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Dr. Peter Agboi Tabi
Spelman Hosts First Fulbright Scholar
Dr. Peter Agboi-Tabi
Photo by: Nelson Valentine
by Carolyn Grant
Feature Editor
Seeking to expand the boun
daries of human wisdom, em
pathy, and perception through
education, Senator James
William Fulbright of Arkansas
introduced in 1946, a legislation
to Congress. This legislation is
known as the Fulbright
Educational Program, an inter
national exchange scholarship
program.
Through the mediums of
education and culture, the
program’s major purpose is “to
increase mutual understanding
between the people of the
United States and the people of
other countries.”
Congressionally funded, the
program awards scholarships to
teachers, students, and post
graduate scholars each year.
These scholarships provide them
with the opportunity to visit
other countries for advanced
study and research and universi
ty teaching.
This year, Spelman is hosting
her first Fulbright Scholar.
Visiting from Cameroon, a coun
try on the Western Coast of
Central Africa, is Dr. Peter Agboi
Tabi. A scholar in the field of
international studies, Dr. Tabi is
on leave from his teaching duties
at the Cameroon Institute of
International Affairs and has
taken on the position as a visiting
professor at Spelman where he
teaches two classes. Those two
classes are African Problems in
International Relations and
Science and International Con
flicts. In addition to teaching, Dr.
Tabi is also doing research work
on south economic relations.
Teaching and researching are
not the only two duties that this
Fulbright Scholar performs.
Since his arrival here last year in
August, Dr. Tabi has been lec
turing monthly to faculty and
students of the A.U. Center as a
part of a Lunch and Lend Lec
turing Series. His lectures focus
on economic development in
Western and Central Africa’s
subregions.
As a FulbrightScholar, Dr. Tabi
says he is having a very rewarding
experience, especially at
Spelman. Although he prefers
teaching at graduate schools, Dr.
Tabi says he enjoys teaching at
Spelman. “Spelman is a small
institution with a lot of room for
growth," he said.
In his teaching experience
here at Spelman, Dr. Tabi says he
does not find the students to be
very aggressive in the sense of
wanting to know more and
more. Students in Cameroon are
more aggressive, he says. “They
do not take education for
granted because only a privileg
ed few have the opportunity to
go to the universities,” says Dr.
Tabi.
Concerned about students.
Dr. Tabi would like to see
students here make some
changes in their educational
endeavors. One change he
would like to see is actual
emphasis on excellence instead
of just talk of excellence. “It’s
going to be competitive in the
world,’’.says Dr. Tabi, “and it’s
best to be excellent.”
Dr. Tabi says he would also like
to see students spend more time
in the library and he would like
to see more students learn how
to use computers. “Students
should have some knowledge of
how a computer works. It’s a very
important element in research,”
he says.
Focusing on his honorary title,
Dr. Tabi says it is good to be a
Fulbright Scholar. It is one of the
greatest honors a professor can
have he says. Out of about 80
applicants, Dr. Tabi was selected
to receive the Fulbright
Scholarship, which was opened
to 40 countries on the Sahara side
of Africa, on the basis of his
achievements. Being a Fulbright
Scholar says Dr. Tabi, helps him
achieve and maintain ex
cellence.
Dr. Tabi’s attitude of ex
cellence has helped him to
accomplish much in his field.
One of his many ac
complishments include writing a
book entitled The United States
Assistance in Africa published by
the University Press of America.
The book will be released in
April.
An intellectual is “one who
fights for the betterment of
human beings,” says Dr. Tabi.
Although he enjoys being in the
U.S., Dr. Tabi feels Cameroon
needs him more. In July, he will
be returning there to contribute
what he can for the betterment
Continued on Page 6
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by Deanne Price
“Who stole the cookie from
the cookie jar?” Is that...? Naw, it
can’t be! Yes it is! That’s Famous
Amos! Here in the College
World Book store located in the
lower concourse of Manley
Center.
Wally Amos, aka Famous
Amos, was a very affable and
willing interviewee. This popular
cookie monster expressed very
down to earth views about
by Lovette Love
A personal opinion cannot
always be correct or even near
the truth because everyone has
their own individual feelings
concerning certain matters. The
matter of black businesses,
however, can be greatly in
fluenced by environmental fac
tors, such as the size of the
business, its location, and even
the crime rate of the city that it is
located. Therefore, this can have
a serious effect on how you feel
about that company and the
service you receive from them.
Most small black businesses in
existence today seem to have a
problem with lack of support
from their own race and sur
rounding communities. Some
black people even sterotype the
black business to be inefficient,
himself and about life which
exuded the feeling that maybe
even the gloriously rich are
friendly too.
Famous Amos got started nine
years ago in 1975 with help in
financial backing from singer
Marvin Gaye. When asked if he
had any advice for up and
coming entreprenuers, he
quickly stated “believe in self”
and added, “faith in God and
over-priced, having inadequate
facilities, and in general, failing
to live up to the standards that
they are accustomed to. This may
be due to the conditioning
instilled in usthat“thebiggerthe
company the better it is” or as
blacks may be degrading our
own people because society
seems to always put us in the
interior position. Whatever the
reason, our businesses are suf
fering. It is a sad fact that less than
10% of our income is retained in
black communities. Without a
steady flow of income into black
businesses, they are stagnated
and can not fully develop to the
point where they can expand
and create more jobs for today’s
black as well as future
generations.
The reason that black
great commitment to one’s
aspirations are by far top vir
tues.”
Famous Amos, his wife
Christine, and their newborn
daughter make their home in
Hawaii. However, he frequents
the various stores in the Union
for promotional purposes.
In concluding the interview,
Mr. Amos answered the in
evitable question, “How does it
businesses are not fully sup
ported could also be their own
fault. In order to be supported,
those companies that are able
should show concern by aiding
in the betterment of black com
munities, non-profit
organizations, education, etc.
The business-customer
relationship should be equal in
its giving and receiving.
This awareness of the status of
the black business today
hopefully will, at least, make you
aware that there is a problem and
those who plan to pursue a
business of their own should
take into consideration all fac
tors such as attitudes, prejudices,
service, etc. which will better
their clientele in surrounding
communities and make them
more successful people. More
feel to be famous?” His answer
was original, if anything. He
claims that “there is no special
feeling. It just means a lot of
people know who I am — no
special privilege.”
Indeed, Wally Amos is a uni
que individual and another Black
who has made an historical mark
in U.S. history. P.S. — As of yet,
there is no Famous Amos doll in
the making. Oh well, that’s just
the way the cookie crumbles.
information about black
businesses is available in
resources such as: The Black
Resource Guide, The Blackbook
Internation Reference Guide,
and the Black Pages.
UP WITH PEOPLE
Continued from Page 3
the bullrings of Valencia, Spain;
and the Peking Conservatory of
Music in China.
Belk is known to have said,
“Think of what might happen if
students from the People’s
Republic of China, the Soviet
Union, the United States and the
other countries of the world had
a year together in “Up With
People.” Maybe it would sow a
seed for future understanding
and harmony in the world.”
black businesses... will they survive OR SUFFER?