The Legacy of Professor Toyin Falola and the Silences in Botswana–North West Province (South Africa) Scholarship

Dumelang Bagaetsho. I'm not quite sure how to start my little speech this evening. Perhaps, I should begin by thanking our esteemed Prof. Toyin Falola for inviting me to speak. As has been mentioned many times at events featuring Prof. Falola, he needs no introduction. It would be redundant to introduce him just like famous historical figures such as Nelson Mandela, Chinua Achebe, Ali Mazrui, Muhammad Ali, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bob Marley, or Miriam Makeba, among others. First, I take my hat off to Prof. Falola for reaching out to a lowly historian like myself, who is known for little if anything at all, to be associated with him and his event today. When he contacted me, I felt it was rather audacious of me to agree to the role he requested. I believed my role should be shining his shoes and carrying his briefcase, not giving a speech in his honour. However, perhaps the good Professor sees something in me that I am not aware of. At any rate, I was reminded of Niccolò Machiavelli's advice that if one's abilities are ordinary, one should associate with great men so that at least he would have the smell of their extraordinary ability. Thus, I believe I will leave Mahikeng with the strong aroma of Prof. Falola's talent and those who organised this event.