5 things I loved about Oxford — and 3 things I did not love
The 2023 annual convening of global Atlantic fellows took place in the historic and inequitable city of Oxford, United Kingdom from July 11 to 18, 2023. Historic because every inch of the city is steeped in history. Inequitable because in the midst of great privilege lie stark inequalities.
The United Kingdom is dear to my heart. In 2007, I received my masters in community health degree at the world’s first school of tropical medicine — the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM). Further, while I was studying at LSTM, I took two courses on health economics at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford University. Even after graduating and going back to Nigeria, I returned to Oxford in 2009 and attended the first University of Oxford Global Health Summer School at Jesus College. Without any doubts, Oxford University is a familiar territory to me. Being there was like going home.
The theme of the convening was #StepInStepUp. It was about stepping into discomfort and courageous conversations and then stepping up to make change. The global convening was a mixture of indoor events at the Rhodes Convening Hall of the Rhodes Trust House, outdoor tours, extended reality viewings at the XR Lab, evenings of catch-up with fellows and the unforgettable slam night, which I dubbed ‘Atlantic Fellows Got Talents’ show.
Here are 5 things I loved about the convening — and 3 things I did not love.
Connecting with Atlantic fellows from 7 different programs was like meeting with my extended family
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘convening’ as coming together for a common purpose. Indeed different members of the Atlantic Institute community came together for the common purpose of influencing change through the works of fellows. The convening brought together all 7 Atlantic Fellows programs, comprising 176 Fellows and 57 program staff as well as Atlantic Fellows programs’ board members and guests. Tanya Charles, Atlantic Institute’s Program and Impact Lead for Fellow Engagement expertly facilitated the convening. I reconnected with familiar faces, networked with new faces and formed long lasting relationships. Winding down with some South African fellows at the African Heat Restaurant owned by fellow Nigerians on the last night of the convening, was the icing on the cake.
The lectures and panel discussions motivated me to step in and step up.
As a universal health coverage advocate, Professor Bola Owolabi’s 4 tips on how to make a National Health Service work resonated the most with me. She said:
- Ensure it is backed by legislation
- Develop a clear strategy
- Ensure health is mainstreamed in all policies
- Be in a course-correct mode to ensure lessons learnt are applied to improve services.
There were also other memorable quotes:
“Chuck Finney is the world’s wealthiest because of his investments in people.” — Chris Oechsli, CEO/President of Atlantic Philanthropies
“Britain in the Victorian Age was a net exporter of people” — David Olusoga, Professor of Public History, University of Manchester
“People in Britain will say, ‘we won the World Cup’ even if they didn’t play or weren’t born. However, when you ask them, who colonized the world? they’d say, ‘it wasn’t me— Gary Younge, Professor of Sociology, University of Manchester
“There is a tyranny of averages. When data is disaggregated, it unmasks inequalities” — Professor Bola Owolabi, Director Health Inequalities at NHS England
“Kindness is NOT weakness. It is honoring the very essence of the person in front of you.” — Evie O’Brien, Executive Director, The Atlantic Institute
The power of Extended Reality (XR)
Watching the GAWI extended reality video at the XR Lab located at the basement of the Rhodes House was quite enlightening. Seeing 3-Dimensional videos and images of GAWI — a project co-created with the Raramuri people in northern Mexico was exhilarating. I felt like a god in the skies observing what was happening on earth. Many lessons on how an indigenous community is making the planet a better place.
History of Medicine Oxford Tour lived up to is name
The tour began at the Bridge of Sighs and passed through important landmarks that contribute to the medical history of Oxford. There were 2 fun lessons on this tour.
The King’S Arms — a bar in Oxford University. In the 1700s, Daniel Sutton, a vaccine scientist provided smallpox vaccination to patrons while they were drinking in the bar. He made it convenient for them. As a Behavioral Science Researcher, what Sutton did reaffirms the importance of tapping into people’s routines to improve uptake of public health interventions. In 2022, my employer, the Behavioral Insights Lab (a project of Upswell LLC) conducted research in Nigeria which showed that taking COVID-19 vaccines to places where people visit routinely increased uptake of vaccines.
I also learnt that 30 out of all 58 British Prime Ministers, including the current Rishi Sunak attended Oxford University.
According to the University’s website, “Thirty British Prime Ministers have been educated at Oxford University. Of these, 13 were educated at Christ Church, three at Trinity, four at Balliol, two at Brasenose and one each at Hart Hall (now Hertford), Jesus College, St Hugh’s, St John’s, Somerville, University, Merton and Lincoln.”
How equitable is it that one school in the United Kingdom has produced 52% of all British Prime Ministers?
Slam Night aka Atlantic Fellows Got Talents
The Slam Night showed that Atlantic fellows are not just equity warriors. We have got talents and can let our hair down to have fun. It showcased singing, dancing, spoken word, recitation and acting. It was a fun night.
What I did not love about the convening
Cecil Rhodes’s image beside Nelson Mandela’s
It is triggering for African fellows, especially those of southern African origin to have a photo of Cecil Rhodes next to Nelson Mandela in the Milner Hall at Rhodes Trust House. His legacy led to the deaths of thousands in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The murderous legacy of Cecil Rhodes is the basis for the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign, which began in 2015 at the University of Cape Town but is now global. However, in her opening remarks, Evie O’Brien, the Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute asked, “If Rhodes must fall, then what must stand?”.
Not so great food of Great Britain
How on earth did the Great British Empire colonize most of the world but did not take any spices with them?
Homelessness in world’s number 1 university
I saw camping tents in a cemetery and assumed that some young people were being daring and enjoying the summer months by sleeping outdoors. It was a rude awakening to be told during the History of Medicine Oxford Tour that the tents belonged to homeless people. My African mind could not comprehend that. How can the top university globally that is so rich tolerate such a level of homelessness?
Conclusion
The convening reminded me of my favorite Igbo proverb, Ìgwèbụ̀íké — there is strength in unity. It was a homecoming of a community of equity warriors committed to ensuring a fairer world.
