DELSU, A Hub For Promoting African Intellectual Heritage –VC

By Daniel Dafe

Vice-Chancellor, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Professor Samuel Ogheneovo Asagba, has said that DELSU is a hub for promoting the African intellectual heritage.

He said this while delivering a speech titled: “Re-Centering Our Roots: Indigenous Knowledge as the Bedrock for a Restorative Future in Africa” at the Heads of Collaborating Institutions’ Meeting, at the maiden Edition of the International Conference of the Africa Indigenous Knowledge Research Network that took place May 20 – 22 in Entebbe, Uganda.

The Heads of Collaborating Institutions’ meeting at the auspicious event was attended by vice-chancellors/presidents of collaborating institutions in the Africa Indigenous Knowledge Research Network (AIKRN) from Nigeria, other African Countries and Canada with representatives from the Mastercard Foundation.

Asagba who was represented by the Director of the Centre for International Collaboration and Linkages (CICL) in DELSU, Prof. Jonathan Tsetimi, said the theme for the conference was timely, just as he opined that “the incredibly complex and valuable African indigenous knowledge that has been ignored for a long time is now starting to bring about a new era.”

Adding: “Africa Indigenous Knowledge Research Network, in collaboration with Mastercard Foundation signifies a radical change – an obligatory regime in harnessing, studying and using our local knowledge systems to work towards the myriads of Africa’s challenges.”

He continued: “In Nigeria and at Delta State University, we have long known the value and potential of our African indigenous knowledge. As a university committed to academic excellence and societal impact, Delta State University has woven our rich cultural heritage and indigenous wisdom into the fabric of our teaching, research and community engagement. We know that true and sustainable development cannot be imported; it must be homegrown; drawing strength and relevance from the unique socio-cultural contexts and knowledge systems that define our communities.”

The VC said that the institution’s various academic programmes across faculties such as Arts, Social Sciences, Agriculture, Science and Education encourage the documentation and dissemination of indigenous knowledge.

Continuing, he said that from linguistic studies that preserve oral traditions and the wisdom embedded in them, to anthropological research into our traditional governance structures and conflict resolution mechanisms, to agricultural programmes that explore indigenous farming practices for food security, to scientific research that validates traditional medicine, DELSU promotes the African intellectual heritage.

According to him, DELSU supports researchers in the institution to engage with communities, to learn from elders and traditional leaders and to work with indigenous practitioners.

“We believe in a participatory approach to knowledge generation where indigenous knowledge holders are respected and research outcomes are relevant and beneficial to the communities themselves. We also create platforms for the dissemination of this knowledge through publications, conferences and community outreach programmes so that indigenous wisdom is not just preserved but applied to contemporary issues,” he said.

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Furthermore, DELSU VC said: “The AIKRN’s commitment to co-creation, collaboration, and partnership with the guardians of knowledge – our revered community elders, the esteemed traditional leadership, the dynamic youth who are the inheritors and innovators of this knowledge, and other vital gatekeepers of indigenous practices – completely fits the purpose of our institution. We are deeply of the opinion that an identification with indigenous knowledge that is very real and impactful must be based on the framework of mutual respect, shared learning, and essential partnerships.

“The ongoing project; “Unlocking Sustainable Solutions for Employment and Entrepreneurship: Empowering African Youth Through Indigenous Knowledge” runs very deep in our national vision and in our empowering of the generations to come. Our youths are not only a resource of tomorrow, they are now alive and full of a potential that is yet to be explored and with a burning desire to contribute positively to their societies and the continent.

“Our investment in the future of the African continent, where innovation, collaboration, and sustainable lifestyles are driven by African indigenous knowledge, is by educating the youth about their indigenous knowledge systems and by having an environment where they can make it work for themselves. The chance to interact with young women entrepreneurs who have already found their way and are connecting traditional wisdom with the current enterprise in a very effective way will, no doubt, be a great source of inspiration and practical learning for every one of us.”

Speaking further, he said: “In addition, the very important conversation having policy makers and development communities as the major target and focused on giving local indigenous knowledge back its first place in the policy idea for community-oriented development should be considered as a helpful idea if we want to go further in creating changes which are truly sustainable and have an impact. Development interventions which are not related to certain socio-cultural aspects and knowledge systems of the communities they want to serve often result in not achieving their goals. Indigenous knowledge serves as a window to local needs, priorities, and capacities which in the end drives the design and implementation of more efficient and culturally appropriate solutions.”

Prof. Asagba said DELSU appreciates the opportunity to be a part of a conference where the university can collaborate with other leading African institutions to push this very important research agenda.

“We are very grateful to the Mastercard Foundation for their invaluable support that has helped in making this vision a reality and we are very excited to contribute our knowledge and past experiences to the next phase of this life-changing project. Our university has been a member of the Consortium for the last three years which has indeed been a solid basis for our further engagement,” he said.

“This Maiden International Conference of the Africa Indigenous Knowledge Research Network is indeed a landmark event in our collective journey to the resilient, equitable, and prosperous Africa,” he averred.

Meanwhile, in a chat with Oasis Magazine, Prof. Tsetimi hinted that DELSU researchers are involved with a consortium of African universities in collaboration with the Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada and the MasterCard Foundation.

According to him, DELSU is coordinating a study group in Nigeria with the letter of intent already signed, as a precursor to an MOU that will spell out the details of the study.

He hinted further that the study group in DELSU is headed by Dr. Vincent Efebe from the Political Science Department.