Africa Initiative Reception

On September 25, the MacMillan Center joined the Council for African Studies and the Yale Africa Initiative to host a celebratory reception in honor of Yale and Africa. More than 150 people attended the event – including current African students and alumni, visiting scholars, faculty and others interested in Africa – which was held in the MacMillan Center Common Room. The event opened with a moment of silence in remembrance of Yale College student Azeez Belo-Osagie, who passed away at the beginning of the academic year, and was dearly beloved by and involved in Yale’s African and European communities. Guests enjoyed a live performance by undergraduate African a cappella group Asempa! Yale Africa Initiative leaders Ian Shapiro (MacMillan Center), Christopher Udry (Council for African Studies) and Rachel Nyaradzo Adams (Office of International Affairs) formally welcomed guests to the reception. The three made remarks about Yale’s engagements with Africa and highlighted several upcoming Africa events, including former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Coca-Cola Lecture on October 9; Africa Week, hosted by the Yale African Students Association from November 10-15; and an Angelique Kidjo concert presented by the Yale School of Music on December 6. Yaa Ampofo ’16 spoke about her experience leading the Yale Young African Scholars program (YYAS), which was successfully piloted by a team of Yale College students and faculty in Ghana and Ethiopia this summer. The hosts extended a special welcome to guest of honor Sahr Ngaujah, lead actor in Fela!, the award-winning Broadway musical produced by Stephen Hendel ’73. Ngaujah introduced Finding Fela, a documentary of the musical, which was screened immediately after the reception. Ngaujah spoke about legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, on whose life the musical and film are based and about his own experience portraying the character. Guests left the event excited about Yale’s future engagement with Africa.

For more information about events like these, please see world.yale.edu/yaleafricaevents.