.’  All three are scheduled to speak at the National Endowment for Democracy tomorrow on ‘African State Legislatures & Democratic Development: Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia & South Africa.’  I wonder if Mozaffar will be so direct at a more high stakes venue (over half those in attendance were GWU students from a class of Yvonne Captain – Hidalgo).

Lauren Sinclair at American University on the Role of US Academia in the Nigerian Civil War

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Africa Cold War, African Studies Association, American University, Biafra, Carl Levan, CIA, Congo, Conor Cruise O'Brien, international education, Lauren Sinclair, New York University, Nigeria, Nigeria Civil War

Cold War African history is one of my favorite topics to discuss, so I had to manufacture an excuse to get out of work yesterday and hear Lauren Sinclair, a PhD student at NYU speak at American University on ‘Situating the Nigerian Civil War in US-Africa Cold War Policy.’  My already high levels of excitement soared to even greater heights when I discovered that she is managing to tackle this topic while pursuing a degree in International Education – my ideal career field.