News & Media

The 12th Es’kia Mphahlele Annual Memorial Lecture

Approved for Public Release
Date: Wednesday, 01 September 2021 

This year marks the 13-year anniversary of the death of renowned writer, educationalist, activist and one of the founding figures of modern African Literature, Professor Es’kia Mphahlele. In commemoration of this icon, the University of South Africa (Unisa) will be hosting its 12th Es’kia Mphahlele Annual Memorial Lecture on Friday, 03 September 2021 at 18:00 in the ZK Matthews Great Hall, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building, Muckleneuck Campus, Preller Street, Pretoria.

This year’s lecture will be delivered by a prominent academic, a critical thinker and pan Africanist, Professor Adebayo O. Olukoshi under the topic “The Responsibility of the African Scholar in a Season of Anomie: Hearkening to the Voice of Eskia Mphahlele” 

Prof Olukoshi is a Director for African West Asia, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and was a member of the African Union Assessment Panel and Chair of the Board of several Think Tanks, including European Centre for Development Policy Management and Open Society Initiative for West Africa. He also previously served as Director of the UN African Institute for Economic Development and Planning, as Executive Director of the Africa Governance Institute, as Executive Secretary of the Council for Development of Social Science Research in Africa, as Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs; Senior Research Fellow/Research Programme Coordinator of the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, and Senior Programme Staff at the South Centre in Geneva. 

Prof Olukoshi has more than 35 years of experience in the area of international relations, governance and human rights, both in the academic sector and in intergovernmental institutions. 

Due to restrictions placed on the number of people allowed for indoor gatherings, only television crew will be accommodated physically at the venue, whereas other members of the media are requested to follow and cover the proceedings virtually.

To join the lecture please connects via the following link: https://rapidq.co.za/dashboard/#/register/2287/0/1    

Please click here to see the attached programme for the Memorial Lecture.    

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Last modified: Sun Jul 30 14:11:11 SAST 2023