Le Centre de Recherche Ouest-Africain (WARC/CROA)
et
le Département d’Histoire de l’Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
vous ont proposé le vendredi 16 novembre
2007 au WARC,
une grande 
Animée par le Professeur 
DAVID ROBINSON (Michigan
State University)
Dr Honoris Causa de l’Université Cheikh Anta
Diop de Dakar
Sur le thème
«Faire le plus grand Jihad: Amadou Bamba
et sa génération d’intellectuels
musulmans à la fin du 19e siècle »
Modérateur Pr Abdoulaye Bathily
WARC LECTURES SERIES
HIGHLIGHT: Fighting the Greater
Jihad: Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba and the Generation of Senegalese Moslem Intellectuals
at the End of the 19th Century
By Professor David Robinson, Michigan
state University(MSU)
Moderator: Professor Abdoulaye Bathily, University Cheikh Anta
Diop(Ucad)
Before giving the floor to the speaker of the day, Professor Abdoulaye Bathily, a distinguished scholar of west african history and high-profile political leader in Senegal, greeted the audience with the following: "I am very pleased to moderate this session as a deserved tribute to my colleague and friend David Robinson but also as a recognition of the ground breaking work of the West African Research Center which is playing a leading role among our institutions promoting scientific research and learned debates in West Africa. I would like, in particular, to emphasize the commitment and dedication of the staff of the West African Research Center".
Earlier on, the Director of Warc had briefly taken the floor to underscore the pioneer role played by Professor Robinson in promoting academic exchanges between Senegal and the United States and clearing the ground for the establishment of Wara, Aroa and, subsequently, the West African Research Center (Warc). In his development, Professor Robinson emphasized the uncompromising option made by the Founder and Spiritual Guide of the Muridiyya Brotherhood: the only Jihad, the only war, worth fighting is that of the mind and its continual uplifting and betterment. At the outset, the Saintly Man disparaged and disqualified the rule of the sword only to promote the teaching of knowledge and the Eternal Truths to his followers. Such was the path Bamba followed in his lifetime. Such was also the option he advocated among the religious leaders of his generation. Professor Robinson, in his exploration of the topic, referred several times to the Phd dissertation of one of his students, the Senegalese Cheikh Anta Babou, whose research findings are now available in the shape of a book entitled "Fighting the Greater Jihad: Amadu Bamba and the Founding of the Muridiyya of Senegal, 1853-1913", a copy of which has been generously donated by the author to the Warc library.
Professor Robinson's presentation was followed by a lively session of contributions and questions from an audience of people including university professors, researchers and the general public. The event was wrapped up with the presentation of a few gifts to Professor Robinson by the West African Research Center. The lecture followed on a major event held the day before at University Cheikh Anta Diop which awarded a honorary doctorate (Docteur Honoris) to Professor Robinson along with Professor Mohamed Faisal, from the Department of the Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Pathobiology & Diagnostic Investigation, at Michigan State University.
Ousmane SENE WARC Director
 Dr David W. Robinson signant le livre d'or du WARC |
 Pr Robinson discutant avec le Professeur Abdoulaye Bathily du Département d'Histoire de l'UCAD |
 Dr Ousmane Sene, Directeur du WARC souhaitant la bienvenue aux Pr Bathily et Robinson |
 Une assistance composée au premier rang du Doyen Ecrivain Cheikh Amidou Kane (en blanc), de Charles Becker à sa gauche et du représentant de l'UNICEF à sa droite. |
 Le Doyen de la Fac. des Sciences et Lettres Humaines de l'UCAD (à droite) suivi des doyens Abdoulaye Diop et Amadou Aly Dieng économiste. |
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 A l'exteme gauche, un des étudiants snégalais que le Pr Robinson a encadré, le Doctorant Ibra Sene de MSU |
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 Conférence suivie de remise de cadeaux au Professeur Emérite, Dr Honoris Causa de l'UCAD, David Robinson |
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Clichés du WARC
