Roundtable with Prof. Jean Herskovits
Research Professor of African History and Politics at the
State University of New York (SUNY)
November 24, 2015

On November 24, 2015, Prof. Jean Herskovits, Research Professor of African History and Politics at the State University of New York (SUNY) and specialist on Nigerian politics, convened with GRF members and a group of GRF Community members at a roundtable meeting entitled “Nigerian Elections: Change in a Pivotal African State? Maybe.”

Prof. Herskovits gave the audience a detailed account of Nigerian political history and Nigeria’s critical position in West Africa and the rest of the continent. She then assessed the emergence as well as consequences of the pressing issues of divisions along ethnicity, religion and geography; pervasive corruption; and violence.  Finally, Prof. Herskovits elaborated on the results of the 2015 Nigerian elections, and whether they present an opportunity for resolving these issues and rebuilding a stronger Nigeria.

 Following her speech, Prof. Herskovits received a wide range of questions from the participants.