Africa Past & Present » Afripod

Prof. Nwando Achebe (MSU History) on her recent book The Female King of Colonial Nigeria: Ahebi Ugbabe. Achebe describes key aspects of King (or Eze) Ahebi's life; reflects on the value of oral history and multidisciplinary methods; and discusses Igbo gender, culture, and power during British colonial rule.

In the second segment, MSU University Distinguished Professor David Robinson joined Alegi for an interview with Cheikh Babou, the Senegalese historian and author of a new book entitled Fighting the Greater Jihad: Amadu Bamba and the Founding of the Muridiyya of Senegal, 1853-1913 (Ohio University Press, 2007). Professor Babou hopes his book will encourage readers to understand that Islam is diverse; not to see Islam as an essence, not to confuse it with Arab culture or Middle Eastern Culture. Robinson stresses the importance of learning about religious diversity in a post-9/11 world and to appreciate that what some people say is Islam is really a distortion of that main tradition.

Michelle Sikes (Kinesiology, African Studies, and History, Penn State University) on her new book, Kenya’s Running Women: A History (Michigan State University Press, 2023). The conversation begins with Sikes's journey from NCAA champion and professional runner to Rhodes scholar and academic. She then delves into the book's main arguments and sources and methods. Sikes elaborates on women athletes' biographical narratives and transformational changes in global athletics since the 1990s. The interview closes with a discussion of gender-based violence, what makes Kenyan runners great, and the impact of sports on the broader quest for Black freedom, equality, and justice.