Abstract
African knowledge remains at best on the margins, struggling for an epistemological foothold in the face of an ever dominant Western canon. At worst, African knowledge is disparaged, depreciated, and dismissed. It is often ignored even by African scholars who, having gained control of the academy in the postcolonial context, seemingly remain mesmerized by the Western canon in most dimensions of thought, inquiry, theorization, culture (classical as well as popular), and ideology. Such is the hegemonic influence of historical legacy and current power relations in the production and dissemination of knowledge. This paper argues that African knowledge, given appropriate impetus, can serve as a powerful stimulus to development. Against the backdrop of intractable development challenges, the paper will explore the role of African universities in the creation, dissemination, and support of African knowledge; and the preservation of indigenous knowledge. Since a scholarly effort towards integrating an African ethos into discourse, consciousness, and praxis is critical, this paper will consider transformative action for African human development and outline key priorities for African universities to position African knowledge for successful development effectively, and thereby provide an alternative canonical perspective more resonant with the aspirations, interests, and development agenda of the continent.
Highlights
The pervasiveness of Western epistemology in the deep fibres of knowledge creation and validation among non-Western nations and peoples has resulted in a schizophrenic cultural discourse
Among the great ideological and intellectual conflicts today is the battle between dominant Western canons and indigenous knowledge systems in an all but unequal battle supreme
Western education traditions have produced, in their own likeness, a brand of cognitive elites in Africa who lack the ability, or the will, to influence societal transformation and participate in development and nation-building, but who often become complicit in defending the status quo
Summary
The pervasiveness of Western epistemology in the deep fibres of knowledge creation and validation among non-Western nations and peoples has resulted in a schizophrenic cultural discourse. Western education traditions have produced, in their own likeness, a brand of cognitive elites in Africa who lack the ability, or the will, to influence societal transformation and participate in development and nation-building, but who often become complicit in defending the status quo.
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