I bumped into Professor Alvin Lim at West African Documentary (WAD) that I begun at Facebook, trying to explore the concepts of the region, and at the same time putting research into perspective on the vagaries and uncertainties of an entire continent that has so much to offer in terms of human capital and natural resources. Alvin and I argued on the concept of Chinese exploration of Africa and its determination to develop the dark continent by way of dedication, commerce and financial security, insisting China has no intention of colonization. We talked about many other stuff including his employment at American University of Nigeria (AUN) where he would now sit as professor of Asian politics and International relations. Alvin just got to Nigeria some days ago and having a feel of Abuja in his new 2-bedroom apartment.
Excerpt:
Tell me about yourself.
I am from Singapore, which like Nigeria was a British colony. I studied Philosophy and Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, receiving my BA (Hons.) degree in 1999 and my MA in 2002. I moved to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, to lecture in Philosophy at Pannasastra University in 2005, and in 2008 I moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, to start my Ph.D. studies in Political Science. I graduated with my Ph.D. in May 2011, and am currently expanding my dissertation into a book, "Cambodia and the Politics of Aesthetics."
Let us talk about your teaching assignment in Nigeria. How did the Nigerian project get started?
Back in February I saw a notice from the American University of Nigeria looking for a professor in Asian Studies. At that time I was completing my dissertation and felng assignment in Nigeria. How did the Nigeria project get stat that this was an interesting opportunity to pursue. I had always been interested in Africa, the cradle of humanity, and my interest had been peaked by my Ph.D. readings in postcolonial African writers like Frantz Fanon, Léopold Sédar Senghor, and Achille Mbembe. I sent in my job application and was pleasantly surprised when I was contacted in March for the job interview.
How would you describe your feelings when you picked up your STR Visa confirming the assignment to lecture in one of Nigeria’s universities?
I felt very excited - this is a big move for me, as this will be my first time in Africa, a continent I've only read and dreamed about.
What would you be doing in Nigeria?
I'll be teaching courses in Asian politics and international relations. I'll also be completing "Cambodia and the Politics of Aesthetics" and starting on my second book.
From your point of view, what area of discipline needs more attention as the country’s higher institutions faces the challenges of better education?
There's always a tension in the relationship between the economy and education, in that the graduates of the education system may not have the knowledge and skills necessary for job creation or even to fill the available jobs in the economy. Cambodia and the USA are having big problems with unemployed and unemployable graduates, and this problem exists in many other countries as well. The challenge is to encourage entrepreneurship on one hand and on the other to ensure a match of knowledge and skills with the existing needs of the job market.
What do you hope to accomplish?
I hope to equip my students with a good understanding of Asia, especially if they plan to do business or make a living there after they graduate.
Chinese migration to Nigeria has overwhelmingly grown over the years. The general feelings are that the country is facing another era of colonization. What’s your take on that viewpoint?
I agree with Dambisa Moyo that Nigeria and other African states should take advantage of the investment offered by China to accelerate their economic growth. In addition, China's economic boom has created a vast consumer market that the world's firms are doing their best to expand into, and Nigeria's entrepreneurs should not get left behind. Does this economic engagement represent a new form of colonization? Nigeria has to weigh the economic opportunities against the social impact of the new migrants.
Do you think Chinese migration to Nigeria has any favorable economic impact?
Consider a recent example. In April it was announced that China will loan $900 million to Nigeria to rehabilitate its rail and communications networks. Such an improvement in transportation infrastructure, in particular, the planned construction of the rail link between Abuja and Kaduna, promises substantial economic benefits.
You speak several languages. How are you integrated with Chinese language and culture?
Singapore has a bilingual education policy, such that students have to learn English as well as their mother tongue, which in my case is Mandarin Chinese. Culturally I belong to the Straits Chinese, that is, the culture of the Chinese migrants who settled in British Malaya, the territory that later became Malaysia and Singapore.
When you read the letter from Routledge’s Editorial Board approving your book for publication, what was your reaction?
I felt as happy as I did when I passed my dissertation defense. I was on tenterhooks the past several months as my manuscript went through the peer review process, and was relieved when it passed both the peer review as well as the editorial board's selection process.
You gave a hint that the book was an expansion of your dissertation, ‘using political and aesthetic theory to reflect on the violent history of Cambodia.’ Why did you pick Cambodia?
I chose Cambodia for my Ph.D. research based on the developments I had witnessed during my 3 years of work in Phnom Penh. Cambodia has suffered one of the most violent transitions in recent history, and I was deeply impressed by the resilience of its people.
