…this is a city of very interesting people. You meet them in public buses, the covered market that looked like the Oyingbo market of yore. The people I met prefer Leeds as laid back as it is…
THIS is a tale of a traveler, who, like birds fly from place to place in search of stories to tell and lessons to sell. The trip to Leeds started from Heathrow Airport from about 12 noon on Monday, May 20, 2024 and by 10:45 pm, Tina, the owner of the AirBnB handed me the keys to the room I was to stay until Friday.
To those who know about the pain of moving around, I shall spare you the details, but I need to put it on the records that were it not for that Nigerian from Ekiti State, I would still be somewhere in Leeds searching for my accommodation. How I wish he trusted me with his details so I could send to people of Ekiti to thank him for me. In any case, he was the God-sent guide to help me navigate the public transport system (more on that later).
IF like me you travel from Florida to the unreliable weather in Europe, cold is the most reliable alarm clock you need. I was forced to wake up on Tuesday, bright and early to locate the venue of the conference. The first person I met later told me her name was Elinor and that she had come to interview for a job as a Program Manager. She had no idea where I could locate the Center for African Studies. She wished me well and went her merry way.
As a typical Lagos Boy, I knew if you ask those who look like elites, and got no response, just go in search of the janitors. It was with that native GPS that I found Sophia and Margeret. They were so generous with their time, but it yielded very little. As luck would have it, a lady in a hurry for another appointment on campus directed me to Parkingson Hall. After a few consultations with the hidden gods in computers, the student at the reception directed me to a building I had passed by on arrival. At the reception, I met Ms. Lorriane. Ask her any question about happenings around, she was bound to know or know someone who may know. Who does not like repositories of knowledge like her? So, I returned at every opportunity to ask about what the name of the building stands for. “Nexus is on the university grounds but does not belong to the university,” she said.
A little search revealed that the building is “an innovation and enterprise center designed to connect businesses with the university’s expertise.” Furthermore, the Nexus Building is situated on the southern edge of the University of Leeds campus, close to Leeds city center and major transport links, making it easily accessible for businesses and collaborators.
Any wonder that the first sessions of the African week were located right in the bowels of the structure?
The week started with “Africa in Yorkshire, and Yorkshire in Africa.” Every participant had a tough choice, either to join scholars interested in African studies or those interested in Black Female Academics’ Network. No prize for guessing that I followed the trail that led to where Professor Jok Madut Jok of Syracuse University in upstate New York was reflecting on “Exploring African Studies: Understanding its evolution and contributions.” There would be need for pages upon pages to write about the presenter but let it be on record that to walk his talk, he founded an all-girls school in South Sudan but had to allow boys to be admitted later. One thing is sure; the Yorkshire African Studies Network has come to stay.
The poetic voice could not be held back, and words came flowing;
The blessings of Africa from the prayers of her children. They came from Bradford like the days of yore when the Bedford Lorry in a hurry brought parents to the cities…
We are the new cities set upon a hill, each of us with a bucket full of stories. Though we tell the tales in borrowed tongues and dance to beats played by foreign instruments. We are still Africans in our diversity and that affinity that ropes us gets tighter with each click. We are children of the continent once defined by calamities…
THE next day, Wednesday, the sessions moved on to the impressive Esther Simpson building, the main venue of the Africa Week. The building, as we learned, is part of a multi-million-pound expansion project: it is the third phase of a larger initiative to develop new facilities for LUBS and the School of Law. It was here from May 22 to 25, that a gathering and fellowship of minds from different disciplines traded ideas. Each of the invited speakers and participants came with lorry loads of ideas, some to trade ideas, others to buy new ideas. They sat together, ate together and even sang together on the last day. On the last day, Bob Marley’s voice filled the hall and later Fela Anikulapo’s Afrobeat brought out different dancing steps. Africa, as usual, was again on the menu, participants asked questions about the state of research ethics; about how research in minds and labs are given wings. The participants were challenged by three keynote speakers; Luis Franheschi, P. L. O Lumumba, Veronica Pickeringand. The title professor preceded their names and like academic generals they marshaled points from notes and their hidden treasures.
UNIVERSITY towns are like open books to be read on foot. These are places that delight the soul of photographers. So let me take you around the city where the University of Leeds is located. As Yoruba people are wont to say, a visitor navigates the way with ears and eyes. Let the tongue of history lead us on these hallowed grounds. It is said that there are two main universities in Leeds: the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University. There might be other institutions depending on what you consider a “university” (e.g., colleges offering some degrees).
University of Leeds (1831): Founded as the Yorkshire College of Medicine; it later became a university in 1904. Its focus on sciences and medicine might have been a response to the needs of the Industrial Revolution and Leeds’ growing importance as a center for industry and trade. The other university is Leeds Beckett University founded in 1967. It was originally known as Leeds Polytechnic; it gained university status in 1992. Its roots lie in technical and vocational education, which could have been established to address the need for skilled workers in Leeds’ growing industrial base.
In essence, the universities might have been founded to serve different purposes: University of Leeds: Focus on academic research and professions like medicine. Leeds Beckett University lays emphasis on practical skills and vocational training. Do I need to drop names like Professors Wole Soyinka or Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o as a few of the African ambassadors of this university?
AS a first-time visitor, I am allowed to say this is a city of very interesting people. You meet them in public buses, the covered market that looked like the Oyingbo market of yore. The people I met prefer Leeds as laid back as it is. For instance, I met a couple, probably in their 80s. They said they have seen the place grow from non-franchise stores to brands of all sorts. During the less than 20-minute ride, I was informed that the traditional meal here is… did you say chips & fish? Yes, that is correct. In fact, they said there are training schools where residents go to learn how to make good fish & chips. I hope your mind is not thinking that these are schools that last for weeks.
AS the double-decker bus meandered its way across town we came about a sign that reads H. M Leeds Prison. In case you come across Leeds Prison housed in what looks like a Castle, please do not ask to be taken there. It is a prison and prisons are for… fill in the gap. Leeds, as I was told, was a center for trading wool. They even suggested that I visit Saltaire before I leave the city. After all, with a day pass of £4:50, I could make it there and back without breaking a bank.
If you ask me nicely, I may tell you about the retiree who dyed her hair in what she called the Electric Blue… electric what? I may be wrong to say that Leeds is filled with eclectic personalities. Those I came across were in different shades and spoke with tongues that challenged my linguistic competence. I was also reminded that this is the city where Nigerian Community Leeds (NCL) has taken root. If you trace this cultural organisation to their website, Mr Ben Izuagie, the Chairman’s textual voice would let you know that connecting Nigerian communities is his passion.
Least I forget, I asked the couple about the football club in Leeds… hmmm it is a club named Leeds United, they chorused. It was clear from that response that they were no fans of the club and I knew next to nothing about the team, so out of the window any talk about EPL went!
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Another day at the Leeds Africa Week!
LET us just say that Leeds is leading the way in how conferences should be organised. How on God’s earth did they manage? The university even hired a bus to transport participants who could afford high-end hotels in Harrogate, to the venues. Compare this treatment to what we went through last year, the University of Cologne charged almost $435 for a mere talkshop I am yet to feel its impact on the African continent. Yet again come June 20 or so, SOAS is charging $334 for a mere two-day conference in Central London. The answer is not blowing in the wind but can be located in professional conference organisers who now run the show on behalf of academics.
So can someone help me here, why is Leeds not charging participants anything. They even made colorful bags, and provided tasty coffee and cookies. I need to know the secret of this university; it must be one of the last ones standing where you do not have to break the bank to share your knowledge.
Lest I forget, the interim Vice Chancellor was also in attendance, and I saw him with my own eyes signing certificates presented to the various speakers. It was not just a case of Leeds VC in attendance, the Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Professor Lawrence Ezemonye was also present. He had a lot to share on different subjects on research, university administration, and partnership and; each time people listened with rapt attention.
Dr. Kendi Guantai, the livewire of the Africa week narrated a brief story about how the title of one of the panels came into existence. She had visited the office of the VC of Igbinedion University before the conference and behind the VC was a boldly written sign; “Excellence”; and that was how the discussion of “Reframing Excellence” came into being.
On that same panel was Professor Kenneth Matengu, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia. What may not be known to most folks on the continent of Africa is that much is being done to produce career-ready graduates. Some universities now have experts from industries review their curricula and even have offices in such universities. The future may not be too clear, but it is bright. I say it again, Leeds leads the way!
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The final day… Day 4:
SO, what happened today in town and within the conference walls?
The gathering ended on an innovative note, one I have never experienced before. The writer in residence, Ms Khadijah Ibrahiim, was made to reflect on the three days and she did a fantastic job of it. Before her poetic ameboism, Professor Veronica Moraa Pickering, His Majesty Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire narrated her life’s journey. She started from when she was age 6 when speaking in English was a challenge, until she turned 50 and decided to go back to school to train as a coach. When you hear stories such as hers and that of the present Lord Mayor of Leeds, H.E Abigail Marshall Katung, you will be motivated and believe that there is a force higher than humans in the direction of lives. So are leaders made or born?
Since I have become a big boy now, I can confess that I walked in late for the first session on Policy for Progress, chaired by the ever-boisterous Brendon Nicholls, the Director of Leeds University Center for African Studies (LUCAS).
In any case, I still met remnants of the discussion between Dr. Beate Knight of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Professor Juliet Thondhlana of the University of Nottingham. The third panelist, Dr. Akosua Barthwell, joined from Michigan, USA.
After the session, I found out that Professor Thondlana, attended the University of Florida long before I started work there in 2006!
LEAVING a venue of high mental stimulation is always bitter-sweet so I took the very short walk with Ms. Damarie Kalonzo, a PhD student of Disability Law. How would I not tell her about the field work we carried out in Kenya around 1998, I still recall the research project like yesterday.
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…Do you know Prof so and so…? Or any Nigerian at all…?
AS I end this long tale, please let me ask you a question if you do not mind. Have you ever searched for a needle in a sack of Hay? Yes, that was a task I set for myself this Friday afternoon. Oga Jahman had provided me with the name of a Nigerian in the Textile Department and since it was on the way to bus number 72, I stopped to ask if anyone knew “Professor so and so”, no luck! OK, do you know any Nigerian in this place? No way. Alright, is there any black man here, the response was the same. Well, I tried and luck and I walked different sides of the road.
I knew I had enough for the day and I set off to the Bus stop across the road. Inside the bus, I met these very young girls going out for fun on a Friday night. I asked if I could take pictures and the ones in front of me said yes, the ones behind, said not on your life and I tucked my camera in for a while. As photographers we do not win all the time.
…Leeds unlike Florida
ONE prayer on my lips from Tuesday to Friday was God can you take me away from Gainesville, Florida where it takes 1 hour 20 minutes for another bus to arrive if you missed your bus! Here at Leeds, you did not need your sprint shoes, if you missed one bus, another would be there before Jack called Robinson. I could not imagine that there are about six different bus companies servicing this lovely town.
When God answers my prayer, you all will be the first to hear about it. Regional Transport Service (RTS) has made life difficult for those of us without cars, yet I am told that our suffering has just started. The new President of the University of Florida through his aides put the only bus service on notice that the $16 million subvention has a clean knife on its neck. RTS has promised to do what it does best, cut services and make life a little hell for those without cars and scooters.
…Leeds and I forever in love
AS I packed my things heading for another conference, Leeds would always be on my mind, the planners, the participants, the cleaners and the fundraiser who made this Africa week possible deserve nothing but medals.
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