Edidiong Charles Ibanga

My name is Edidiong Ibanga and I am from Nigeria in West Africa. My primary and secondary education were obtained in Nigeria. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in English and Literary Studies (Nigeria), a Post-graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), and a Bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communications (Ghana). I have, since 2017, been working with the Kwabena Nketia Centre for Africana Studies (KNCAS) of the African University College of Communications (AUCC), Accra, as the Senior Administrative Assistant. My work in the Africana Centre includes facilitating the education of the students and members of the communities. I have participated in planning and organizing events geared towards sharing knowledge with the people in the communities in Accra. Some of these events are: The King Tackie Tawiah I Memorial lecture, Yaa Asantewaa Memorial Lecture, and Kwabena Nketia Memorial Lecture, all named after historical icons who made immense contributions to the nation of Ghana. The objective of the Centre is to encourage the students and members of the communities at large to discover themselves – their African selves – and to appreciate and celebrate their African cultural heritage.

Over the years, I have developed a passion for the study of the African continent. My specific interest is in African Literatures. I have fond memories of reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart several times and thinking to myself, “What a beautiful depiction of the Igbo traditional society, and what joy it would give me to travel to other African countries and experience their cultures!” I believe that literature mirrors life. If I were to discuss development concerns, gender and power relations, identity, modernism, politics and other important concerns in the African continent, literature would be my preferred medium. I think literature is also an interesting and profound way to facilitate a generational transfer of knowledge and values consistent with the African society. This is why my preferred career is academics. I am interested in sharing knowledge about Africa with Africans and the rest of the world. My desire is to encourage discourses on (contemporary) African concerns through the publication of books, articles and research projects that address these issues. The European Interdisciplinary Master African Studies offers me an excellent and profound opportunity to gain knowledge and experience that will impact positively on my chosen career. Perhaps the most interesting thing to me about the EIMAS is the wealth of experience and benefits that I will gain from interacting with fellow students and facilitators from different parts of Africa and Europe, learning from their unique experiences and differing perspectives. 

Contact: charles.edidiong@yahoo.com