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Marvels of the African World: African Cultural Patrimony, New World Connections, and Identities ED. NIYI AFOLABI Trenton: Africa World P, 2003. pp. 644. ISBN 1-59221-021-X paper. $39.95.
Any anthology is dependent upon the conceptualization of the editor. To the degree that the editor understands and appreciates the scope and dimensions of the topic of the anthology the better that anthology will be for the reader. Niyi Afolabi, largely because of his intellectual breadth and passion, has given us a wonderful anthology.
Marvels of the African World immediately reminds one of Henry Louis Gates's book and documentary, Wonders of the African World but Marvels is a project of a much different order. Afolabi is not trying so much to dazzle us with the glories of Africa as he is assembling some of the best thinkers to deal with the issue of cultural patrimony. Among the distinguished scholars in the volume are Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, Femi Ojo-Ade, Abdias do Nascimento, Elisa Larkin Nascimento, Cheryl Sterling, Tejemola Olaniyan, Adélékè Adéèko, Dixon Abreu, Israel Ruiz, Roberta Hatcher, Niyi Coker, Jr, Bolaji Campbell, Peniel Joseph, Ian...