By Gofaone Motsamai
Celebrated historian and scholar Prof Toyin Falola has once again contributed to the academic growth of North-West University (NWU), encouraging students to view the 25 books he has donated to the Mahikeng campus library as a compass.
The donation was made shortly after he received an honorary doctorate from the institution on 9 May 2025.This marks his second donation to the library, in 2023 he handed over 27 books when he visited the campus to deliver a public lecture for the Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) research area.
Delivering a compelling message, Prof Falola emphasised the importance of preserving knowledge for future generations. “People see libraries, digital and archival, as fundamental knowledge centres where they can retrieve information stored by sages and intellectuals,” he said. “To contribute books to the NWU library is an indication of our intention to make the people consolidate the existing knowledge in their environment with ones that would also reshape their thinking, refine their mindset and reposition them.”
He added that he hopes students will gain a deeper understanding of history and identity through the books. “The history of their forebears condensed in the books provides the necessary compass with which they would navigate their existence.”
NWU library director of information and learning services, Dr Sabelo Chizwina, welcomed the donation, describing it as “a generous book donation that will significantly enrich the North-West University (NWU) library’s academic collection, particularly in the fields of African history, politics, culture and interdisciplinary studies.”
Prof Falola’s generous donation will afford students an opportunity to engage with works that were not part of the collection and will strengthen the collection on African studies. “The donation facilitates original insights, particularly in African-centric research, aligning with NWU’s strategic goals. The books will serve as vital references for theses, dissertations and coursework,” he said.
The collection is now available for use by students and staff at the NWU Mahikeng campus library.
25 donated books by Prof Toyin Falola
