Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival Week: 13 - 17 April 2009 - Nkrumah Hall, UDSM

[Companero]

Click: UFAHAMU: JULIUS NYERERE INTELLECTUAL FESTIVAL to view a detailed programme of the Festival.

 

[Companero]

A GLIMPSE OF JULIUS NYERERE INTELLECTUAL FESTIVAL WEEK

The long awaited ‘Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival Week’ is here. It is a week of reflections on Pan-Africanism, that term which literarily means ‘African Unity’. Thus the sons and daughters of Africa have come all the way from all corners of the African continent and beyond, in the very heart of the African Diaspora. Together, under the auspices of the Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair in Pan-African Studies, we are assembling in Nkrumah Hall at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania as one people.

Wole Soyinka, the first African Nobel Laureate for Literature, has come all the way from the western corner of the continent in a country that is affectionately nicknamed ‘Naija’, that is, Nigeria. He is here to grace us with a ‘Nyerere Annual Lecture I and II’ on Monday and Tuesday respectively. In the wake of the global financial crisis resulting from what Vladimir Lenin prophetically phrased ‘Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism’, Soyinka’s lecture is accordingly entitled ‘New Imperialisms.’

From this eastern corner we have our very own Parapanda Arts that will lead us as we jointly sing the Tanzanian National Anthem and the African Union Anthem to kickstart the intellectual festivities on Monday. Fittingly, the first stanza of the former anthem is essentially Pan-African: “…Hekima, Umoja na Amani hizi ni Ngao zetu Afrika na Watu wake…” that is “…Wisdom, Unity and Peace these are our Shields [for] Africa and its People…” So is the last stanza of the latter anthem: “Let us all unite and toil together to give the best we have to Africa…”

Gamal Nkrumah has crossed artificial borders all the way from that northern corner in Cairo, Egypt to honour the ‘Pan-African Day’ on Thursday. Picking a baton from his father, Kwame Nkrumah, who called for a United States of Africa, and his namesake, Gamal Abdul Nasser, who championed Pan-Africanism vis-à-vis Pan-Arabism, Gamal Nkrumah will thus present ‘Pan-Africanism and Development: Personal Reflections.’

Toward the southern corner of the continent, in the jewel of Africa that would still be Zimbabwe the Great, has come the new President of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Sam Moyo, to launch ‘ChemChemi – Fountain of Ideas’ among other things on Tuesday.

Olivier Fanon, straddling the diasporic spatial bounderies, has symbolically come all the way from the Island of Martinique in Africa’s Diaspora via Algiers, Algeria to celebrate ‘Nkrumah Centenary Day’ on Wednesday. Carrying on the torch of worldwide Pan-Africanism so highly carried by his father, Frantz Fanon, Olivier is expected to share with us his views on the implications of the life and times of Kwame Nkrumah in our lifetime.

As the accompanying program of the festival shows, there are more palatable events on offer to quench our intellectual thirst and stimulate creativity in our minds. For the love of poetry, the great Ghanaian, nay, African, Poet, Kofi Anyidoho, will stir us with a lively poem performance on ‘Nyerere Day 1’, that is, on Monday. During ‘Nkrumah Centenary Day’ on Wednesday he will electrify us with ‘Nkrumah Centenary Lecture: Beyond His Place, Beyond His Time: Nkrumah’s Heritage in the New Millenium.’

In a way the weeklong event will also be a film festival for there shall be a ‘Film Premiere: Mwalimu – The Legacy of Julius Kambarage Nyerere’ on Tuesday evening. The film, “a Savannah Films Production in collaboration with Maa Media Centre for M-Net’s Africans Series”, features Mama Maria Nyerere, Madaraka Nyerere, Rosemary Nyerere, Rashidi Kawawa, Kenneth Kaunda and Salma Maoulidi among others. They discuss how Mwalimu Nyerere “is remembered and the ideas that define his legacy.”

This festival that runs from 13th to 17th April 2009 will also be a book fair in its own right for a number of publications will be launched. ‘The African Union and New Strategies for Development in Africa’ edited by Said Adejumobi and Adebayo Olukoshi will be introduced on Thursday. Issa Shivji’s new book ‘Where is Uhuru? Reflections on the Struggle for Democracy in Africa’ published by Fahamu Books will also be launched.

The festival is intended to be highly interactive for that is what Pan-Africanism is all about. To that end, there are a number of interactive dialogues: ‘A Round-table Informal Discussion by Youth’ on Tuesday evening, ‘Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan-Africanism’ hosted by Joe Oloka-Onyango on Wednesday, ‘Thinking with Mwalimu’ hosted by Issa Shivji on the same day, and a ‘Vice-Chancellor’s Palaver on: Crisis of the International System and Africa’s Development’ hosted by Rwekaza Mukandala on Thursday.

What about music as in singing and dancing? Our very own Kalola Kinasha will touch us with a special song, whose title remains a surprise package, on Tuesday. More melodies will be on offer during a ‘Pan-African Night at UDASA Club’ on Wednesday evening.

Last but not least the last day will be ‘A Day of Academic Reflections’. Our historians will hold a ‘Symposium on the Teaching of History at the University of Dar-es-Salaam’. It will be a moment for all of us to reflect on where we are coming from, where we are and why we are here in relation to where we are going or ought to be going. If there has been a theme that is so paramount to Pan-Africanism then it is our collective her/history.

African must unite. Here we are uniting. United we shall stand. Be a part of that unity.

Source: UDADISI: Rethinking in Action: A GLIMPSE OF JULIUS NYERERE INTELLECTUAL FESTIVAL WEEK

 

[Zakumi]

Wasalimie Companero. Next year nipe mwaliko nije nitoe darasa.

 

[Companero]

Wasalimie Companero. Next year nipe mwaliko nije nitoe darasa.

Karibu sana mwakani upigwe shule.

 

[Bulesi]

Kongamano hilo la mwalimu nadhani lingefana zaidi kama mungemualika hasimu mkubwa wa siasa za mwalimu Prof, Ali Mazrui nae ajiunge nanyi; pengine mna sababu zenu Campanero, lakini mbona mmemualika Muhidin?? Je wakina Wadada Nabudere na John Saul hawako hai??

 

[MzalendoHalisi]

Campanero,

Ahsante kwa hizi links Mkuu!

 

[Mkandara]

Companero,
Mkuu mimi ningeomba sana mjiandae kutengeneza DVD inakusanya mkusanyiko huo..nina hakika sii mimi peke yangu tutakaopenda kununua copy at any price. Nadhani fedha za mauzo zinaweza kusaidia baadhi ya matumizi mnayoyakabiri hapo chuoni..

Jambo la Pili, Huku huwa napata sana offer ya vitabu ningeomba sana kama unaweza kunipa list ya vitabu ambavyo hutumika hapo chuoni ktk majors tofauti kwani yawezekana bado mnatumia version ya zamani ambazo mimi pamoja na wanabodi wengine tunaweza kuvipata kwa urahisi.

 

[Zakumi]

Karibu sana mwakani upigwe shule.

lol, kijana nyie Elites. Mnajadiliana Ujamaa wakati hakuna hata mlalahoi mwenye mpango nao.

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

Zidumuuu.....

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

Companero,

Sasa Kihiyo kama mimi nitaweza kupewa mwaliko kuja kuyasema ya moyoni?

 

[Mtanganyika]

Kutoka kwenye source zangu za ndani nasikia mdahalo unaendelea vizuri. Prof.Shiviji bado anamini kabisa ghost ya Mwalim na Nkrumah linataka Pan-African iwe reality. Mwaka 1964 mwalimu alimuona Kwame kama anachozi alipozungumzia United States of Africa, 45 years later different brave scholar believe muungano wa Africa unawezekana. I love the debate.

Niungane na Mkandara kwamba sasa tunaomba events kama hizi ziwekwe kumbukumbu kwenye DVD ili na wengine walio mbali na tukio wapate kuona.

Nadhani UDSM inaweza kutumia mtandao huu kama source nzuri kabisa ya kuunganisha ufahamu kati ya watu wa magharib, mashariki, kaskazini na kusini.

Kongamano jema.

 

[Chakaza]

Jee Mheshimiwa sana JK hajaalikwa ili tupate kusikia naye ana mawazo gani kama kiongozi wetu?

 

[Companero]

Wakuu na mimi ni mwalikwa tu kama waalikwa wengine hivyo sijui kwa nini kina Ali Mazrui hawapo. Ila kumbuka hili ni tukio la wazi hivyo kila mtu ana haki ya kuja hasa kama ana uwezo kama Mazrui. Naona Ikaweba Bunting yeye kajisafirisha mwenyewe kutoka USA kwa jinsi alivyo na mapenzi na Umajumui wa Afrika. Pia kuna vijana wa Bunge la Mwananchi kutoka Kenya wamejisafirisha wenyewe kuja kujumuika nasi.

Kishoka kama una uchungu basi mwakani utajileta mwenyewe ili uwezi kusema hayo yaliyo moyoni mwako - alafu ni dhambi kujiita Kihiyo wakati umepata elimu ya bure.

Zakumi na wewe naamini utakuja ila uone jinsi wananchi wanavyoujadili Ujamaa badala ya kutoa matamshi kuhusu wananchi ambao hata huwaoni maana uko huko ughaibuni.

Mkandara sipo chuoni ila nashauri umwandikie wakuu wa chuo kuhusu hilo suala la vitabu nadhani watafurahi maana bado tuko nyuma sana kwenye suala kuwa na maktaba ya nguvu, duka la nguvu la vitabu na kituo cha nguvu cha kuchapisha vitabu hapo chuoni.

 

[Petu Hapa]

Wakuu na mimi ni mwalikwa tu kama waalikwa wengine

Sawa wewe mwalikwa, lakini kidogo umepata ufunuo wakutupa mtandaoni kongomano hili, wakati waandaaji wamejisahau! Basi endelea kuwajibika waambie hao waandaaji watupe yaliyojiri - hotuba, mijadala, presentations, na mashairi kwani baadhi yetu tunakiu ya maongezi hayo!

Halafu hiyo filamu ya Nyerere tunaipataje! Waambie watengeneze link kwenye website ya chuo tuweze kubofya vilivyotokea! Hilo ni swala la nyakati, kwahiyo ni kama lazima vile!

 

[JokaKuu]

..hivi haya makongamano Waziri Mkuu Pinda si alishauri yasitishwe?

..sasa watu wanatumbua pesa zote hizo kwenye makongamano badala ya kuboresha huduma za wanafunzi wa UDSM kama laboratories, maktaba, workshops etc.

 

[Petu Hapa]

Kongamano limefadhiliwa na vyanzo tofauti, sio pesa za chuo, kama chuo imefadhili basi ni kidogo tu. Nadhani Codresia, benki, na michango mbalimbali ndio imeenda kwa wingi. kama sikosei washiriki wengine wamejilipia kwenda!

 

[JokaKuu]

Petu Hapa,

..Cordesia,Mabenki,wafadhili etc hawapaswi kuchangia shughuli zisizokuwa na tija kama makongamano ya kisiasa.

..hii ni karne ya Science and Technology, sasa siyo vizuri kupoteza muda na pesa kujadili siasa, kama hili kongamano la Issa Shivji na wenzake.

 

[Petu Hapa]

JokoKuu

Sikujua kama kongamano hilo ni siasa, na siamini kama kongoamano hilo ni la kisiasa. Mimi sio mwanasiasa, lakini ningeenda kulisikiliza na kushiriki kama ningeweza.

Nachotambua kongamano hilo ni kutoa fursa ya wasomi na wananchi wanaomini katika mawazo mbadala ya kuleta mabadiliko tanzania. Swala ilikuwa ni kuibua cheche za fikira lakini pia kuhakiki wananchi wanajadili hali halisi ya uchumi dunia ili kuweza kuelewa itikadi mbalimbali ikiwemo ujamaa.

Pia ilikuwa ni kuhamasishwa jamii za wasomi na wananchi kwa ujumla wako kushiriki katika kutoa dira za kuleta maendeleo ama mwongozo katika kupambana na umaskini wetu.

Kiti cha mwalimu nyerere ni zaidi ya mwalimu mwenyewe, lengo lake ni kusimamamia, kuchochea na kutoa mwelekeo ama kujenga maongezi kwa manuafaa ya watanzania.

Huwezi kupata technologia kama uongozi wa nchi hauoni umihimu huo. Unahitaji uongozi unaojali na kuelewa mahitaji ili kuwe na uwekezaji sahihi! Nadhani lengo ndio hilo, defining the focus of our development!

 

[JokaKuu]

Huwezi kupata technologia kama uongozi wa nchi hauoni umihimu huo.

Hapa Petu,

..hili kongamano ni kithibitisho kwamba wako wengi zaidi ya viongozi wasioona umuhimu wa masuala ya Sayansi na Teknolojia ktk karne hii.

 

[Petu Hapa]

Hapa Petu,

..hili kongamano ni kithibitisho kwamba wako wengi zaidi ya viongozi wasioona umuhimu wa masuala ya Sayansi na Teknolojia ktk karne hii.

Kaka! I am not following you! kwamba hupendi makongamano ya Issa Shivji na wanaoendana na itikadi yake ama kunatatizo nisilolielewa mimi?

Maana wale watu sio wanasayansi ya technologia ni wanasayansi jamii! Wanakutana kulumbana na kupembua wakiwa na imani maongezi yao na agenda zao zitachangia katika kuendeleza taifa hili. Sasa leo ukisema wajadili technologia ambayo uelewa wao upo kwenye matumizi zaidi utawalaumu watakaposema kila chumba kiwe na computer wakati mitambo ya internet ni finyu!

Wao wanaimani kwamba hata tukijadili vipi technologia na sayansi kwa mfumo uliopo vitakuwa ni bidhaa adimu kwetu kumudu, kwahiyo ni bora kujadili mifumo, kuibadilisha ilikuweza kuendelea.

Mimi nadhani kila mtu anafanya analoweza kufanya, labda ni wakati muafaka wa wanateknologia kujadili umuhimu wao na technologia ya sasa. Science nakubali ni muhimu, lakini kila kitu kinawadau wake na kwa bahati mbaya sio Issa na wajamaa - atleast for now.