Last February 22nd, a great International Relations scholar and African studies expert passed away. Ian Taylor was a talented professor and insightful academic. The Brazilian Centre for African Studies was lucky to have him as one of our researchers, and he published on the first number of our Brazilian Journal of African Studies. Taylor had a Master’s Degree from The University of Hong Kong and a PhD from Stellenbosch University. He was a Professor in International Relations and African Political Economy in the University of St. Andrews and Chair Professor in the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China. He was also Professor Extraordinary in Political Science at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, a visiting professor at the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and an Honorary Professor in the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, China. Prior to joining St Andrews, he had taught African politics and development in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the University of Botswana for four years. He had edited the Journal of Modern African Studies (Cambridge University Press) along with Ebenezer Obadare since 2018. A prolific writer, Taylor had his works translated to 14 languages, reaching scholars around the world and certainly influencing studies in Brazil. His articles and books were vastly cited and will continue to inspire and substantiate our analysis of Africa.