Knowledge systems from our ancestors: an African epistemology of practical wisdom in evaluation

Abstract

In the last decade, debates on decolonization of knowledge in Africa have gathered momentum. Such debates have focused on the need for the post-colonial African states to embark on a transformative trajectory that critiques the dominance of western epistemologies. It is generally argued that Africa is still intellectually captive to knowledge claims grounded in culture views which are antagonistic to Africa world views and are in sync with African indigenous knowledge systems (Smith, 1999, p.65),. According to Keane (2017), serious efforts are needed to redress the travesty of contextually inappropriate and irrelevant knowledge generation and dissemination. In this regard, Africa has paid a high price for westernized development and democracy and continues to struggle to reassert its self-determination (Buntu, 2013)