Victor Oguejiofor Okafor

A photo of Victor Okafor

Department Head

Africology and African American Studies

620 Pray Harrold

734.487.3460

[email protected]

Education

  • Ph.D., African American Studies, Temple University, 1994
  • MPA, Public Affairs, concentrated in Development Management, Indiana University in Bloomington, 1988
  • BA, Journalism (Business minor), Indiana University, 1986

Interests and Expertise

Professor Victor Oguejiofor Okafor is head of the Department of Africology and African American Studies at Eastern Michigan University. Author of five books, Okafor has also contributed chapters to several anthologies, and published a variety of scholarly articles in such refereed journals as the Western Journal of Black Studies, the Journal of Black Studies, Africa Update and the Griot. Okafor's writings have appeared in national magazines and newspapers. He has presented papers at dozens of professional conferences, conventions and meetings of student groups, as well as other groups.

Dr. Okafor is a certified Quality Matters (QM) Peer Reviewer of Online Course Designs.  He has three certifications in the areas of 1) Online Course Designing and instruction, 2) application of Quality Matters (QM) Principles and Rubrics to Online Course Designs, and 3) Quality Matters (QM) Peer Reviewer of Online Course Designs. Okafor has been designing and teaching online courses since 1999.


Teaching both offline and online, his overall teaching experience embraces courses on or related to:

  • The history of Black studies
  • Theories, methods and methodologies in Black studies
  • Black politics and public policy
  • African civilization
  • Multiculturalism
  • Afrocentricity/Afrocentrism

As a consultant on multicultural/diversity issues, Okafor serves as an expert court witness on cases related to African cultural questions and issues. For more than two decades, he has also served as a language interpreter on legal, corporate, medical and other matters requiring communications in Igbo language and translations between Igbo and English.

Before joining Eastern Michigan University in 1995, Okafor previously served as director of African American studies and assistant professor at North Carolina State University.

Publications and Presentations

Books and book chapters
  • Okafor, Victor. (2023, July 19). “Africology: a Model of Global Studies,” a paper presented at the Sixteenth Global Studies Conference

    held at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom, July 19-21, 2023.

  • Okafor, Victor. (2023). Why Africology? A Critical Review of Debates about How to Name the Discipline. In A. Oyebade (Ed.), Transformations in Africana Studies: History, Theory, and Epistemology (pp. 30–44). New York: Routledge.

  • Okafor, Victor. (2023, February 22). “The Civil Rights Movement in the United from the 1950s to the 1960s: ITS EVOLUTION INTO A BLACK POWER (EMPOWERMENT) MOVEMENT,” a zoom-based, hourlong webinar presentation to more than 300 state of Michigan educators, sponsored by Michigan’s Department of Education (MDE) for its “Teaching Comprehensive History Webinar Series” of February, 2023.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2023, February 15). “The SOCIAL–PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF JIM CROW & A highlight of some of the key leaders of the Civil Rights Movement,” a Zoom-based, hourlong webinar presentation to more than 300 state of Michigan educators, sponsored by Michigan’s Department of Education (MDE) for its “Teaching Comprehensive History Webinar Series” of February, 2023.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2023, February 8). “THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT (1950s TO 1960s): The Catalysts,” a zoom-based, hourlong webinar presentation to more than 300 state of Michigan educators, sponsored by Michigan’s Department of Education (MDE) for its “Teaching Comprehensive History Webinar Series” of February, 2023.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2021). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (6th ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2017). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (5th ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2014). Development: Definitions, Trends and Controversies – An Interrogation of Key Issues Related to Modern African Political Economy. In W. Idada and M.L. Rilwan (Eds.). Governance, Peace and Security in Africa (pp. 212–228). Benin City: AMBIK PRESS.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2013). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (4th ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Ed.). (2013). The State of Africana Studies Today: Essays on Scholarship and Pedagogy. New York: the Edwin Mellen Press.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2010). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (3nd ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Ed.). (2008). Nigeria's Stumbling Democracy and its Implications for the Democratic Movement in Africa. Westport: Praeger Security International.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2008). Malcolm X: An Apostle of Violence or an Advocate for Black Human Rights? In James L. Conyers, Jr. and A.P. Smallwood (Eds.), Malcolm X: A Historical Reader (pp. 215–226). Durban: Carolina Academic Press.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2007). Towards an Africological Pedagogical Approach to African Civilization. In D. P. Aldridge and E. L. James (Eds.), Africana Studies: Philosophical Perspectives and Theoretical Paradigms (pp. 266–280). Washington: Washington State University Press.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2006). A Roadmap for Understanding African Politics: Leadership and Political Integration in Nigeria. New York: Rutledge.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2006). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (2nd ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.
  • Okafor, V.O., and Adeleke, T. (Eds.). (2006). Studies in African American Leadership: Individuals, Movements, and Committees. New York: The Edwin Mellen Press.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2004). Rebuilding Continental-Diaspora African Relations: An Examination of Path-Breaking Trends in Governmental, Pan-African and Educational Linkages. In T. Adeleke (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Historical and Contemporary Issues About Africa and Black America (pp. 139–166).Lewiston: The Edwin Mellon Press.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2002). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (1st ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.
  • Okafor, Victor. (1999). Africology and the Academy: Essential Texts, Concepts, Methods and New Controversies. In J. Conyers, Jr. and A. Barnett (Eds.), Africana History, Culture, and Social Policy (pp. 327–348). Lanham: International Scholars Publications.
  • Okafor, Oguejiofor Victor. (1998). The Functional Implications of Afrocentrism. In J. Hamlet (Ed.), Afrocentric Visions: Studies in Culture and Communication. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
  • Okafor, Oguejiofor Victor., and Tella, A. Sheriffden. (1998). Economic Development and the Prospects for Economic Security in Africa. In A. Oyebade and ccccA. Alao (Eds.), Africa after the Cold War: The Changing Perspectives on Security (pp. 17–42). Trenton: Africa World Press.
  • Okafor, Victor. (1997). Afrocentrism and A New World Order. In N. BaNIkongo (Ed.), Leading Essays in Afro-American Studies (pp. 667–684). Durham: Carolina Academic Press.
A sample of Okafor's Journal and other publications
  • Okafor, Victor. (2024, March 22). Democracy is the Key to Africa's Social Transformation. Heart of Arts. https://heartofarts.org/democracy-is-the-key-to-africas-social-transformation/.
  • Okafor, Victor. (2018, Fall). The Passing of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela:The End of a Revolutionary Chapter in African History. Africa Update, XXV (4).
  • Okafor, Victor. (June, 2015). Racism, White Supremacism and the Tragedy at Charleston, South Carolina: President Barack Obama Hit the Nail in the Head.
  • Okafor, Victor. (March, 2015). Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Et al.: A Survey of Emergent Grassroots Protests and Public Perceptions of Justice. The Journal of Pan African Studies. vol. 7 (8), 43–63.
  • Okafor, Victor. (March, 2014). Africology, Black Studies, African American Studies, Africana Studies, or African World Studies? What's So Important about a Given Name? The Journal of Pan African Studies. vol. 6 (7), 209–224.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Fall, 2007). Nigeria's Disputed Elections: Symptoms of a National Malaise. Africa Update, Vol. XIV, Issue 4.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Ed.).(Fall, 2007). Nigerian Politics and Society. Africa Update, Vol. XIV, Issue 4.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Summer, 2007). Nigeria's Census Jinx: Is there a Way Out. Africa Update, XIV(3).
  • Okafor, Victor. (Ed.). (January, 2007). Sustaining Black Studies: A Special Edition of the Journal of Black Studies, 37 (3).
  • Okafor, Victor. (January, 2007). Shortcomings in Wilson's Chronicle of Higher Education Article on the State of Black Studies Programs. Journal of Black Studies, 37 (3), 335–347.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Spring, 2006). The Paris Club Deal: Reason to Celebrate? Africa Update, XIII (1).
  • Okafor, Victor. (Fall, 2005). Nigeria's electoral challenge: what is to blame, the ballot box or political culture? Africa Update, XII (4).
  • Okafor, Victor. (October 28, 2005). The Paris Club Deal: Reason to celebrate or reason to cry for Nigeria? USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1284.
  • Okafor, Victor. (September 19, 2005). Nigeria's electoral challenge: what is to blame, the ballot box or the political culture? USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1160.
  • Okafor, Victor. (September 11, 2005). Concerns about non-Ratification of the UN Convention against corruption: OBJ is right on the mark. USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1117.
  • Okafor, Victor. (September 5, 2005). The Tragedy of Katrina and the Reflections of a one-time war refugee. USA/Africa Dialogue, No. 1072. 
  • Okafor, Victor. (August 31, 2005). On the Rule of Law or the Lack of it in Nigeria. USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1060. 
  • Okafor, Victor, et al. (May 27, 2005). The Present and Future of Black Studies. The Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A47.
  • Okafor, Victor. (April 25, 2005). Shortcomings in Wilson's Chronicle of Higher Education's Article on the state of Black Studies programs. USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 643.
  • Okafor, Victor. (January, 1997). Towards An Africological Pedagogical Approach to African Civilization. Journal of Black Studies, 27, (3), 299–317.
  • Okafor, Victor. (1996). Towards an Africological Pedagogical Approach to African Civilization. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 20, (3), 125–133.
  • Okafor, Victor. (1996). the Place of Africalogy in the University Curriculum. Journal of Black Studies, 26 (6), 688–712.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Spring, 1996). Towards an Understanding of the Afrocentric Conceptual Paradigm. The Griot, 15 (1), 44–54.
  • Okafor, Victor. (Winter, 1994). The Functional Implications of Afro centrism. Western Journal of Black Studies, 18 (4), 185–194.
  • Okafor, Victor. (December, 1993). An Afrocentric Critique of Appiah's In My Father's House. Journal of Black Studies, 24 No (2), 196–212.
  • Okafor, Victor. (October 21, 1993). AT&T and the Monkey Palaver. Black Issues in Higher Education.
    Okafor, Victor. (September 23, 1993). Let it Be Informed Debate. Black Issues in Higher Education, pp. 9 and 39.s

Grants, Honors and Awards

  • Distinguished Scholar Award For Outstanding Scholarship, Teaching and Service in Africana Studies from the 5th Annual Africa Conference sponsored and hosted by the Department of History, Geography, Political Science and Africana Studies of Tennessee State University, 2017.
  • Appointed as a Great Michigan Read Scholar by Michigan's Humanities Council, 2017–18.
  • Named and recognized as "a Most Valuable Professor" by Eastern Michigan University's men's basketball team, Winter, 2014.

Additional Information