Stage Fright.

Some materials distributed at the Africa Institute launch.

Nairobi, Kenya – Gazing out from Taifa Hall's stage at the University of Nairobi, I was a little surprised to see the room half-filled with students.

It was 7:30 a.m.

Both Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton have spoken from the spot on which I stood, and I was mildly encouraged to see two young men begin untangling snakes of wires to set up a PA system. Then they indicated it was for the class they were holding in a half hour.

Our event was to begin at 9:30.

It was a rather inauspicious beginning to the launch of The Africa Institute at The University of Western Ontario, which is the whole reason I am here in the first place. Though we had reconfirmed the location the day before, we quickly began the mad scramble for a new space.

Moving to a room thick with brewing humidity, we hastily began moving chairs, placing materials, building the dais, removing a giant Chinese bust and summoning water for guests. Several key people were nowhere to be found and, even after getting the room set in time, the waiting game began for various officials. Sometimes, one must simply roll with the cultural differences that can exist related to time and organization. Hamna shida, as they say here.

The elevator had broken, too, and a couple of us set out to carry a handicapped alumnus who could not climb the three flights of stairs to the event. Sundry duties as assigned. Unfortunately, we did not make it in time and he had already left.

A banner announces the institute at University of Nairobi.

At this point, I have managed enough events to know they generally work out, despite the often-harried preparations that go into them. I liken such announce- ments to weddings: sometimes specific details do not fall exactly into place, but at the end of the day, meeting the objective of professing your love or meeting with partners and launching an institute is what is really of importance.

An hour later, the Institute was officially announced. The initiative brings together more than 150 researchers, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Western who are working with partners across the continent to advance research efforts with, by and for Africans. It seeks to become a world-class institute advancing scholarship and policy development related to African society, politics, economy, culture and health through research.

After hearing from a series of dignitaries and researchers, we broke bread on the lawn at the centre of the university and had an opportunity to speak more informally with guests and enjoy a Kenyan lunch of ugali, chicken, beef, vegetables and assorted other tasty morsels.

By all accounts, the event was a success, and the Institute has been formally announced to the world.

Even after two hours of madness, that’s what really matters.