Africa’s adoption of foreign systems without adapting them to local contexts have alienated African societies from their own identity and weakened governance outcomes.
kaNo —
Prominent African intellectuals and policy advocates have called for a fundamental shift in the continent’s development approach, urging leaders and citizens to rediscover and embrace indigenous governance systems, values, and knowledge structures as a pathway to sustainable progress.
The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja during the launch of Renegade Africa: All It Takes to Be African,a new book authored by former United Nations official and founder of the Itumo Institute, Moudjib Djinadou.
The event, held at the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development in Utako, brought together diplomats, academics, and development practitioners who expressed concern over Africa’s continued reliance on imported political and economic models.
Speaking as chairman of the occasion, former Chief of Staff to late President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, stressed that Africa’s quest for development would remain elusive unless policies and institutions are rooted in the continent’s historical realities, cultural heritage, and collective aspirations.
“The external cannot love us more than we love ourselves,” he said.
“We are the ones who know where the shoe pinches because we wear it. If we do not define ourselves and promote our own narrative, others will not do it for us.”he said
He noted that Africa’s struggles are not necessarily the result of geography or history, but rather a consequence of abandoning indigenous systems in favour of external models that do not align with local realities.
“We have imitated, persisted in, and mimicked—never adapted—values and policies external to our environment. This mimicry has made us strangers to ourselves. We must rediscover who we are in order to move forward.”he said
Drawing comparisons with other global regions, Gambari pointed out that countries such as China have successfully adapted foreign ideologies to suit their local context.
He lamented that Africa, on the other hand, practices democracy without embedding African characteristics, which often leads to ineffective governance outcomes.
He further emphasized the need to reconnect with pre-colonial African heritage, describing it as the continent’s “true patrimony,” particularly in areas of governance where traditional systems were built on deliberation and consensus.
Beyond governance, Gambari highlighted economic challenges facing the continent, noting that Africa remains trapped in a cycle of exporting raw materials while importing finished goods, including food.
“Our place in the global value chain is more chain than value. This will not change unless we develop local capacity and add value to what we produce.”he said
He advocated for what he described as “productive sovereignty,” urging African nations to invest in domestic industries and reduce dependency on external markets.
On the issue of population growth, Gambari dismissed concerns that Africa’s rising population is a burden, instead describing it as a major opportunity.
He called for increased investment in education, mentorship, and skills development to harness the potential of the continent’s youthful population.
Reviewing the book, Dimas Garba, a lecturer at Baze University, said RENEGADE AFRICA ,provides a critical examination of how Africa gradually abandoned its values and systems in favour of Western models.
Garba explained that the book traces Africa’s engagement with the West as far back as the 8th century, driven largely by trade and resource exploration, which over time contributed to distortions in African identity and a perception of inferiority.
He noted that the book is structured in three parts: the first diagnoses African society, law, and power structures, describing them as a “confiscated heritage”; the second examines Africa’s condition through the lenses of Enlightenment thought, racism, and multilateralism; while the third explores key sectors such as democracy, the economy, security, and education.
“What is more worrisome is that Africa’s acceptance of Western values is no longer imposed but has become a conscious choice.
Africans now willingly accept the notion that their own ways are inferior.”he stated
He described this mindset as a major obstacle to progress, warning that sustainable development cannot be achieved without restoring confidence in indigenous knowledge systems.
Author of the book, Moudjib Djinadou, said his work was inspired by a desire to confront fundamental questions about Africa’s development trajectory, particularly why the continent has struggled to achieve meaningful progress decades after independence.
“We have tried structural adjustment programmes. We have imported multi-party democracies. We have partnered with all kinds of countries, none of these approaches has delivered the emancipation we seek.” he stated
Djinadou argued that Africa’s failure to achieve sustainable development is largely due to its tendency to seek solutions externally rather than drawing from its own historical and cultural foundations.
He identified the education system as a key factor in perpetuating this challenge, noting that it often prioritizes foreign ideas over indigenous knowledge.
“Rather than generating local solutions, we have been trained to consume concepts produced elsewhere,” he said.
“This has weakened our ability to think independently and solve our own problems.”he added
He stressed that Africa’s progress ultimately depends on Africans themselves, urging a deliberate effort to reconnect with the continent’s heritage as a basis for addressing contemporary challenges.
Participants at the event echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that Africa possesses vast natural and human resources capable of driving development if properly harnessed.
