Email This StoryAfrican professor fills void
Sept. 14, 2009Trent Goldston
Staff Writer
A recent addition to the history department, Dr. Hakeem Tijani, is bringing a new element to Baylor academia.
Tijani is the first Baylor professor in years, to be teaching African history, who is actually from Africa.
Dr. Jeffrey Hamilton, history department chair, said Tijani fills a longstanding and noticeable gap in Baylor's history course offerings. Hamilton said that Tijani is the most qualified person in the field of African history that Baylor has had.
"It was a really important position for us to fill," Hamilton said. "(Tijani) is very energetic and brings a whole new energy to the department."
Tijani said he is currently developing four new undergraduate courses, including pre-colonial Africa to 1885, Africa 1885 to 1960, modern Africa and a course on African Diaspora.
Many students will be surprised by some of the things that they will learn, Tijani said.
Tijani currently teaches a class on West African history, as well as a world and European history class.
"The students as really interested in learning," Tijani said. "We are critically thinking as well as thinking outside of the box to really make a meaningful dialogue."
Garland junior Tutu Adewuyi, who is currently one of Tijani's students, said Tijani keeps class interesting through humor and a laid-back environment.
"He's very knowledgeable and you can tell that he is very interested in what he's teaching," Adewuyi said. "I don't like history, but I really like the class. He's very funny."
Tijani said that he is also planning the groundwork for a study-abroad program in Senegal in 2011. Tijani said he hopes to take teaching and learning outside the classroom and believes that it can create experiential learning.
"I believe that when you travel, and you are conscious of the traveling that you are undertaking, you are learning," Tijani said.
In addition to learning about the history and culture, students would have the opportunity to learn the local language and also some French. Such a program could improve potential recruitment for Baylor, Tijani said.
Other goals include plans to connect his students with other authorities of African history.
"We have great facilities and resources at Baylor University," Tijani said.
"Something that I plan to do along the line, since we are far from D.C., is to have a sustained video conference, for my African history class, with the Bureau or African Affairs."
According to Tijani, the Bureau African Affairs is an important unit of the State Department, and are world leaders in the area of African politics and history.
Tijani said this type of experience could yield great benefits to students in the long run.
"What is important is that you are able to network. For scholarships, paid internships, even job opportunities," Tijani said. Baylor has been very encouraging of his
efforts.
"I've been getting very strong support," Tijani said.
"Hopefully we will be able to do that in the West African history class this semester."
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