Obituary over Professor Adam Azzain Mohamed, (1945-2021), 2008 Claude Ake Professor at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research
On 29 March 2021, Professor Adam Azzain Mohamed passed away. Professor Mohamed combined his remarkable intelligence with a sincere care for others. Not only did he have a passionate strive to seek solutions for conflicts in his home region Darfur, he was also truly generous to young uncertain scholars visiting Sudan for the first time.
In November 2007, I conducted my first research trip to Sudan. The purpose of this research was to understand the intricacies of the conflict in Darfur. Indeed a challenging task. Repeated assertions that the situation was “very complex” did not offer much guidance, but I was lucky – I met Professor Mohamed. After talking for hours at his office at the University of Khartoum, Professor Mohamed had presented a framework that enabled me to structure the different conflicts in Darfur. To this I am truly grateful and the insights stemming from this discussion has inspired me throughout my research career.
The meeting also marked the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Visiting his office for great deliberations became a standing feature of my many trips to Sudan that was truly rewarding. Not only did he let me listen to his experiences and analysis, he was also very interested in my interpretations and thoughts. In fact, when I suggested that the war in Darfur consisted of four (rather than three as Professor Mohamed had proposed) parallel types of conflicts he agreed. A particular dear memory from Khartoum was the dinner with his family. I am also grateful for all the great discussions and laughter that we had during his tenure as Claude Ake Professor[1] in Uppsala.
Professor Adam Azzain Mohammed received his Ph.D. in political science from Florida State University, USA in 1978. He held many prominent academic positions (Primarily at the University of Khartoum) where he was Professor of African Politics and the Director of the Institute for the Study of Public Administration and Federal Governance at the University of Khartoum, the Sudan. Professor Mohammed is most closely mourned by his wife Salwa and their seven kids Dr Yasir (in Ireland), Dalia (in US), Tawasul (in UK), Ishragha, Yasmin Alradiya (in Sudan), & Yasin (in Libya).
Johan Brosché
Associate Professor,
Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University
[1] A visiting Chair, set up in collaboration between the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University and the Nordic Africa Institute.