Institute of Cultural Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, host University of Waterloo for a special edition of its Webinar Series

On Monday 25th March 2025, the Institute of Cultural Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, host a scholar of the University of Waterloo, Canada on a special edition of its Webinar Series.

The scholar, Dr. Naila Keleta Mae, an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, Canada, spoke on the topic Black and Free. The discussant, Dr. Francesca Fajinmi, the founder of Your Black Matters in the United States of America, and the Chair of the Webinar, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, from the Department of History, Osun State University and the Executive Director, Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo added colour to the discussion.

The scholars, discussants and participants highlighted the need for people in black skin in diaspora and at home to be free. Freedom is a concept for the collective irrespective of the residential location of the people tagged black. Black may be a perception of concepts and entities. The acknowledgement of the entity of blackness is an acknowledgement of the need to consciously address the treasuring of blackness at home and in diaspora. The multiple expression of this freedom in literal and non-literal forms are also important.   

The session laid a foundation for the building of a new collaboration between the Black and Free Initiative in the University of Waterloo in Canada, Your Black Matters in the United States of America and the Institute of Cultural Studies in Nigeria for the purpose of conducting research and advocacy on the emancipation of Blacks even among the Blacks in their homes in Africa, Asia, Caribbean and other places in the world.

Leading to this session was the meeting of the team from the University of Waterloo and the University management to discuss areas of common interest for future collaborations and partnerships between the institution and its Faculties. The team from Canada were: Dr Heather Love (Assistant Professor, English Language and Literature), Dr Naila Keleta-Mae (Dorothy Killam Fellow, Canada Research Chair, Associate Professor), Dr Christopher Taylor (Associate Vice President, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism) and Professor Paul Ugor (Professor, English Language and Literature).