As usual, assistant professor Casper Andersen spends Wednesday morning (on 4. February) sitting in front of his computer in his office at the Centre for Biocultural History, part of the Department of Culture and Society in Nobel Park in Aarhus. 

He is working on some research into how the Nigerian state planned to construct a new state following independence from the British colonial power in 1960. This plan was in part based on strong research-based universities that could deliver teaching within areas that desperately needed it after decolonisation, such as administration, technology and the natural sciences.

Academic and historical questions

"I'm struggling with these very academic and historical questions and with writing about the twelve universities that were founded after independence, one of which is the university in Maiduguri," says Casper Andersen.

Maiduguri is the regional capital of north-eastern Nigeria with two million inhabitants. While sitting at his desk, Casper Andersen can also keep track of the Islamic terrorist organisation Boko Haram’s increasingly intensive attempts to capture the city, which have been reported on by international media since Sunday.

Increasing panic at the university

In particular the ever-increasing panic among teachers and students at the university, which will be one of the first places that Boko Haram will attack. 

One of the declared goals of the terrorist movement, notorious for the almost indescribable cruelty of their actions, is the elimination of institutions of higher education. This should be viewed in the context of Boko Haram’s introduction of a caliphate in the areas controlled by the movement.

Casper Andersen decides to try and make others aware of the situation at the university in Maiduguri. He therefore contacts Omnibus. as he explains:

"What is going on over there is actually happening at a university which is in many ways similar to ours, and this is a story that needs to be told."

What’s the story about?

"It’s a story about researchers and students who – because they are researchers and students – are targets for a criminal sect that wields enormous power and who can literally burn their university down to the ground. We’re talking about a community who work together on academic studies in exactly the same way as we do here at our university. So they’re a target for terrorism because they value the importance of research and teaching, something that we also value so highly here. Right now they’re in the middle of a security situation in which they’re unbelievably exposed. And the Nigerian state neither can nor will bring the situation under control.

Why is Boko Haram going after the teachers and students at the universities - what’s the background for this?

"Boko Haram actually translates as ‘Western education is forbidden’ and they generally attack the educational sector. That’s their way of destroying society, and of destroying a belief that violence does not have to be the dominant aspect of a society."

Boko Haram appears to target everyone with their terrorist attacks, but still the majority of them appear to strike other Muslims. Why is this?

"An important point to make here is that the sectarian movement originates from a jihad tradition which also carries out terrorism against Muslim groups who do not want a caliphate controlled by the organisation. But first and foremost it’s about the fact that violence and instability mean good business for the criminal movement."

What’s the situation like right now for the university population at the University of Maiduguri?

"When I checked this morning (Thursday morning, ed.) some shells had landed close to the campus. A young chemistry student has described the situation in a media that I find to be credible and explained that the students are staying on the campus because they do not have any alternative. They are staying there because they’re afraid, but they’re even more vulnerable if they flee from the campus. Which tells us something about how difficult the situation they’re facing at the university is."

I sense a lot of respect when you talk about teachers and students at the university ...

"You’re right about that. It’s because of the huge resources and resistance they show; their will to get an education because they hope for something else is so impressive. Plus that even in the middle of this hopeless situation they can still continue to believe that they will succeed in creating something different. Also that we can maybe also have some opportunities to contribute to the development of the country."

How can we contribute?

"We can’t do much right now because we have to accept that it’s the guns that are doing the talking in the region. But once the situation becomes more stable we should enter into some partnerships where we can contribute to developing educational capacity. That’s the phase where people like us have the opportunity to support a future development which can only be created by people like the researchers and students at the university in Maiduguri."

Facts

Casper Andersen from the Centre for Biocultural History at the Department of Culture and Society is working on his second postdoc. It deals with the position of science and technology in African society in the twentieth century.

Here and now, Casper Andersen is working specifically on a project regarding the role of UNESCO in Africa. UNESCO is the United Nation’s organisation for education, science and culture. The organisation was also involved in the development of the universities which are now under attack by Boko Haram.

Facts

Boko Haram is an Islamic terrorist movement which was established in 2002. The terrorist movement actually began its activities as a religious school in the same regional capital where the university is situated. It was driven out after beginning its violent activities.

Since 2011 the organisation has specifically targeted institutions of higher education. In July 2011 two teachers were killed at the university in Maiduguri during a skirmish between Boko Haram and the Nigerian army. Since then, the campus has been attacked 18 times by the organisation.

Facts

Boko Haram has attacked Maiduguri several times within the last few weeks. The terrorist movement controls the most important towns situated on four of the five approach roads to the regional capital. Advances by the terrorist movement during the past month have resulted in a reaction from the African Union. A number of countries in the area will deploy troops in the fight against Boko Haram. This gives rise to a glimmer of hope for an improvement in the security situation.

Facts

Nigeria was established as a British colony in 1914 and achieved independence in 1960. Nigeria has Africa's largest economy and is its most populous country with an estimated population of around 175 million. Almost half the population is Christian, while almost 50 per cent are Muslims, primarily Sunnis. 

Facts

In colonial times the British established a single university. After independence a number of universities were established, including Maiduguri (1975), as part of a failed nation building project. There are approximately 40,000 students and staff at Maiduguri. Despite an economically and politically dysfunctional university system, a number of leading intellectuals and researchers have been educated at the Nigerian universities, including the authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and the eminent historian Toyin Falola.  

Source: Assistant Professor Casper Andersen