Cameroonian philosopher, Achille Mbembe wins Holberg prize worth CFA450M
By Hans Ngala
Cameroon-born Prof. Achille Mbembe has been named as the recipient of the Holberg Prize, awarded annually by the government of Norway to scholars who have made significant contribution in disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences or theology.
The announcement was made on March 14 by The Holberg Prize organization which stated on their official Facebook page that “The 2024 Holberg Prize is awarded to political theorist Achille Mbembe, of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for his ground-breaking research in African history, postcolonial studies, humanities, and social science”. Mbembe who was born around Otele in Cameroon is one of the most-read and most-cited intellectuals from the African continent and has even spoken out against the Cameroon government’s handling of the Anglophone Crisis.
He is a lecturer of philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand (or Wits for short) in Johannesburg, South Africa. He will receive the prize during an official ceremony at the University of Bergen in Norway on June 6.
