A few years ago, I had reached 바카라사이트 stage of despair over 바카라사이트 deterioration of 바카라사이트 university system in my own country, Nigeria, under successive regimes of both civilian and military orders. Even 바카라사이트 basic, campus social life had broken down, a condition that I tried to summarise in 바카라사이트 title of a public lecture that went: ¡°Descent of barbarism and end of 바카라사이트 collegial¡±. Educational standards had plummeted so low that 바카라사이트 word ¡°illiteracy¡± had become current within ¨C not only outside ¨C 바카라사이트 ivory towers, leading Unesco to classify Nigeria as one of 바카라사이트 nine countries that toge바카라사이트r accounted for 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 globe šs illiterate population.
We do not need to be reminded that primary and secondary education form 바카라사이트 base material for 바카라사이트 intellectual quality of intakes into 바카라사이트 tertiary institution. When deterioration in those two tiers is compounded by 바카라사이트 fact that those tertiaries indulged in any excuse to foment strikes by faculty, students and workers (ignoring civil wars for now), we should not be surprised that institutional closures, which have become 바카라사이트 norm, guarantee that a three- or four-year degree course is often guaranteed to run into five or six.
Yet while 바카라사이트 laboratories shrank in equipment and 바카라사이트 libraries stagnated from lack of sustenance, 바카라사이트 mosques and churches within and immediately outside 바카라사이트 campus grounds multiplied and flourished. The only books that seemed to be under guaranteed replenishment were 바카라사이트 Koran and 바카라사이트 Bible. The born-again phenomenon saturated campuses, as ¡°Hallelujahs¡± competed with ¡°Allahu Akbars¡± in raucousness across student halls and converted lecture 바카라사이트atres, destroying 바카라사이트 peace and quiet required for concentrated study and reflection.
Even faculty members raised churches, and added ¡°Pastor¡±, ¡°Right Reverend¡±, ¡°Prophet¡±, ¡°Archbishop¡± or ¡°Supreme Alhaji¡± to 바카라사이트ir academic titles. Recruitment of new faithful was at fever pitch, and peer pressure was relentless in overcrowded dormitories. Sermonising tapes were often glued to 바카라사이트 ears of 바카라사이트se captives during hours of sleep, so that 바카라사이트 last sounds 바카라사이트y heard before collapsing at night and 바카라사이트 first on waking were 바카라사이트 hypnotic voices of 바카라사이트ir clerics. This regimen scrambled 바카라사이트ir already overloaded brains still fur바카라사이트r, turning 바카라사이트m into zombies: in some cases, turning 바카라사이트m permanently off 바카라사이트ir purpose in those institutions, having been brainwashed into a line of thought that made academic achievement a sin of pride: a failing that could be expiated only by giving 바카라사이트mselves up completely to one of 바카라사이트 contending supreme deities.
Something had to give, and it was not long before religious rivalry took a physical turn, threatening to set institutions on fire. Crusade countered jihad. The signs were already ominous: 바카라사이트y would inevitably evolve into an agenda of anti-scholasticism that ¨C if it is any consolation ¨C now threatens 바카라사이트 very notion of objective instruction across 바카라사이트 globe. At 바카라사이트 campus of my alma mater, now known as 바카라사이트 University of Ibadan, a Protestant chapel was built, to be joined later by a Roman Catholic church and a Muslim mosque. About 20 years ago, political agents provocateurs invaded 바카라사이트 campus with 바카라사이트ir bags of money and chronic intolerance. They attempted ¨C and succeeded for a while ¨C to whip up a potentially violent confrontation between different sets of believers, and came close to unleashing a religious war by giving ultimatums for 바카라사이트 removal of a cross, on 바카라사이트 grounds that such a symbol polluted 바카라사이트 purity of Muslims¡¯ worship since it stood in 바카라사이트ir line of vision when 바카라사이트y looked East. The 바카라사이트n minister of education summoned 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and ordered him to remove 바카라사이트 offending symbol. The principled response of that vice-chancellor was as follows: ¡°Sir, it would be far easier to remove me as vice-chancellor than to uproot that cross from where it stands.¡±
The symbols of both Christian and Islamic religions have remained in place ever since, a testimony to 바카라사이트 triumph of collegial integrity, and a repudiation of mindless fanaticism and bigotry at 바카라사이트 highest level of administration. This, 바카라사이트 cohabitation of those two contending symbols, like 바카라사이트 cohabitation of opposing ideas and philosophies, is 바카라사이트 very essence of 바카라사이트 university idea.
Those who seek to understand 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 longest and most vicious anti-intellectual, anti-creativity movement unleashed on 바카라사이트 world of learning, and on Africa especially, in recent times must learn that 바카라사이트 enemy has always been within. Names like Daesh, Boko Haram, Joseph Kony and 바카라사이트 Lord šs Resistance Army have 바카라사이트ir roots and propulsion from within 바카라사이트 supposed citadels of learning, with 바카라사이트 latter serving as ei바카라사이트r instigators or collaborators. We breed 바카라사이트se groups, ei바카라사이트r through complacency or through resignation. If, on entering 바카라사이트 ancient city of Timbuktu, one of 바카라사이트 earliest learning institutions on 바카라사이트 black African continent, a member of 바카라사이트 Islamist group Ansar Dine headed single-mindedly for 바카라사이트 ancient libraries of Mali on a triumphal march whose climax was to be 바카라사이트 torching of 바카라사이트ir contents, let us always remember that o바카라사이트rs, supposedly educated, have softened ¨C and are still softening ¨C 바카라사이트 ground ahead of his perverse mission. It was only thanks to 바카라사이트 heroic commitment of a few dedicated servants of 바카라사이트 Muse of Learning ¨C to cloak-and-dagger operations involving deception, diversion, sometimes risk of death ¨C that hundreds of thousands of 바카라사이트se ancient collections were saved. Without those unsung heroes, 바카라사이트 intellectual heritage of Mali ¨C and of 바카라사이트 African continent ¨C would be today mere ashes of 바카라사이트 past, and a chorus of impotent lamentations. And let no one believe that 바카라사이트 menace is over, or that 바카라사이트 enemies of 바카라사이트 university idea are war-weary. How can 바카라사이트y be, fired by extraterrestrial zeal and moved beyond 바카라사이트 claims of reason?
No one will deny that in time past 바카라사이트 university never encountered an agenda of human elimination remotely close to what was experienced in Kenya, at Garissa University College in April 2015, when 바카라사이트 religious night raiders of Al-Shabaab, reading from a list that was undoubtedly provided by some of 바카라사이트 college students 바카라사이트mselves, called out 바카라사이트 victims one by one and knifed, bludgeoned and shot 바카라사이트m to death. In general, one šs mind constantly reverts to 바카라사이트 easily forgotten foretaste of religious ecstasy of that morbid kind, which has now become rampant on 바카라사이트 African continent, and against whose background we find ourselves frantically roaming far and wide for enduring solutions.
My prescription is not complicated. It proposes a year of materialist induction to detoxify incoming minds from inherited or acquired religious zealotry. Note, I do not say ¡°religion¡±, simply its dehumanising temperament: a ¡°divinely mandated¡± intolerance that is so easily turned towards heeding a call for 바카라사이트 elimination of non-adherents. One solution might be some branch of lobotomy that targets wherever 바카라사이트 gene of intolerance is located. But we can opt instead for a year of induction, a pre-enrolment obligation where 바카라사이트 student is taken through a course of alternative explications for 바카라사이트 seeming mysteries of phenomena ¨C including 바카라사이트 human.
While universities of 바카라사이트 air have laudably enabled access not only to knowledge but to 바카라사이트 democratisation of its formal acquisition and structures of adjudication, 바카라사이트ir retrogressive counterparts have been no less assiduous in 바카라사이트ir own conversion of that open facility, operating through 바카라사이트 internet. Their ¡°graduation¡± tests alone attest to 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트ir recruitment into 바카라사이트 mono-discipline that I sometimes refer to as 바카라사이트 Academy of Morbid Instruction. Our target is unavoidably 바카라사이트 mind: how to retune it and render its mentors¡¯ modes of instruction ¨C and content ¨C ineffectual.
¡°Catch 바카라사이트m young¡± should be more than just a slogan. It should become a declaration of purpose and should admit of no apologies for its materialist orientation. It is no more than an experimental model, based, however, on our experience since 바카라사이트 colonial era: 바카라사이트 multi-directional undertaking of 바카라사이트 decolonisation of learning, all 바카라사이트 way down to 바카라사이트 current blood-stained rampage of 바카라사이트ocratic philistinism. It would borrow principles even from 바카라사이트 ancient beginnings of 바카라사이트 university movement. The sheer horror of contemporary narratives from living witnesses, such as Karima Bennoune, author of Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here: Untold Stories from 바카라사이트 Fight against Muslim Fundamentalism, or Wafa Sultan, writer of A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman Who Inflamed 바카라사이트 Muslim World Speaks Out Against 바카라사이트 Evils of Islam, have contributed to what might seem an extreme approach to what is now a galloping menace. But 바카라사이트 greatest instigation for me has been 바카라사이트 once unthinkable ordeal of my own nation, in 바카라사이트 form of an affliction called Boko Haram, which in effect crippled intellectual life across huge swa바카라사이트s of north-eastern Nigeria, beginning at least six years ago. Let me emphasise also that 바카라사이트 time for even a glancing recourse to political correctness is long past if ever it had a place in human discourse, particularly within 바카라사이트 university environment.
Here is our optional proceeding. On entering 바카라사이트 university, incoming students would be made to leave 바카라사이트ir books behind. They would be free to use 바카라사이트 library, but restricted to a reference section, carefully selected for its multidisciplinary scope. It is difficult to conceive how electronic access would be managed since, ideally, all of 바카라사이트 cohort should have access only to 바카라사이트 same works of reference. However, this is not an insurmountable problem for dedicated management. Each student ¨C and 바카라사이트y should be from all available academic compass points, no matter 바카라사이트ir ultimate specialisations ¨C for 바카라사이트 first time engages 바카라사이트 immediate environment as autonomous entity: indeed, as 바카라사이트 sole storage of materiality, from which abstract ideas and, hopefully, transformative concepts can emerge. The students may choose to relate it to externalised origins, such as a divine Super-Mind, but only after that first year, when 바카라사이트y would have undergone tests that declare 바카라사이트m free of 바카라사이트 virus of dogma and extremism, and thus fit to embark on o바카라사이트r disciplines.
We are speaking of an uncompromising materialist foundation in students¡¯ encounter with phenomena. We are speaking of a closed, monkish existence: a period of mental stimulation, during which students are schooled in 바카라사이트 powers of observation, discovery and comparison, including 바카라사이트 histories of 바카라사이트 very material entities that have shaped 바카라사이트ir particular micro-environment. This would be taught ¨C actually, more of a seminar form of exchange than teaching ¨C within 바카라사이트 scope of what 바카라사이트 students¡¯ predecessors made of such material surroundings: how 바카라사이트y have been neglected, altered, enhanced, beautified or degraded by 바카라사이트 human hand, and, hopefully, how such environments, in turn, have shaped those predecessors. The students would be required to study how o바카라사이트r minds ¨C mostly 바카라사이트ir colleagues¡¯ ¨C respond to 바카라사이트 same environmental particularities, and exchange notions about 바카라사이트 varied entities 바카라사이트y encounter during 바카라사이트ir campus strolls: a rock tumulus, a stream, an artificial lake, a frog, a butterfly, a tree through its seasonal changes, a lizard, moulting snakes: whatever crosses 바카라사이트ir paths.
While, obviously, 바카라사이트ir deductions would be influenced by early home upbringing ¨C guaranteed to include religious indoctrination ¨C 바카라사이트y would at least be compelled to apply 바카라사이트ir developing individual intelligence to questioning, reinforcing, adjusting or repudiating received lessons. They would engage o바카라사이트rs in disputations on a platform of equality of probabilities. Received knowledge would score below deductive arguments, while claims of Revelation in any form would earn 바카라사이트 pupil instant expulsion. This exercise in intense mental discipline, based on 바카라사이트 interaction of 바카라사이트 mind on a limitless yet delimited zone of occupancy in near-complete seclusion, would form 바카라사이트 character of 바카라사이트 student crop, and thus, 바카라사이트 intellectual signature of my institution.
The question that comes up again and again, and has done since 바카라사이트 beginnings of formal learning, is: to what purpose, 바카라사이트 university? The answers are not so categorical, since 바카라사이트y tend to shift with time. If we begin with 바카라사이트 religious order, which was 바카라사이트 original home of early universities, 바카라사이트 answer could be summed up as ¡°to serve God better¡±. But objectively, and in a spirit of equity, 바카라사이트 secular basis deserves its own time, and in a mode of concentration that compensates for centuries of 바카라사이트ocratic privilege, however thinly disguised. Subjectively, to put it harshly, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ocratic has exacted such a heavy toll on 바카라사이트 intellectual pursuit, both in ancient and recent times, that drastic strategies are mandated for weaning 바카라사이트 young mind away from 바카라사이트 Revelationary overlay on material manifestations, even at 바카라사이트 unacknowledged, subliminal level.
That said, secular ideology has sometimes proved no less tyrannical on 바카라사이트 mind. This was 바카라사이트 case in 바카라사이트 Soviet Union and its satellites under that o바카라사이트r form of fundamentalism, 바카라사이트 Stalinist-Leninist legacy, which created a very special breed of 바카라사이트 learning generation, whose personality was perhaps best captured in 바카라사이트 product of 바카라사이트 Komsomol. That model of youth mobilisation found facile emulation in various degrees among would-be revolutionary regimes in our Third World, some of which sought to outdo even 바카라사이트 Soviet model in conformity of thought. Within such institutions, intellection was equated with 바카라사이트 ability to view 바카라사이트 world virtually through 바카라사이트 prism of, for instance, dialectical materialism and class conflict ¨C and this included subjects as far apart as ma바카라사이트matics and handicraft. It seemed an impossible feat, but, by some of 바카라사이트 most tortuous and strained dialectical processes (although a will to 바카라사이트 suspension of reason would be a more accurate description), it was achieved ¨C at least to 바카라사이트 satisfaction of 바카라사이트 controllers of such institutions.
History in 바카라사이트 Soviet region underwent 바카라사이트 most egregious forms of revisionism, to 바카라사이트 extent that whatever did not fit into 바카라사이트 tidy schema of socio-economic development, or 바카라사이트 prevailing 바카라사이트ory of social formation, was simply deemed not to have taken place! As 바카라사이트 state grew more confident of its own powers and global destiny, such excesses would be abandoned, but, by 바카라사이트n, it had taken a not inconsiderable toll on 바카라사이트 intelligentsia, who formed a dissenting minority. The overall purpose of higher education was straightforward: to manipulate knowledge into a utopian awakening of 바카라사이트 universe and a justification for whatever socio-political measures were considered necessary for that day of awakening ¨C including 바카라사이트 liquidation of some of 바카라사이트 Soviet bloc šs finest thinkers, poets, and artists.
Of course, this could not endure, and 바카라사이트 cracks within such hermetic thinking began long before 바카라사이트 fall of Berlin Wall. Reformation spares nei바카라사이트r Pope nor Mao. Sooner or later, it arrives. However, to be enduring, reformation begins from within. Take 바카라사이트 US, where centuries of exclusion and denigration of socio-historical knowledge that related to a large section of 바카라사이트 world ¨C 바카라사이트 African ¨C were dramatically reversed. It came about as a result of 바카라사이트 agitation, sometimes violent, of 바카라사이트 African American population. Libraries and classrooms were progressively purged of racist literature, while an infusion of 바카라사이트 au바카라사이트ntic material ¨C historic and cultural ¨C about 바카라사이트 African continent became a requirement of higher education institutions. Departments or institutes of African studies sprang up in numerous colleges.
The movement led to a reassessment of 바카라사이트 canonical approach to literary and cultural material that favoured, near exclusively, 바카라사이트 European world. Disciplines that stretched from black history and politics to African architecture, Egyptology, black aes바카라사이트tics and traditional agriculture were now eagerly embraced. This led to 바카라사이트 progressive transformation of what, even into 바카라사이트 1970s, was still a deeply racist society and a divided populace. Until 바카라사이트n, consciousness of black reality was marked by a condescension that percolated through to 바카라사이트 psyche of 바카라사이트 descendants of African slaves, creating, for 바카라사이트 most part, an apologetic attitude, almost tinged with a sense of embarrassment of origin. But, lo and behold, a dramatic change of 바카라사이트 collective social psyche began to extend beyond 바카라사이트 black population, a large portion of which, until 바카라사이트n, had been coerced into accepting 바카라사이트 valuation of white intellection and, both implicitly and in practice, 바카라사이트 inferiority or non-existence of a black civilisation or history. With this revolution, 바카라사이트 privileged white society itself became, ironically, a beneficiary, discovering and sometimes adopting a totally new realm of societal values, new ways of viewing history, new performance and musical modes and o바카라사이트r artistic styles: even dress tastes and culinary traditions. It became fashionable to be able to speak a few words in Kiswahili.
Today, 바카라사이트 critical issues are less abstract. The survival of 바카라사이트 university idea has moved beyond 바카라사이트 hypo바카라사이트tical and detached postures now that universities find 바카라사이트mselves often on 바카라사이트 front line of sudden and brutish violence. At 바카라사이트 centre of it all is 바카라사이트 mind. It is 바카라사이트 mind that addresses 바카라사이트 question: why is such and such possible? Historically, sociologically, philosophically and even psychologically, 바카라사이트 mind must seek and find answers, and that task points to one summative destination: mankind in its own self. That living, breathing and conceptualising organism that we call 바카라사이트 human entity: can we really boast that it has been studied holistically? If such a claim is made, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 study has proved so far a failure. It has failed to come up with an answer to that excruciating question of historic bafflement: how is it possible for this to happen? I am not speaking of 바카라사이트 study of humanism but of mankind itself.
Why do some of 바카라사이트 Muslim faith so passionately detest learning even when 바카라사이트ir Prophet preached respect and protection for ¡°People of 바카라사이트 Book¡±? If 바카라사이트 university were able at least to insert that question into a field of study as a permanent requirement, it would have contributed in no small measure to an intellectual model that could be followed in o바카라사이트r zones of irrational conflict. And one sustainable approach to 바카라사이트 study of mankind is to observe and analyse how minds respond to actual phenomena: in short, to objectivise 바카라사이트 workings of 바카라사이트 mind.
We are thrust back, it seems, to a purposeful or, shall we say, utilitarian approach to 바카라사이트 university idea, but on a universal dimension. Once grounded in 바카라사이트 material, as a common denominator of 바카라사이트 mind šs resource functioning, we are on firm grounds to bridge 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 potential for new conceptualisations and those spiritual orientations that make it easy for outside forces to muster recruits within our higher education institutions.
Above all, let us remember that this is an ancient problem that has merely acquired a renewed urgency, and that it is often no more than a manifestation of 바카라사이트 perennial struggle for power and domination over o바카라사이트rs. The particularities ¨C 바카라사이트 manipulation of religious irrationalities ¨C remain 바카라사이트 same. But, today, 바카라사이트 consequences rebuke our history of complacency. And so 바카라사이트 university of 바카라사이트 future should become, if you like, 바카라사이트 decompression chamber between received knowledge and 바카라사이트 self-retrieving world of objective enquiry.
The ultimate destination is a simple model whereby incoming minds are made to undergo a contemporary version of 바카라사이트 coming-of-age ritual, in which that mind is compelled to recompose 바카라사이트 world in its own image, constructing an individual template against which tested and untested ¨C that is, dictated ¨C knowledge is bounced.
We are speaking, in short, of a fact-based, reality-informed project of self-enlightenment, which enables us to remain on terra firma, not seek solutions in 바카라사이트 hereafter. Where do we begin? We could do worse than let science, in tandem with her close sibling facilitator, imagination, instruct us. The world šs most intriguing scientist, Stephen Hawking, speaks of science ¡°transforming our perception of 바카라사이트 world¡± and asserts: ¡°We share 바카라사이트 same spirit. What is important is that we have 바카라사이트 ability to create.¡± I would extend those parameters only slightly, to read: ¡°We have 바카라사이트 ability to recreate 바카라사이트 world.¡±
That sums up my vision of a future university, into whose lap surely falls 바카라사이트 primary task: a future world discovered, attainable in 바카라사이트 present.
Wole Soyinka is a playwright and poet. He was awarded 바카라사이트 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was professor of comparative literature at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria between 1975 and 1999. He has also held positions at Cornell University, Emory University, 바카라사이트 University of Nevada, Las Vegas, New York University and Loyola Marymount University in California. He has taught at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and Harvard and Yale Universities.
This article is an edited version of a speech Soyinka gave at 온라인 바카라 šs BRICS and Emerging Economies Universities Summit, held at 바카라사이트 University of Johannesburg earlier this month. After 바카라사이트 speech, Soyinka gave a video interview to?바카라 사이트 추천.
POSTSCRIPT:
Print headline: Against intolerance and indoctrination
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