In the acknowledgments page for his book, Philosophical Perspectives on Communalism and Morality in African Traditions, Professor Polycarp Ikuenobe writes:

“I acknowledge the help, support, and encouragement of some of my professors at Wayne State University, especially Bob Yanal, my dissertation advisor, Mike McKinsey, Bill Stine, Brad Angell, and the late Barbara Humphries. I also wish to thank those professors at the Department of Philosophy at Wayne State University, who, for reasons best known to them, thought I was not good enough to get a Ph.D. or get a teaching job in philosophy, and then made efforts to frustrate me. Their doubts about my abilities, their lack of encouragement and support, and their efforts to frustrate me and make sure I did not succeed in my graduate work have been part of my motivation to excel or not to fail — at least, so that I can prove them wrong.

Thanks to the professor who told me that nothing good can come from me. It seems to have turned out — if my humble accomplishments are any indication — that something good can indeed come from me. Thanks to the other professor who said he would not waste his time helping me with my job application because it took him fifteen years to get tenure and that I was not good enough to get a job. However, other people who were more perceptive than he thought otherwise and gave me the opportunity by offering me jobs. Thanks to the professors, who, out of pure ignorance and prejudice, said that I got jobs because I was black. I have worked hard to try to show them that being black alone cannot guarantee one a job in academia…. My achievements thus far have been the only or perhaps the best payback for these people. It is possible that if they had not doubted my abilities or made efforts to make sure I did not succeed, I would not have been as hardworking and motivated as I have been in my efforts to succeed or not to fail. I acknowledge their negative efforts, which have turned out to be positive for me.”

(Polycarp Ikuenobe, Philosophical Perspectives on Communalism and Morality in African Traditions)