After surviving one of the largest genocides in history, Napoleon Akayezu, French adjunct, came to IU Southeast.
Akayezu was raised in Rwanda and survived the genocide there.
The Rwandan genocide was the result of a civil war that took place in Rwanda in the early 1990s, between the Tutsi’s and the Hutu, which left more than 500,000 people dead.
“Always try to do the right thing in your life,” Akayezu, who lost some of his closest family during the conflict, said. “Even if you’ve endured horrible things, doing the right thing will always keep your conscience clean.”
Akayezu, who’s name translates to “believer in Jesus,” was born in Gisenyi, and attended the National University of Rwanda, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He originally intended to become a journalist but later changed his mind.
“When the war came, everything changed,” he said.
After leaving Rwanda in 1998, Akayezu traveled the world, experiencing different cultures and learning new languages.
He traveled to various countries in Africa, including Kenya and Mozambique, before heading to Europe, where he spent seven years.
Akayezu said he managed to learn seven different languages during his travels. He said he speaks French, German and Swahili, among others.
“I’m a big lover of languages,” Akayezu said. “It helps me discover the world better.”
When he came to America, he said the American smile was its most appealing quality.
“Expressing a smile gives you confidence,” he said. “Americans are open.”
Of all the places Akayezu has traveled, he said his favorite is Dayton, Ohio.
“Dayton, Ohio, is the birthplace of aviation, and I’m a big lover of planes,” he said.
As a French professor, Akayezu said he hopes his students will understand the differences among cultures. He said he enjoys the contact and interaction he has with his students.
“It’s a matter of conviction,” he said. “Giving what you received.”
Akayezu said his passion for the language and culture is what sets him apart from other professors he’s encountered in the past.
Claudia Strange, biology sophomore and one of Akayezu’s students this semester, said she enjoys his teaching.
“I think he helps people understand the accent, as well as the language,” Strange said. “We usually pair off into groups and say sentences to one another which helps.”
Tyler Spellman, music technology freshman, said he likes Akayezu’s lectures.
Charles Pooser, assistant professor of French and international studies, said Akayezu is an outstanding professor who works well with students.
“Although he is a native speaker, he works hard to present his French in a very comprehendible manner,” Pooser said. “He approaches French instructions differently then most western French professors.”
Some of Akayezu’s former students have gone on to use French in their careers.
“I’ve had students work in French-speaking Africa and some work as interpreters,” Akayezu said. “I’ve even had some [students] work for the Peace Corps and the United Nations.”
Asked what advice he gives to his French students, Akayezu laughed and said they should read more French.
After witnessing the killing of more than half a million people in an area the size of Maryland — equal to 20 percent of Rwanda’s population — Akayezu said he stresses the importance of perseverance to his students.
“After what I’ve been through, anything is possible,” he said.
By MATTHEW CHINN
Staff Writer
mchinn@ius.edu