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Chachage was defender of intellectual freedom -don
2006-07-12 09:47:14
By Ludger Kasumuni
The renowned academician of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), the late Professor Chachage Seithy Chachage was uncompromising activist who fearlessly defended intellectual freedom, a don at the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Azaveli Lwaitama has said.
Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, Dr Lwaitama said Prof Chachage was uncompromising Pan-Africanist intellectual.
”He was passionately convinced that African intellectuals had to fearlessly fight to decolonize their minds from mental slavery,” he said.
”To him the fight for academic freedom went hand in hand with the necessity by African intellectuals to assume their full responsibility to pursue truth and relentlessly defend the fundamental interests of the masses whose voices are often left unheard,” he added.
A lecturer at the UDSM Institute of Journalism and Mass Communications, Ayoub Rioba said Prof Chachage was a progressive intellectual devoted all his time to use the university as a platform for transformation of knowledge for the benefit of everyone.
Rioba said that Prof Chachage was a real societal academician devoted all his time to work for the benefit of the society in which he lived.
On his part, an M.A. student in Development Studies at the same university, Deus Nshekanabo said the death of Prof Chachage was a big blow to UDSM students’ community as he had been providing vital support to various students associations.
Nshekanabo, the president of the Dar es Salaam University Political Science Students (DUPSA), said Prof Chachage was instrumental in energizing the activities of DUPSA.
The Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Anthony Ngaiza, said that Prof Chachage was a rare professional who stood bold enough to defend national interests without fearing political forces.
Ngaiza said his vacuum would not be easily filled because he was a distinct academician who played down his personal interests for protecting national interest.
Dr Gideon Shoo of Habari Corporation, also said that Prof Chachage was a lost hero whose vacuum would not be easily filled.
Prof Chachage (51) died last Sunday while on duty at Kibaha.
Today various people, including dignitaries from private, government and public institutions are scheduled to pay last respects to the body of the late Prof Chachage at the UDSM campus.
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