Epistemicide, epistemic deficit, sterile leadership and the Vicious Cycle of Africana Underdevelopment

Abstract

By all the measuring standards of development, it seems clear that Africana societies have been victims of declines in social, economic, political and other forms of developmental capital over the last five decades. Asia, the Far East, Latin America (Brazil) and China have witnessed remarkable economic gains, appreciation in the quality of life and even political advancement. But on average, Africa and black dominated societies have witnessed declines in standard of living, quality of life and positive life realization expectations. What is responsible for this? I look at the works of Rodney, Fanon, Mazrui, CLR James and others, to provide tropes for accounting for the debilitating topologies of Africana socio-economic underdevelopment. I posit that the consequences of the epistemicide that was foisted on Africana intellect during plantation slavery and colonization cannot be absolved, but even more pernicious has been the leadership epistemic deficit that pervades various strata of Africana intellectual landscape, manifesting in sterile, retarded and debilitating leadership cadre. I argue that deliberate efforts must be made to recapture Africana epistemic confidence, develop intellectual capital and engender cohesive Africana commitment to corporate existence, which will translate into social, economic, infrastructural, political, cultural enrichment and development of Africana societies. I close by painting intellectual pragmatist scenarios of consequences of not doing this, and consequences of undertaking the efforts prescribed here.