Dear colleagues and friends of the International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA),
I would like to thank the General Assembly for investing me with the important mission of coordinating, with the help of the Society’s executive council and membership, ISOLA’s
activities for the term 2010-2012. Fully committed to this mission, I am willing to assume, with your collegial assistance, the challenges it entails. On the behalf of the incoming executive council, I would also like to thank you all for the confidence placed in our capacity to successfully undertake our work at the Society’s helm in the coming term.
This new election is not a beginning, but a continuation. The Society’s growth and prosperity is grounded in the work and dedication of many forerunners, some of whom are currently active members. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of those who have gone before me and who have, in my presence and prior to my membership, made ISOLA what it is today. These colleagues include Graham Furniss, Liz Gunner, Jeff Opland, Kofi Agovi, Kofi Anyidoho, Kwesi Yahkah, Russell Kaschula, Carli Coetzee, Anne-Marie Dauphin-Tinturier, Isidore Okpewho, Itala Vivan, Jean Derive, and Hein Willemse.
The outgoing council, elected in 2006 and reelected in 2008, has worked with consistent dedication, not merely at organizing conferences and publishing proceedings. It has also consistently sought means of strengthening ISOLA’s organization and functioning and at building its membership. Structuring and sharing responsibility has led to innovations such as the creation of the position of vice-president, the revision of the Society’s founding constitution and projects to be implemented in the coming term, such as separating the positions of secretary and treasurer and creating the position of communications officer.
Fostering communication and collegiality has been an important pursuit of the outgoing executive council. To this end, members of the Local Organizing Committee and council members of the Conference Sub-committee have dedicated many hours to online meetings and correspondence. Bridging distance in the global age is no magic, technology notwithstanding. We therefore received reminders of the incomparable qualities of orality–voice and face-to-face presence and interaction– which g-mail was, obviously, unable to provide. We were reminded, too, of the delicate task of managing emotions in the global age. While we continue to work at improving our use of technology and our communication skills, patience, tolerance and goodwill will always remain essential.
The impact of Hein Willemse, outgoing president of ISOLA, has been tremendous. Members of the outgoing council who have teamed with him over the past several years have witnessed the unflagging drive, commitment and organizational skills with which he piloted the council and the Society. I recognize and appreciate his visions, high standards and efforts towards leaving ISOLA in an appreciably improved working order.
Sincere thanks and appreciation are due to the Local Organizing Committee of the 8th ISOLA Conference, coordinated by Peter Wasamba. They have done
an outstanding job for which we are truly grateful.
As we advance resolutely towards the challenges of the third millennium, my profound desire is to contribute to the attainment of ISOLA’s goals as an international, multicultural, multilingual scholarly organization, dedicated to the knowledge, promotion, conservation and diffusion of the rich oral traditions of Global Africa, comprising the continent and its Diasporas all over the world. As President of ISOLA, my work within the Executive Council and alongside longstanding and new members of the Society will be to:
- prioritize a rational building of membership, particularly in the direction of francophone and lusophone Africa, and the Diasporas;
- encourage the periodic convening of conferences and workshops on the continent and sites of Diaspora;
- safeguard ISOLA’s unique bi/multilingual character, with English and French as official working languages, to which we hope to add Portuguese in the near future;
- enhance the focus on modern orature and on hypermedia;
- promote extra-conference encounters, networking and collaboration, particularly in the form of publication, which is an excellent means of deriving optimum benefit from the face-to-face scholarly relationships ISOLA affords.
- pursue internally the goal of building an active and cohesive council, maintaining communication and transparency as key objectives
- make steps towards enhancing ISOLA’s international profile and impact through linkage with UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage progammes and with African Studies centres worldwide.
These projects and objectives, once discussed by the council, will be addressed to you as ISOLA members for comment, approval and, most of all, for your contribution and support. ISOLA’s growth is a collective business in which we all have a role to play. Consequently, the council will solicit the input of colleagues who have the knowledge and expertise needed for the implementation of the objectives outlined above in view of their contribution to three projected sub-committee which will work on the areas of membership building, international liaison and publication. My first appeal is for members of ISOLA to come forward with ideas, suggestions and willingness to volunteer on these and/or other relevant initiatives.
Dear colleagues and friends of the International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA), thank you, once again, for your presence and vibrant participation at the 8th ISOLA conference and for the trust and confidence invested in the incoming council. I am honoured by your confidence in me. I shall do my best to vindicate your optimism. Many thanks, again, to all those who worked very hard to make this conference a success: to the Local Organizing Committee, the Kenyan Oral Literature Association, (KOLA), and to the University of Nairobi. Thanks also to the editorial committee for their dedication and its concrete and timely results: the published proceedings of the 2008 Lecce conference. Last but not least, we extend our thanks to the outgoing council for their work at the helm of ISOLA over the last term.
I extend my very best wishes ISOLA’s growth and success during this ninth administration (2010-2012).
Antoinette Tidjani Alou
President: ISOLA.
FRENCH VERSION