Adebanwi’s an African gem, role model-Buhari

Dr Wale Adebanwi

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Nigerian author and scholar, Wale Adebanwi, on his appointment as Rhodes Professor in Race Relations at the School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, describing him as an African gem and role model who has brought honour and respect to the continent.

Buhari, in a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) on Saturday said as the first black African scholar to be appointed to the endowed Chair since it was created more than 60 years ago, Prof. Adebanwi’s sharp intellect and distinguished learning was worthy of emulation by other young Nigerians.

The statement said the President, who has maintained a keen interest in the soaring profile of the scholar right from his early years in journalism in Nigeria to a lecturer in the University of Ibadan, was delighted to see him achieve this much very early in his life.

“At just 47 years, President Buhari notes that young Africans like Adebanwi are showing the wit, steadfastness, creative energy and astuteness of renowned African writers and intellectuals such as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, John Pepper Clark and Abubakar Imam who put the continent on the world’s knowledge map.

“He is a source of pride and inspiration to Black Africa as a whole. President Buhari wishes the distinguished scholar more notable successes as he clinches laurel upon laurel on his steady rise as a scholar of international distinction,” the statement said.

-Kazeem Ugbodaga