University of Malawi (Unima) acting head in the department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies Dr Hendrina Mazizwa says celebrating the lives of scholars bridges the past intellectual breakthroughs with current scholarly practice.
She said this on Tuesday at Unima in Zomba during the International Memorial Conference for historian for Professor Kings Phiri, who died on June 5 2023.
Mazizwa stated that Phiri, who joined the nascent Unima, the then Chancellor College in the early 1970s, was one of Africa’s most distinguished historians of precolonial societies and a leading figure in Malawian scholarship.
According to Mazizwa, when Malawian academics were still few within the institution, Phiri played a foundational role in shaping the teaching and study of History in Malawi for about four decades on campus.
“He trained several generations of students who went on to become academics, teachers, civil servants, clergy and civic leaders, both locally and internationally,” she said.
Mazizwa added that Phiri’s career spanned critical moments in Malawi’s postcolonial trajectory, including the transition from a one-party State to multiparty democracy, a period that profoundly shaped his intellectual engagements and public reflections.
She said to his record, the professor was recognised for several consecutive years as one of Chancellor College’s best lecturers and his classrooms were known for intellectual rigour, clarity of exposition and a deep respect for students as emerging thinkers.
“He was equally admired as a mentor, generously sharing ideas, books, time and personal resources and often supporting needy students with tuition fees and basic necessities,” said Mazizwa.
During the conference a book titled Malawi at Sixty was launched.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, Zomba Theological University’s (ZTU) professor of theology Kenneth Ross said the book tackles political and economic aspects of Malawi.
The ZTU dean of post graduate studies said the interdisciplinary book offers wide-ranging scholarly analysis of Malawi’s 60 years of independence.
He said that the book’s goal is to provide an objective account of Malawi’s successes and failures, strengths, weaknesses, achievements and challenges.
“The book can be accessed in bookshops,” said Ross.
In her remarks, Phiri’s widow, Jane, said she witnessed Phiri’s daily actions and attested to the fact that he served Malawi with his entire heart.
“He chose services that were dearer to his life, a man of transparency who believed in meticulous accountability,” she said.
Born on April 22 1949, he worked for 36 years at Unima as professor of history, later moved to Mzuzu University (Mzuni) for eight years where he served in different capacities.
The commemoration which comprised the academia from within and outside the country, family members and friends, was spiced up by different presentations that celebrated Phiri’s life as a scholar, teacher, mentor and public intellectual in service and faith.
