UJ celebrates the life of intellectual giant, Ali Mazrui

The event, hosted by the University’s Library, in partnership with the Citizen Newspaper, encouraged the audience, which included intellectuals across the continent; South Africa’s former first lady, Ms Zanele Mbeki; former Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister, Aziz Pahad; academia and students, to follow in the footsteps of Prof Ali Alamin Mazrui, in placing Africa on the map.

A special documentary was screened preluding to the panel discussion highlightingProf Mazrui’s work and the strides he made in the field of both African and Islamic studies. The panel included Abdul Bemath, a cataloguer of Prof Mazrui’s work, Prof Gilbert Khadigala and Prof Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni, as well as the globally acclaimed Dr Adekeye Adebajo.

Mazrui remains one of the intellectuals of his generation to have published over thirty books as well as over eight hundred articles in major scholastic journals and newspapers.

In response to a question from the audience, Prof Ndlovu-Gatsheni said: “To solve African problems, we must think from inside,” and noted that, “We can all be tired of talking about colonialism, but colonialism will never get tired of affecting your lives”.