Muhammadu Buhari was a Nigerian military officer, former Head of State and democratically elected president whose career spanned more than five decades of national history. Born in Daura, Katsina State, in 1942, he rose through the Nigerian Army before becoming military Head of State in 1983. Buhari later returned to politics after years away from … Read more
Bertil Ohlin was a Swedish economist, professor and politician who made major contributions to the theory of international trade. Born in 1899, he became one of Sweden’s leading economists during the 20th century. His academic work later influenced how economists understand trade between countries with different resources and economic structures. Ohlin is best known for … Read more
Ashoka was one of the most important rulers in the history of ancient India. Known as Ashoka the Great, he ruled much of the Indian subcontinent during the third century BCE and transformed his approach to kingship after the devastating Kalinga War. As emperor of the Mauryan Empire, Ashoka inherited one of the largest political … Read more
Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, political leader and advocate of nonviolent resistance whose ideas transformed the struggle against British rule. Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869, he became one of the most influential figures in India’s independence movement. Gandhi developed the philosophy of satyagraha, which emphasized truth, moral resistance and nonviolent action … Read more
Locksley Edmondson was a Jamaican scholar whose work connected African politics, Caribbean studies, international relations and the African diaspora. He spent much of his career examining race, political development and the relationships between Africa and Black communities across the world. Edmondson became particularly associated with Cornell University, where he helped strengthen Africana Studies as an … Read more
Édouard Balladur was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister from 1993 to 1995 under President François Mitterrand. He also served as Minister of Economy, Finance and Privatisation and became one of the most influential centre-right politicians of the Fifth Republic. Balladur died in Paris on August 31, 2026, at the age of 97. … Read more
Okwui Enwezor was a Nigerian-born curator, writer, art critic and educator who became a major figure in international contemporary art. Born in Calabar, Nigeria, on October 23, 1963, he built a career across Africa, Europe and the United States. Enwezor became the first non-European artistic director of Documenta and later directed the 56th Venice Biennale … Read more
Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer, songwriter and musician who made reggae a global force. Born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945, in Nine Mile, Jamaica, he rose from a modest background to become one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His songs addressed freedom, faith, poverty, racism, political conflict and … Read more
Professor Asmarom Legesse was an Eritrean anthropologist and African intellectual. His scholarship changed international understanding of the Oromo Gadaa system and its role in African political thought. Born in Asmara in 1931, Legesse built a distinguished academic career in the United States. He taught and conducted research at several leading American universities. Over time, his … Read more
Professor Fantu Cheru was an Ethiopian-born African intellectual, political economist, development scholar, professor and international policy adviser whose work shaped debates about Africa’s development, globalization, structural adjustment and economic sovereignty. Born in rural Ethiopia in 1949, he rose from humble beginnings to become Professor of African and Development Studies at American University in Washington, DC, … Read more