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IUGB Students Celebrate Great Africans of Yesterday and Today

🌍 Celebrating the 13th Next Gen Orators: African Genius Voices Showcase: A Tapestry of Excellence Across Time, Nations, and Disciplines

The 13th African Genius Voices Showcase delivered a dazzling reminder of why history, culture, and collective memory still matter. With 35 powerful presenters representing 18 nations, this semester’s showcase was more than an academic tradition; it was a sweeping celebration of global Black excellence across centuries,
continents, and disciplines.


What made this cohort extraordinary was not only the diversity of its speakers but the harmony of its brilliance. Foundational English students presented with the same authority, fluency, and intellectual confidence as their BSS peers, erasing any notion that language level determines depth of understanding. Genius, as always, transcends labels.

Across the evening, students transported the audience through world-changing moments and world-shaping figures, introducing leaders whose names often go unrecognized despite transforming entire fields. They spotlighted fearless activists like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Nigeria), mathematicians like Dr. Euphemia Haynes (USA), literary icons like Patrick Chamoiseau (Martinique), and nation-builders such as Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila (Namibia) and Sir Seretse Khama (Botswana).

The range of stories was breathtaking. We traveled from the brilliance of Kiara Nirghin (South Africa), whose drought-fighting agricultural polymer stunned global scientists at age 16, to the medical innovation of Temie Giwa-Tubosun (Nigeria), whose blood-delivery systems are saving lives across West Africa. Students highlighted the global human rights voice of Clemantine Wamariya (Rwanda/USA), the political fire of Walter Rodney (Guyana), the leadership of Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), and the creative mastery of Duke Ellington (USA), Portia White (Canada), and Henry Ossawa Tanner (USA).

They uplifted scientific brilliance through Valerie Thomas, Alice Augusta Ball, Archie Alexander, and medical pioneer Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee. They even highlighted cross-cultural legends like Yasuke (Mozambique/Japan), proof of Africa’s global presence long before globalization.

And then came the finale — the moment that crystallized the Showcase’s mission.

Dr. Thomas Mensah (Ghana/USA), one of the architects of the modern world, stood as the night’s pièce de résistance. Ahissa Grace MANLAN traced his revolutionary contributions to fiber optics, the foundational technology behind internet communication, high-speed data transfer, and global connectivity. His breakthroughs enabled the digital age, transforming how humanity communicates and powering the

🌍 Celebrating the 13th Next Gen Orators: African Genius Voices Showcase

His later achievements in nanotechnology, aerospace, and advanced materials cemented him as one of the most consequential African scientists in human history, a living example of genius that is African, innovative, and world-shaping.


But even more extraordinary than the roster of legends was the student mastery. Every presenter, whether studying at the foundational level or in BSS, spoke with authority, passion, and precision. Their research was deep. Their confidence was radiant. Their pride was unmistakable.

By the end of the showcase, one truth was undeniable: this generation is ready — to lead, to innovate, to preserve history, and to build the future.

The African Genius Voices Showcase continues to stand as a living archive of brilliance. And each semester, the students prove what the world must remember: The genius of the Black world is not rare, it is continuous, global, and unstoppable.

🎉 Congratulations to All 33 Presenters of the 13th African Genius Voices Showcase!

Your brilliance lit up the stage.
Your research honored our ancestors.
Your voices reshaped the narrative.


Across 18 nations, across centuries of genius, across every field imaginable,
you stood tall, you spoke with power, and you made history.


We are proud of you.
We are inspired by you.
And this generation is better because of you.


Keep rising. Keep speaking. Keep leading.
The world is waiting for your genius.

Student NameCourse/GroupLeaderCountry
1.⁠KRE-ADJA Marie AurianeAfrican HistoryFunmilayo Ransome KutiNigeria
2.TCHEAGNON, Assouwan David-ChrisAfrican HistoryDr. Euphemia HaynesUSA
3.KANSAYE DiakaridjaAfrican HistoryMolefi Kete AsanteUSA
4.⁠KASSI NouraAfrican HistoryKiara NirghinSouth Africa
5.NINGUI, Paul Marie JessicaAfrican HistoryTemie Giwa-TubosunNigeria
6.ZOULOU, Ouele Junior JeremieAfrican HistoryClemantine WamariyaRwanda/USA
7.MANLAN, Ahissa Grace EmmanuellaAfrican HistoryDr. Thomas MensahGhana/USA
8.GBEI, Christian ManassehAfrican HistoryPatrick ChamoiseauMartinique
9.Goure, Ruth-Joelle EstherAdvanced AKingsley HolgateSouth Africa
10.N’guessan, Lohoues Esaie Pierre-LeroiAdvanced ASaara Kuugongelwa-AmadhilaNamibia
11.Okou, Konan Christ KurtisAdvanced BDambisa MoyoZambia, UK
12.Gosse, Monaly Lyne PriscilleAdvanced BKhanyi DhlomoSouth Africa
13.Sacko, Cheick IbrahimaIntermediate AVivian OnanoKenya
14.Tohougbe, Rice Ivana Marie-Intermediate AJoyce MujuruZimbabwe
15.Momine, Senin Othniel Marc AurelIntermediate BAlfonso 1Kongo
16.Zanre, Marie AntoinetteIntermediate BAmeenah Gurib-FakimMauritius
17.Dembele, Assita LeilaIntermediate BZhan Vensanovych BeleniukRwanda/Ukraine
18.Kipre, Loyce-Pura Queen-Mary EmmanuelleIntermediate CChimamanda NgoziNigeria
19.Kone, Kounadri MariameBasic ASalifa KeitaMali
20.Adou, Hope Emma NaikyBasic BSir Seretse KhamaBotswana
21.Mayuma, Makaya AnnetteBasic BWalter RodneyGuyana
22.Koffi, Johanna Emmanuelle ReginaBasic CHenry Ossawa TannerUSA
23.Djedje, Djouo Marie CyrielleBasic CYasukeMozambique/
Japan
24.Ouattara, Moussokoura Hadia ImaneBasic DArthur Robert AsheUSA
25.Sawadogo, DjeliloBasic DPortia WhiteCanada
26.Foua, Bi Tah Ziza JuniorBasic EDr. Barbara Ross-LeeUSA
27.Kassi, Ya Marie EmmanuelaBasic EDuke EllingtonUSA
28.N’zian, Koffi Jod Elijon PatrickBasic EValerie ThomasUSA
29.Diabate, Macoty AimaneBasic FAlice Augusta BallUSA
30.Koffi, Bossigne Ange MadocheBasic FJames Weldon JohnsonUSA
31.Meledje, Catherine MeganeBasic FArchie AlexanderUSA
32.Kouyate, Konan Mohamed JuniorBasic FRichard AllenUSA
33.Tamegnon, Amenan Grace EmmanuellaBasic FJomo KenyattaKenya

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Fatima Doumbia KonĂŠ is a Mathematics lecturer at the international University of
Grand-Bassam (IUGB). Among the courses she taught we have the following: Introduction to
Differential Equations, Elementary Statistics, Calculus(I,II,III), Transforms in Applied Math,
Introduction to Linear Algebra, Operations Research and Abstract Algebra.
She has a Bachelor degree in Mathematics (IUGB), a Master degree in Pure and Applied
Mathematics (AUST) and she is currently enrolled for a PhD in Mathematics at the African
University of Science and Tecnology (AUST), Abuja. She has also been an intern at the
Institutional Banking Group department within GTBANK CI (Garanty Trust Bank CĂ´te
D’Ivoire).
She is a former IUGB student and she was the president of the science club in 2015.
Academically, her goal is to be a great researcher and innovator on the topics of asymptotic
theories in Fuzzy Probability Theory and their various applications to image processing. She
has good programming skills (JAVA, LaTeX, C++) and she is bilingual (French and English).
Over the years, she has been developing a method of teaching which not only put students at
the center of the learning process but also which deconstruct most of the stereotypes about the
inaccessibility of mathematical knowledge to everybody.
Regarding her research activities, she has been working since 2018 on the topic of integration
on Banach spaces and a preprint of an interesting work is available at
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1905.04480. She is continuing with her research on integration but now
her PhD studies focus on Random Sets Integration in Probability Theory. Professionally, she
is a very active lecturer at IUGB and she is currently the faculty advisor of the SHE CLUB,
which aims at promoting women empowerment by providing learning, leadership and
networking opportunities.

I am currently Associate Professor of computer and data science in the school of science technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at the International University of Grand-Bassam (IUGB).
From 2000 to 2018, I successively worked as a research scientist at Independent Computing Research in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Assistant Professor at the department of computer science and
engineering at UniversitĂŠ Laval in QuĂŠbec, Canada; Research Associate at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) where I also received a Ph.D. degree in computer science in March 2000. Upon receiving a master's degree in mathematical and computing science
from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT) in 1990 in Japan, I worked as a research scientist at National/Panasonic, one of the most prestigious companies in Tokyo.
I am involved in research on Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Semantic Web and its applications in a wide range of fields. Besides, I designed the current Data Science program in effect
since September 2021 in STEM. In addition, I am also one the founders and current President of the
Ivorian Association of Artificial Intelligence and member of ORBICOM, the Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication headquartered in University of Quebec in Montreal (UQUAM), Canada.

Kwame Simpe Ofori is an Assistant Professor in Finance at the school of Business and Social Sciences. He holds a doctorate degree in Finance, a master’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in Telecommunications Technology. He is also currently a PhD student at the School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. He has taught courses in the areas of finance, computer science, computer and electrical engineering, and telecommunication engineering. Before joining IUGB he lectured in several universities in Ghana. He also worked with Ghana Telecommunications Company as a support engineer. His research interests are in the areas of consumer behaviour, technology adoption and trust in online systems and in recent times financial econometrics. His papers have appeared in several CABS-ranked journals such as Information Technology and People, Journal of Cleaner Productions, Quality Management Journal, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, International Journal of Bank Marketing, Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, Journal of African Business, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology and Society and Business Review.Â