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J. F. Ade Aj ay i is a distinguished Nigerian professor of History who needs little or no introduction in any part of the world. A pioneer that is always at work providing drumbeats for community dance, can hardly save himself from the rigours of a prominent life. With over a hundred academic papers, monographs and books on African Studies, published and extensively referred to in various parts of the world, Ade Ajayi has, no doubt, achieved the status of a pioneer-drummer in the conceptualization and movement of African Studies.
At 71, the Professor is still deeply involved in research on Africa. It is a honour to the editorial team of the Journal of Cultural Studies (JCS) to have him reflect on some aspects of his life and career in an interview he granted to Uduopegeme J. Yakubu and Patrick Oloko. We hope that the conversation would provide some positive knowledge and inspiration for the community of African intellectuals, especially the younger generation.
JCS: Sir, could you tell us a little about your background.
ADEAJAYI: I believe that one's ideas and development come from, at least, three different sources. One is the upbringing - both at home and at school. The second is one's career. The third is one's conception and ideas about God. What I would want to stress is the kind of home in which one was raised. Looking back, I can claim that I must have been quite privileged because I remember the home as often full of people, people milling around and generally being appreciative. If there had been any major hostilities, I would have felt it. The kind of family setting in which one grew up is quite important. My father was a sort of pioneer. His elder brother who was a tailor met some christians in Lokoja, became a christian, and later influenced his younger brother with the desire to go to school. He encouraged my father to leave home and look for teachers around who could assist him. So my father started following one missionary after another. Eventually, he completed the equivalent of primary six. But the curious thing was that this brother who was his mentor died just before he completed his primary education. In those days,...