This poem of thanks crafted by Luce Graduate Fellow, Edwin Adjei, will be presented at the closing ceremony of the 2017 CIHA Blog conference today, Saturday, December 16th in Dakar. The conference participants returned from their excursion to Casamance and now prepare to bid farewell to their new colleagues and friends after a fruitful week of exchange. Stay tuned for summarized posts of several of the conference presentations and additional synthesis of learnings to come
By: Edwin Adjei, University of Ghana – Legon
Empires of the world have met
The Ghana empire
The Malian empire
The Songhai empire
The Zulu empire
The great Eurasian empire
The American empire
All have met
At the feet of Leopold Sedar Senghor, Cheick Anta Diop, Ousmane Sembene, Mariama Ba.
On the soil on which the great Sundiata, Askia Mohammed and Aline Sitoe Diatta trod.
Breathing the air they breathed and eating what they ate
All thanks to the industry, leadership and organization of Mame-Penda Ba, Awa Cheik Seck and Khadidiatou Dia.
You have opened our eyes and minds in unimaginable ways.
Our ingratitude would be like robbing you of your goods.
And so on this day,
Our ayekoos resound right to the skies
As we say merci, yeda mo ase, oyi wala doŋ, akpe, asante sana, ngiyabonga and jërëjëf.