Boss Of The Week

Maya Angelou: An Enigma Never to Be Forgotten

Published

5 years ago

December 14, 2019

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Character is a virtue, and only a few can boast of it in overflowing quantity. One of such few is celebrated poet and human rights activist whose stock in trade dovetails into many endeavours, Maya Angelou.

Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, as the second child of Bailey Johnson and Vivian (Baxter) Johnson, Maya Angelou was many things woven in one. In fact, even in death which occurred on May 28, 2014, her personality still occupies a large space in the heart of humanity and the society.

As a growing child, Maya was very attached to her brother, owing to an extent the ‘calamitous marriage’ between their parents. In fact, it was her brother, who fondly nicknamed her Maya, derived from ‘My’ or ‘Mya Sister’

Angelou’s ability to face the storms developed early in life and manifested as she grew up. At a age of three when her parents marriage ended, she was forced to travel by train in the company of her brother, who was just four to Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson.

Summarising her life in a brief, Linguist John McWhorter in The New Republic wrote: “And Angelou’s life has certainly been a full one: from the hardscrabble Depression era South to pimp, prostitute, supper club chanteuse, performer in Porgy and Bess, coordinator for Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, journalist in Egypt and Ghana in the heady days of decolonization, comrade of Malcolm X, and eyewitness to the Watts riots. She knew King and Malcolm, Billie Holiday, and Abbey Lincoln.”

She was an accomplished American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist, who has seven published autobiographies to her credit, in addition to three books of essays, several books of poetry, as well as a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years.

In her lifetime, Angelou received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees., and is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim. Here is a stanza from the poem:

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,
When he beats his bars and would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings –
I know why the caged bird sings.

The poem, considered a defense of black culture, shot her to limelight, and she became a respected spokesperson for black people and women. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes such as racism, identity, family and travel.

A workaholic of great standard, from the 1990s, Angelou made around 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Angelou’s goods works live behind her, and she has been honoured in many quarters including the establishment of the Maya Angelou Project, which her grandson, superintend over as the President.

In one swift eulogy, the HEN Foundation, joined millions of the world population in bringing the memories of the one who could easily be referred as a legend to life. In his address, the Founder of the Foundation, Mr. Jimmy O. Eniola spared no words in describing the personality of Angelou. The excerpt of his address is as follows:

“I stand before you as proud humanitarian ambassador of a country that has produced the first black Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; and world-acclaimed writer, Professor Chinua Achebe, and many other academicians that have identified with the works of Madame Maya Angelou. I am delighted to inform you that our foundation is on the exciting verge of immortalizing this humanitarian icon by establishing a permanent Center in Nigeria in memory of Dr. Maya Angelou. This Center, apart from providing the opportunity for an exchange program between Nigeria and the United States, will also be a center where people can engage in research and learning on gender equality, and the evils of discrimination, human trafficking and sexual abuse. Already, we have donated some items that were hand-crafted by our empowered youth in Nigeria to The Maya Angelou Project. These include beads, handfans, necklaces, earrings and our traditional African Aso-oke fabrics and attires. We are proud to acknowledge that Dr. Maya Angelou’s lifetime work and cause has been a veritable source of inspiration to us at HEN Foundation. The impact and contribution of Dr. Maya Angelou’s on the African continent can never be overestimated. You will all recall that she spent a substantial part of her life engaging in the Pan-African Movement in both Egypt and Ghana. Today we are proud to admit that her work has impacted positively on the lives of millions of African citizens,” Eniola said.

HEN Foundation was founded as a memorial to Eniola’s late mother, with the objectives of empowering the needy with basic healthcare and access to basic education.

Among its many humanitarian jobs, the Foundation has made over 500 pupils in a public primary and secondary school in Nigeria beneficiaries of HEN Foundation’s Mathematics Skill Pilot Program. Additionally, over 800 students in the inner city of Lagos State, Nigeria, benefited from the free University entry forms and free tutorial classes for the University Matriculation Examination.

Also, in 2017, HEN Foundation conducted a free Cancer Screening Exercise for over 1,000 patients, in collaboration with the University of Ibadan Cancer Research Center and the Femi Gbajabiamila Foundation at the Akerele Healthcare Center, Surulere, Lagos, at which valuable medical equipment was donated to both the cancer research center and the healthcare center. Only three days ago, a program in Nigeria to mark the International Girl’s Day was supported by Hen Foundation with the announcement of educational scholarships for three students. The Foundation is busy following the basic footsteps of Maya Angelou.

Highly soft and kind-hearted, Maya Angelou found it in her heart not only to weep on the death of one who raped her as a teenager but lost her voice in the process. She is quoted as saying: “If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.”

A writer, Gary Younge, in 2009 revealed that “To know her life story is to simultaneously wonder what on earth you have been doing with your own life and feel glad that you didn’t have to go through half the things she has.”

Much as she faced the greatest of challenges, she made the best of life, and came out victorious. Her life therefore, is a challenge to as many who thinks they have reached their tethers end; those who think they have suffered a lot and even those who lingering between redundancy and taking a step.

Angelou was married to Tosh Angelos in 1951, but the marriage ended in 1954. She had a son when she was 17 named Glyde. But he changed his name to Guy Johnson later. w

In 2013, at the age of 85, Angelou published the seventh volume of autobiography in her series, titled Mom & Me & Mom, which focuses on her relationship with her mother.

Here are a few of the quotes Angelou is known for:

I make writing as much a part of my life as I do eating or listening to music –1999

I also wear a hat or a very tightly pulled head tie when I write. I suppose I hope by doing that I will keep my brains from seeping out of my scalp and running in great gray blobs down my neck, into my ears, and over my face – 1984

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

Nothing so frightens me as writing, but nothing so satisfies me. It’s like a swimmer in the [English] Channel: you face the stingrays and waves and cold and grease, and finally you reach the other shore, and you put your foot on the ground—Aaaahhhh! –1989

Angelou died on the morning of May 28, 2014. She was found by her nurse. During her memorial service at Wake Forest University, her son Guy Johnson stated that despite being in constant pain due to her dancing career and respiratory failure, she wrote four books during the last ten years of her life. He said, “She left this mortal plane with no loss of acuity and no loss in comprehension.”

Angelou is survived by her son, Guy, one grandson and two great grandchildren among a host of world followers, who call her mother and follow her exemplary footsteps.

Boss Of The Week

A Close Up on Ghana’s New Vice President, Jane Opoku Agyemang

Published

3 days ago

January 12, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The return of Dr. John Dramani Mahama as the President of Ghana on January 7, 2025 after a resounding victory at the polls on December 7, 2024, set the stage for the emergence the country’s first female Vice President and the West Africa Sub-region’s second, in the person of Mrs Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang. Mrs. Jewel Howard-Taylor of Liberia, who left office recently, is West Africa’s first female Vice President.

Before running the presidential race with Dr Mahama, Opoku-Agyemang has distinguished herself as a seasoned administrator, high profile academia, politician of repute and prolific manager of men and materials. Those had given her a bragging right, and placed her on top mention for Mahama’s choice of running mate, and presently, the vice president of one of West Africa’s most recognised country.

Undaunted, Opoku-Agyemang had overcome the disappointment of the December 2020 presidential race, which she ran with her principal, and lost, to try again in 2024, and won on the same NDC party ticket. She is a highly persistent woman, who is desirous of achieving the best for her country.She is deservedly celebrated for breaking barriers, and achieving historic milestones in Ghanaian academia and politics.

The Wikipedia captured her trajectory as follows:

An ethnic Fante, Opoku-Agyemang was born on 22 November 1951 in Cape Coast, Ghana as Jane Naana Sam. She attended Anglican Girls’ School at Koforidua and Aburi Presby Girls’ School. She then had her secondary education at the Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971. She completed B.Ed.(Hons) in English and French at the University of Cape Coast in 1977. She earned a Diploma in Advanced Studies in French from the University of Dakar and obtained her master’s degree and Doctorate degrees from YorkUniversity in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and 1986 respectively.

Opoku-Agyemang taught and worked at the University of Cape Coast, starting in 1986. She has held various academic positions including: Head of the Department of English, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Warden of Adehye Hall, Valco Trust Fund Post-Graduate Hostel, and the Founding Dean of School of Graduate Studies and Research. From 1997, she has held the position of Academic Director of the School for International Training in the History and Cultures of the African Diaspora. From 2008 to 2012 she was the university’s Vice Chancellor. She assumed duty on 1 October 2008, succeeding Emmanuel Addow-Obeng.In March 2007, she was one of five scholars selected to deliver presentations during the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

In October 2009, she was elected Ghana’s representative to the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Ahead of the 2012 general elections, Jane Opoku Agyemang moderated the debate with Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

On 26 October 2018, she became Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa located in Zimbabwe.

She has served on many local and international boards and committees such as the Centre for Democratic Governance, (CDD-Ghana), the editorial board of the Harriet Tubman Series on the African Diaspora (Africa World Press Inc. USA), the Africa Initiative in Canada, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons as an Eminent Citizen.

Opoku-Agyemang is an author. Her focus areas includes Literature with a focus on Women from Ghana, Oral literature in Ghana and Africa, Communication Skills and Issues in the African Diaspora. As an academic she has written and published in scholarly journals and presented articles at various conferences including at the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and at the Inaugural Lecture to the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In 2015, as Education Minister, she published and launched a five volumes collection of published folktales titled ‘Who told the most incredible story?”’

Between February 2013 and January 2017 she served as the Minister of Education after she was appointed by President John Mahama to serve in that role after the National Democratic Congress had won the 2012 Ghanaian general election.During her tenure, she spearheaded several transformative reforms aimed at improving the quality, inclusivity, and accessibility of education across the country. One of her significant achievements was the introduction of the Inclusive Education Policy in 2015. This landmark policy aimed to ensure that children with special needs could access quality education alongside their peers, promoting equal opportunities and inclusivity in Ghana’s education system.

A key focus area during her tenure was empowering girls and advocating for gender equity in education. Her leadership drove the implementation of policies that tackled gender disparities, promoted higher female enrolment and retention rates, and empowered girls through education. Her initiatives played a pivotal role in creating more inclusive opportunities for young women across Ghana.

Additionally, she led the conversion of 10 polytechnics across the regions into technical universities, a bold initiative that elevated the status of these institutions, broadening their academic scope and enhancing vocational education. This reform was instrumental in aligning Ghana’s educational framework with global trends, equipping students with practical skills for a competitive job market.

During her tenure, Opoku-Agyemang initiated the construction of 124 Community Day Senior High Schools, known as “E-Blocks,” to improve access to secondary education in underserved areas. By the end of her term, 50 schools were completed and operational, providing modern facilities such as science laboratories, libraries, and ICT centres. This initiative significantly expanded educational opportunities, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities, and underscored her commitment to addressing disparities in access to quality education.

Opoku-Agyemang oversaw the completion of key infrastructure at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho, including the School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, a hostel block, and staff accommodation at its Sokode campus. The university was inaugurated by President John Dramani Mahama in November 2015, underscoring the government’s commitment to expanding access to quality higher education and supporting the training of health professionals to address national healthcare needs.

She also played a critical role in establishing the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in the Eastern Region. She facilitated the passage of the enabling Bill in Parliament and secured funding for the university. In December 2016, President John Mahama officially cut the sod for the construction of the UESD’s Somanya campus.

Vice presidential campaign

Opoku-Agyemang was selected as the presidential running mate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on 6 July 2020 for Ghana’s December 2020 General elections. She became the first female running mate of the two major political parties in Ghana. Her selection by the flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress was applauded by women groups and women activists as a positive sign to the Ghanaian political scene to promote gender balance and equality.

She appealed to Ghanaians to vote for change and promised to use her office as vice president to influence sustainable development and practical youth-centred policies. Her campaign message was devoid of attacks on opponents. Her intensive campaign in the coastal communities and her home region, the Central Region yielded results as the NDC won most of the constituencies they had lost in 2016. The NDC also won 9 out of the 16 regions in Ghana including the major battleground, Greater Accra.

The NDC National Executive Committee, on 7 March 2024, officially endorsed Opoku-Agyemang again as the running mate for the party’s flagbearer, ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Opoku-Agyemang became the vice president–elect after Mahama won the 2024 presidential election.

On 7 January 2025, Opoku-Agyemang was sworn in as the Vice President of Ghana, becoming the first female to hold the office. The ceremony took place at Independence Square in Accra, where she took the Oath of Allegiance and the Vice President’s Oath before Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. Her appointment marked a significant moment in Ghana’s political history, as she became the first woman to assume the role of Vice President in the country’s history.

Opoku-Agyemang is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, University Teachers Association of Ghana, English Studies Association, African Studies Association, United States, African Literature Association, United States and International Fulbright Scholars Association, Commonwealth of Learning amongst others.

Opoku Agyemang is a Christian who worships as a Methodist.She was married to fellow academic, Edmund Opoku-Agyemang and together they have three children, Kweku Opoku-Agyemang, Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang and Maame Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang. She also has two grandchildren.

Opoku-Agyemang has been honoured with honorary degrees from the University of the West Indies and Winston-Salem University. She has also received an award for Global leadership from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She received the Officer of the Order of the Volta award for Academic Distinction in 2011 by President John Atta Mills and Ghana Women of Excellence Award in the Education category due her contribution to the development and promotion of quality education in Ghana. She was acknowledged for Outstanding Performance in Advancing International Education, School for International Training, Vermont, USA on two occasions.

In 2020, she was named among the 40 Most Inspirational Female Leaders in Ghana for serving as a role model for women in Ghana and in Africa. In January 2023, she was listed among the 100 most reputable Africans.

It is believed that her antecedents and wholesale performances in all the offices she had previously held, will come to bear as she studiously assists Mahama to reignite the 24hour economy he is known for.

Boss Of The Week

The Real Slay Queen: Meet UniAbuja’s New VC, Aisha Maikudi

Published

1 week ago

January 5, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The academic environment, or to be more specific, the ivory tower, thrives on quality, capacity, intelligence and ability to think out of the box. It is further complicated when to become a vice Chancellor, one has to be above board, be the ultimate cetris paribus and have the never-say-never attitude to get things done.

These are the qualities, and more that propelled 41-year-old Professor of International Law, at the University of Abuja, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, to the height of administration head of the institution as the Vice Chancellor.

Just into her fourth decade as a human being, Aisha has come of age, smashing the proverbial glass ceiling, and hitting stardom where it was least expected. She is the real slay queen, endowed with beauty, brains and absolute intelligence.

A profile of her personality published on the university site, noted that for her to assume the incumbency of the University administration, Aisha has arrived, seen and conquered, creating room of encouragement, inspiration and desire among the young ones, especially the female folks, who look up to her. She is an enigma.

The profile reads as follows:

Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, a distinguished scholar and professor of International Law at the University of Abuja is from Katsina State, Nigeria. She began her educational journey at Sacred Heart School, Kaduna, where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in 1993. She proceeded to Queens College, Yaba, Lagos, earning her West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1999, her LLB degree from the University of Reading, UK, the LLM from the London School of Economics, UK, BL from the Nigeria Law School, Abuja and Ph.D from the University of Abuja, Nigeria.

Maikudi’s academic excellence took her to the University of Reading, where she earned an LLB in 2004. She further specialised in Public International Law, obtaining an LLM from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2005. After completing her legal education at the Nigerian Law School (2006–2007). In 2007, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi did her National Youth Service Corps at the Corporate Secretariat and Legal Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. She pursued and had a PhD in International Law from the University of Abuja in 2015.

She joined the University of Abuja as a Lecturer II on 4th September 2008, and rose through the ranks to become a professor in 2021.

Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi broke barriers as the first female and youngest Head of Department in 2013, the first female Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law in 2018, and the pioneer Director of the University of Abuja International Centre in 2019. She also served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), where she was instrumental in enhancing academic standards and promoting a culture of excellence at the University.

To date, she is the youngest Professor of the University of Abuja and indeed Nigeria, as well as the first female Professor of Law in the North West and the University of Abuja. She specializes in United Nations Law, backed by extensive research and numerous publications in academic journals and book chapters. Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi floated a Postgraduate course on United Nations Law and has supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate theses and dissertations, contributing to the growth of legal scholarship. She has also taught Company Law for over 12 years and is well versed in its mechanics.

Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi has represented her university and country at numerous national and international conferences, workshops, and training sessions across the UK, US, South Africa, Germany, Italy, China, Ghana, and Egypt. She has presented papers at many of these events, further solidifying her global reputation as an academic leader.

She is an active member of several professional organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Law Teachers Association (NLTA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and Nigerian Society of International Law.

Aisha is married with children.

Boss Of The Week

Behold the New Bobagunwa of Osogboland, Igbalaye Teslim Adekunle

Published

3 weeks ago

December 24, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The constantly improved city of Osogbo was agog weekend when the Secretary to the Government of the Osun State, Igbalaye Teslim Adekunle, was installed as the Bobagunwa of Osogboland, replacing his late father, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Igbalaye, who was the pioneer Bobagunwa of Osogbo.

The installation of Teslim Adekunle mark the continuation of visionary leadership, a legacy built on profound patriotism and a relentless commitment to the progress of people of Osogbo in particular, and Osun State in general.

The occasion, a combination of pomp, grace, culture and class, drew together the who is who in Osun, West and national politics to the land that bustles with melodious springs.

This venue was the royal palace of Ataoja of Osogbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji (Larooye II), who presided over the ceremony, and had the singular honour of conferring the prestigious feather on the new Bobagunwa.

As early as the first light of the d-day, guests from all corners and walks of life, some, who had arrived the day before, began trooping into the colorful premises of the palace with giant billboards showcasing the about to be installed Bobagunwa and the royal father.

From afar as well as near, dignitaries including traditional rulers, government officials, captains of industries, entertainment buffs, students organisations, community groups, youths and the general public, all converge to witness the glory of a man many believe is a force to reckon with, in both community relations and political administration.

Among notable names present were the Osun state Governor, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke; the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi; former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinola; former Osun state Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and her husband; Oba Abolarin Adedokun, Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewole Egbedun; Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Akinyode Abidemi Oyewusi; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, Senator representing Osun West Senatorial District, Sen. Lere Oyewunmi, Senator representing Osun Central, Sen. Olubiyi Fadeyi-Ajagunla, State PDP Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi, Former Chief of Air Marshal, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao; Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon, Mr. Oye Balogun the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade, the Timi of Ede Land, Oba Munirudeen Lawal, Hon. Adewale Morufu Adebayo, and a host of other eminent personalities.

Glad in prestigious all red traditional babariga attire, Igbalaye arrived the venue, in company of his wife, children and aides to a rousing welcome of acceptance. The team could not help but respond to the melodious sounds emanating the drums of the itinerant drummers, with corresponding dance steps.

It was not long before the Ataoja, in full view of the guests, including Governor Adeleke, performed the rites of installation, and pronounced Igbalaye, the new Bobagunwa of Osogboland to a loud applause that ricochetted across the length and breadth of Osogboland. He enjoined the new Bobagunwa to uphold tradition and its institutions, and never betray that trust of his people. He harped on the sanctity of the title, and advised the bearer to remain a beacon that he has always been.

In his response as the Bobagunwa, Teslim Adekunle, promised to extend the legacy of truthfulness, honesty, leadership and hard work as handed down by the previous Bobagunwa.

With happiness visibly showing on his face, the Bobagunwa conducted himself round the venue, exchanging pleasantries, in apparent performance of his first official duty as the stool occupier.

In his brief remarks, Governor Adeleke, known for his jovial disposition and dancing prowess, congratulated the new Bobagunwa, and task him to bring unity to not only Osogboland, but the entire Osun State and Nigeria at large. He also thanked the Ataoja for the honour his SSG, noting that the royal father has been a supporter of the administration towards delivering good governance.

The stage was practically set for music, dance and good food, and every attendee had his very full. King Sunny Ade was on hand to make that guest enjoined the best of dancing and music

According to tradition, the title of Bobagunwa is conferred upon deserving sons of the land, and carries immense prestige, aa well as comes with responsibilities.

It is those, like Teslim Adekunle, who have played a significant role in the growth and development of the city in the past, and are committed to the future development of the state in culture and tradition, infrastructure and general growth, are eligible for the honour.

Bobagunwa, a Yoruba language word, which means “to reign with the king” is a clear testament that Teslim Adekunle is qualified to be a confidant of the reigning king. And by implication, demands express commitment and dedication to the king of Osogbo, who is the Ataoja.