Let’s Embrace Education That Revolutionizes The Way We Think In Africa, Says Prof. Lumumba

By Daniel Dafe

Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, has said that the education that the colonialists brought to Africa was to make them tools for their benefits, adding: “It’s time to embrace education that revolutionizes the way we think in Africa.”

Delivering the 30th Anniversary Lecture of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, that held at the 1000 Capacity Lecture Theatre of the institution, titled: “Whither Education in Africa?” on Friday, Prof. Lumumba said that the founding fathers of Africa embraced education thinking that with it issues of diseases, poverty and ignorance would become a thing of the past.

He continued: “Talking about Education in Africa, one must go down in history back to when Africa was not invaded by men of the outside world. They used their education to divide us Africans into small entities and turned us into robots.

“And from that day henceforth the entire agenda was to convert us into tools that will be used for their benefits.

“They came and told us that our language was primitive. They told us that we have to speak English and French. They told us that our gods were not God; they told us that everything we did wasn’t proper.

“But if we continue to worry about Africa, we will continue to make mistakes of giving up. We must remember the efforts of our past heroes of Nigeria who fought for the independence of Nigeria to liberate us from the slave of the colonial masters and change the continent of Africa through education and we should not forget the sacrifices and voices of our past heroes who used their education to fight for the independence of some countries in Africa.”

He wondered why after many years of building several schools, graduating many professionals and demonstrated that we can run our own universities, African nations still relies on foreigners to build their roads and travel overseas on medical trips.

He posited that Africans must unlearn and be reeducated because what was gotten from the foreigners crippled the continent, noting that Africa is the cradle of civilization.

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Continuing, he said Africa must not add the mistake of giving up to the many mistakes in the past, saying that the future is bright but Africans must work very hard to birth it.

“The education we received has made us misunderstand God. We believe in so much prayer but fail to accept that there are certain things prayers cannot do that only good education can do. Only the right education and not more churches will change Africa,” he averred.

While congratulating the institution on her 30th anniversary and applauding the university’s many achievements, he urged DELSU to continue to put in efforts to change Abraka, the state, Nigeria and the world.

“As Africans, we should put off low esteem and be proud of the things that we do in Africa. We should be proud of the talents we have produced in Delta State University Abraka and use them in solving some of our problems in Abraka, Delta State and Nigeria at large.

“As we celebrate Delta State University Abraka 30years of existence and some of the notable achievements of the University over the past years, it is time you re-energize and put on more efforts to contribute your quota to the development of Africa.”

In his response, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Andy Ogochukwu Egwunyenga, commended Lumumba for honouring the invitation to deliver the lecture, adding that for young minds, the things said in the lecture ought to propel them to wake up and know that the future of Africa is in their hands.

“He has given you hope with which you confront the challenges faced by the continent and not keep on lamenting,” he said.