Africa's Development : The Imperatives of Indigenous Knowledge and Values

Since achieving 'independence', sub-Saharan African countries have suffered a stranglehold by models of progress and development inspired by Euro-American thought. This state of affairs underlies a 'crises of development' that has seen real livelihood conditions on the continent progressively deteriorate. This book proceeds from the perspective that an appropriate concept of development is necessarily contextually derived. Accordingly, it builds the case for an African-ethics based development model predicated on humaneness and solidarity, and defends the thesis that it is necessary for the success of a development model meant for application in Africa to be founded on indigenous African knowledge and values. At this moment of impasse reached by the rationality of foisted theories, such a vision can restore confidence to Africa and liberate its development efforts from the intoxicating prison of external persepctives and interests. The book stimulates insights on the relationship between philosophy, culture and experience. It should benefit theorists, policy makers and students of Africa's development.