How Alain Kassanda shows political engagement and consciousness-raising in Nigeria's repressive higher education system
By Adebayo Quadry-Adekanbi
During a recent visit to the University of Ibadan (U.I), the first university in Nigeria, I pondered what attending such an institution would have been like. The response I received was a cautionary one; “you better not even wonder, and thank God you didn’t,” a friend said.
This sentiment aligns with stories I’ve heard about life at Nigerian universities. Overcrowded lecture halls, outdated facilities, inadequate housing and limited access to resources are common issues for students. Additionally, frequent strikes disrupt their academic calendars, leaving students in limbo.
The term “Coconut Head Generation” was first used as an insult aimed at Nigerian youth to label them as lazy and apathetic, but it has evolved into an ironic self-identifier. In his latest film, Coconut Head Generation, Alain Kassanda, a filmmaker born in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and raised in France, explores students’ lives, thoughts and emotions at U.I.
Coconut reveals that despite the difficulties students face in Nigerian universities, some students are actively creating opportunities for knowledge production, raising consciousness, and engaging with political thought on various matters that impact their lives.
How Alain Kassanda shows political engagement and consciousness-raising in Nigeria's repressive higher education system
By Adebayo Quadry-Adekanbi