From Nigeria to USask: Student leader builds campus connections

Akinjide was a featured speaker at USask’s Black History Month launch event that took place on Feb. 3 in Place Riel. As current president of the Pan-African Students’ Association (PASA) at USask, he shares his story and his thoughts on how the university community can continue to support important initiatives like Black History Month year-round.

Born in Nigeria, Akinjide found himself planning to move across the globe to pursue his post-secondary education. With an original plan to study engineering, he found a newfound interest in economics during “an inadvertent gap year” between finishing high school in Nigeria and beginning university. Prior to moving to Canada to begin university, Akinjide also spent some time living in the United States in Maryland, a time he describes as “brief but transformational.”

“Moving to Maryland was an interesting phase in my life, as it was my first experience being in a minority and living in a different country for an extended period,” he said.

As he got closer to beginning university, he hoped to build and deepen his understanding of the functioning of society, specifically regarding key agricultural inputs. The vast Saskatchewan prairie landscape stood out as an ideal location for this learning.

“Life put me in circumstances that compelled me to examine these systems more deeply,” he said. “I had come to the realization that economics was my true calling, [and was] the field where I believed I could make the most meaningful difference in the world. I felt Saskatchewan might be an ideal environment to learn more about agricultural economics, too, which luckily has proven true, as I’ve had the opportunity to conduct research with professors specializing in this field.”

Fast forward to the current day, and Akinjide said Saskatoon – and USask – feel like home. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in economics in the College of Arts and Science and serves as president of PASA, a position he was excited to take on after becoming connected with the student group about two years ago.

PASA aims to provide an on-campus community for USask students of African, Black and Caribbean heritage. The student group hosts multiple educational events and social initiatives each year and provides students with access to a wide support network of others who are on similar journeys. Led by Akinjide, PASA collaborated with the university’s planning committee, with support from the Provost’s Office, on this year’s Black History Month theme, “Radiant Roots: Honouring our Heritage.” The student group also participated in a launch video sharing what Black History Month means to them.

The most important part of initiatives like Black History Month, Akinjide said, is that community recognition and engagement with its subject matter does not get left behind as the calendar flips.

“Black History Month provides a concentrated period of celebration and education, but its spirit should extend throughout the year,” he said. “Integration rather than isolation is key.”

He added that increasing the number of diverse perspectives and scholarly work used in course curricula across disciplines can help to ensure visibility and opportunities to learn about African and Black history outside of defined times of year. In addition, he said considering more physical representations through art installations, spaces, or library materials featuring Black authors and researchers, can be beneficial for accessibility to learning materials and reflection.

“The most meaningful engagement happens when we move beyond performative acknowledgment to creating genuine opportunities for Black voices to be heard, Black scholarship to be recognized, and Black students to feel truly supported in their academic journeys,” he said.

Additionally, he suggested that student organizations like PASA can continue to partner with other cultural groups and university departments to host events that celebrate Black excellence and facilitate meaningful discussions.

“These collaborations help demonstrate that Black history is an integral part of our shared history,” Akinjide said.

Akinjide hopes to continue having a positive impact on the lives of students during his time at USask while on his student leadership journey with PASA.

“There were so many valuable lessons I had learned during my first year and a half of involvement with PASA, and when presented with the opportunity to lead with a vision that would benefit students as a whole, I embraced it wholeheartedly,” he said. “This year, I’m grateful that we’ve been able to positively influence students’ lives both socially and professionally. Through partnerships and active engagement in important conversations, we've made a meaningful difference in students’ lives.”

You can find more information about Black History Month at USask and other initiatives at spotlight.usask.ca