BOOK REVIEW: TO
AFRICA AND BACK MEMOIRS By J. D. Fage.
Birmingham: University of Birmingham Press, 2002. Pp. iv, 220. ISBN 0704423308, Paperback, £10.00.
Indeed,
Memoirs represent an important material that highlights the past experiences of
individuals. In fact, scholars such as Edward Baum adroitly states that Diaries,
notes, autobiographies, and memoirs are invaluable sources for scholars and
historians who would understand better the currents and movements of history. Necessarily, J D Fage To Africa and Back Memoirs continues in this line of thought to
provide a body of knowledge invaluable to scholars and academics alike.
The
author in the words of Dr. Stewart Brown “was one of that small group who more
or less invented African studies in Britain, institutionalized it in British
universities and worked to establish its claim and credentials in the wider
world”. Fage’s work could be said to be a personal history which more or less
focuses on the author’s intellectual career which in some sense, can be
categorized as an outsider’s contribution to the study of the continent Africa.
Fage
begins his memoir in a somewhat nostalgic tone recounting his uninteresting
early beginnings in Teddington were he was born into a family of professionals.
Indeed, given their background the author points out that “it was undoubtedly
of major importance to them that their children should receive a good
education” thus, began the authors journey as a student in Pembroke house which
so far as he recalled did not impart enough for him to achieve scholarship
level proceeding further, to Tonbridge
hill side boarding school were none of the teachers could raise is enthusiasm
in the sciences and thus generally led to his entrance into the classics were
he became accustomed with German literature, French, history and English
literature. While Tombridge wasn’t much Fage indeed developed interest in
debates, school press, music and even cinema which in some sense became an
hobby for the author so much so that he considered writing a book on the
subject much later in his life. While he struggled to earn a scholarship into
Cambridge he eventually earned a scholarship into Magdalene college in
Cambridge.
Much
unlike many other individuals of his time who’s advance in education was halted
by the Second World War which began on 3 September 1939. Fage points out that
his services as a soldier which began on 12 October 1939 was deferred due to
his scholarship. In Cambridge he was introduced into the academic discipline
History where he was lectured by individuals such as Kitson Clark, Kenneth Pickthorn
among others. Fage’s fascination with aircraft indeed during his time in
Cambridge paved the way for the termination of his commitment to the army which
was substituted to joining the Royal Air Force which remained his major
contribution to the war. Interestingly Fage’s time in the Air Force brought him
in close contact for the first time to continents he had only heard off such as
Africa, and Asia which would prove useful much later in his life. Fages account
continues with his return after the war to Cambridge to complete his B.A
degree. And much later post graduate studies.
One
can indeed say that Fage’s PhD could be described as his first attempt to study
African history since his thesis mainly centered on issues in southern
Rhodesian history. Interestingly, according to Fage after the completion of his
PhD “he did not think exclusively in terms of an academic career” in fact, he
seemed more willing to go back to the Royal Air Force. Nevertheless, his
academic sensibilities prevailed and saw him accepting an appointment of
lectureship in the gold coast college which offered a better pay and in his
words he had already come to the conclusion that if he specialized in the
history of Africa it would be better to specialized in base which was actually
in the continent.
According
to Fage the Gold Coast College at Legon posed an onerous task for him given the
exigencies of the period. His time in the college involved strengthening the
staff and pioneering the development of the department of history which
graduated its first students in 1952. Nevertheless the author adds that his
time in the gold coast kindled an interest in West Africa and saw him
indoctrinating himself with useful materials on the region which resulted much
later in the book A History of West
Africa: An Introductory Survey. Other works he went on to write were an Atlas of African History, Ghana: A Historical Interpretation.
Another prominent contribution to African studies he notes was the creation of
the Journal of African History.
He
returned later to London were he became part of the School of Oriental and
African Studies (S.O.A.S) and much later went to Birmingham particularly the University
of Birmingham were he pioneered the establishment of the Centre for West African
Studies(C.W.A.S).
While
Fage’s memoir is emphatic on his years as an intellectual and contributor to
the development of African history he was also active in administrative work
which culminated in him being a Pro Vice Chancellor for the University of
Birmingham. In the closing chapters of Fage’s memoir he highlights his time
with UNESCO particularly in relation to creating a landmark text on African
history UNESCO General History of Africa much from the perspectives of Africans
he also adds his co-edited work with Roland Oliver which resulted in the
Cambridge history of Africa which boasts of five volumes that covers African
history from earliest times.
Indeed,
from the foregoing one cannot but appreciate the insight by an historian of Africa
who though a Non-African chooses to share his experiences and nostalgic past in
the writing of African history. It is not gainsaying to point out that Fage’s
memoir stands in the same hierarchy of similar memoirs by Non-African Historians
such as Roland Oliver’s In the Realms of
Gold: Pioneering in African History and Living
with Africa by Jan Vansina. What this Indeed show in the words of Toyin
Falola is nothing but an indication that
African studies is held in sufficiently high regard to support the publication
of memoirs by its leading lights. In fact, he points out that these books would
inspire those who are about to enter the field and lift the spirits of those
who are experiencing frustration and self-doubts about their own careers. The
body of knowledge produced through these memoirs indeed provides historians,
historiographers and academics from other discipline with a better
understanding on the development of history and the invaluable contributions of
Non-African Historians to the writing of African history.
But
one must necessarily point out that some pitfalls are unavoidable in a work
such as this given it is solely written from the author’s perspective. Fage’s
memoir seem to be unavoidably filled with
details and facts which in some cases are unimportant but one cannot
readily fault the author on this basis given his professional antecedent as an
historian.
Also,
in consensus with Toyin Falola who reviewed a similar work by Roland Oliver In the Realms of Gold: Pioneering in African
History the authors seemed rather emphatic on their contribution as pioneers
of African studies throughout their work. Fage pays little attention to African
historians in fact, where their names are mentioned such as in the case of
Kenneth dike, Adu Boahen among others their contributions to African historical
scholarship is either taken piece-meal or regarded as an overbearing effect of
the authors contribution to African historical scholarship.
Nevertheless,
one must readily point out that To Africa
and Back Memoirs provides a bulk of information for historical enthusiasts
and neophyte historians. It essentially quenches the thirst of academics of
varying discipline interested in understanding the herculean task embarked on
by a plethora of individuals in restoring Africa to the world of history.
