A unique African literary theory called “ Leoparditude”, which was propounded in year 2000 by Mallam Al-Bishak, a foremost African scholar and Nigerian Professor of African literature with specialty in Literary Egyptology, will feature prominently at a two-day “ Seen From Lagos: African Re-groundings Symposium” jointly organized by the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos and University of Exeter, England, from June 25-26 this year.
The theory will feature in a conference paper titled, “ In Defense of Leoparditude: A Case to Update an Indigenous African Literary Theory” to be presented by Mr. Bizuum Godwill Yadok, a doctorate degree student of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State. Yadok’s paper is the first to be presented at the two-day conference ahead of a list of 30 paper presentations.
According to the organizers, the symposium “is the first in a new series of Atlantica (atlantica.art) platforms and events, building towards a pan-Atlantic biennial of contemporary art and critical enquiry. Working with artists, writers and communities, Atlantica aims to re-examine the multiple histories and ‘historical presents’ of the Atlantic from diverse contemporary perspectives, challenging the supposedly ‘universal’ knowledge system that has inherently privileged a Eurocentric worldview.” The keynote address will be delivered by Prof. Ruth Simbao, Rhodes University, Republic of South Africa. The paper presentation on Leoparditude can be viewed on Google Microsoft Teams link: https://rb.gy/at433c; Meeting ID: 329 314 068 312; passcode: dv3BE5 from 11.10am – 11.30am.
