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Friday, March 29, 2024
The independent student publication of The University at Buffalo, since 1950

"African Student Association, past and present"


The African Student Association has been in existence at UB since 1967. With events like Jambo, a Hair and Fashion Show and weekly meetings to discuss happenings in Africa and the United States, they have made their presence felt by educating members and non-members about African culture.

ASA owes their existence and their focus to the vision of one man in particular.

During the 1960s, Simeon W. Chilungu said he noticed a need for an organization that caters to students of African descent at UB.

During his academic years Chilungu was vocal on issues and was a world traveler, having left his native Kenya to study in the Soviet Union and later in the United States.

Chilungu was one of 81 students in the Soviet Union studying on a scholarship from 1964 to 1965 during the Vietnam War.

According to Chilungu, there were instances when academics gave way to socio-political education.

"We were taken out of our classes to protest against the United States in the Vietnam War with the other Soviet students," said Chilungu. "The Kenyan students didn't want to, that wasn't why we were there."

It wasn't until a fellow African student was killed in a park that the Kenyan students lifted their voices in protest - against the Soviet Union, their host country. Chilungu and 29 other Kenyan students were sent back to Kenya after their protest.

Chilungu then applied for the Fulbright Scholarship and was accepted to Syracuse University, from which he transferred to UB after his freshman year.

When Chilungu arrived at UB in the 1960s there was only one organization that catered to Africans in Buffalo, called the African Association.

"The goal (of the African Association) was to have all the African people in this club," said Chilungu.

According to Chilungu, the nature of the African Association caused problems at UB. They weren't allowed to use campus facilities since they were an outside club.

Chilungu said he felt there should be an African club on UB's campus specifically for students even though he came upon some initial opposition.

"The others (in the African Association) thought I was dividing Africa up and breaking the African Association up," said Chilungu. "Eventually they all agreed that they would benefit from the UB club."

Now a professor of anthropology at Buffalo State College, Chilungu leads a more private life than in his younger years.

"I'm just here to teach my students and mind my family," said Chilungu.

Recently, Chilungu reacquainted himself with his UB past by making an appearance at the African Student Association's Hair and Fashion Show in 2004.

Charles Lomodong, a junior communication major and the African Student Association's publicity coordinator, got to meet Chilungu at the show.

"I met (Chilungu) briefly at the Hair and Fashion Show. He didn't really talk much. His presence, just being there, uplifted out spirits," said Lomodong.

The current president of ASA, Joel Payton, a senior in the social sciences interdisciplinary degree program, introduced Chilungu to the audience at the show.

"It was important for the history and tribes of Africa at UB to take notice of someone who influenced UB. (To) give him his due accolades," said Payton.

Much of the preservation of ASA's history and its focus on African history is due to its founding members. In the 1960s, African students began to contribute articles to the African newsletter. Many articles were written debating the issues of whether Africa should be treated as a whole or as separate units.

"I was one that argued that Africa was not a single unit. Given the cultural pluralism there are serious problems to overcome in order to unite," said Chilungu.

Their first meeting was in Norton Union on South Campus, which is now part of the dental school.

"I wanted African students attending UB in the 1960s to have their own organization to promote African cultural events, to invite speakers to the university to educate students about Africa."

According to Chilungu there weren't any political issues that lead to the formation of ASA, he just wanted to be a part of UB.

"We stayed away from politics, especially when we came over on a scholarship you were here to study," said Chilungu. "I was more interested to have an African student club registered at UB. That was my call."

Mary Ademola, senior psychology major and vice president of the African Student Association, said though she did not get a chance to meet Chilungu she appreciates his role in the organization's history.

"The first thing in keeping our history is by carrying out our annual shows. Every year we do the same shows. We try to keep the same focus," said Ademola. "We are keeping the culture alive by teaching people about African cultures."

This focus on educating the community and the club's members was the same focus Chilungu had decades ago when he founded the African Student Association.

"(We hoped) they could learn from the club about African nations so when they go back home they could teach their families," he said.




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