Table Of ContentCH
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N HARNESSING CULTURAL
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This book argues that the basic component of any society’s social security and
sustainability is cultural capital and its ability to fully recognise diversity in FS CAPITAL FOR
OS
knowledge production and advancement. However, with regard to African
I
societies, since the dawn of racial slavery and colonialism, cultural capital – RN
SUSTAINABILITY
indigenous knowledge in particular – has iniquitously and acrimoniously suffered S
G
marginalisation and pejorative ragtags. Increasingly since the 1990s, cultural capital U
informed by African knowledge systems has taken central stage in discussions of S
C A Pan Africanist Perspective
sustainability and development. This is not unrelated with the recognition by T
America and Europe in particular of the central role that cultural capital could AU
and should assume in the logic of development and sustainability at a global level. INL
Unfortunately, action has often failed to match words with regard to the situation T
A
in Africa. The current book seeks to make a difference by exploring the role that
BU
African cultural capital could and should assume to guarantee development and
IR
sustainability on the continent and globally. It argues that lofty pan-African ideals L
of collective self-reliance, self-sustaining development and economic growth IA
T
would come to naught unless determined and decisive steps are taken towards full L
Y
recognition of indigenous cultural capital on the continent.
MUNYARADZI MAWERE holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University
of Cape Town in South Africa. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department
of Social Anthropology at Great Zimbabwe University. His research interests include
knowledge studies, environmental conservation, African studies, post-coloniality, culture
and heritage studies. S
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SAMUEL AWUAH-NYAMEKYE is Associate Proferssor in the Department of Religion en
and Human Values at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. Awuah-Nyamekye holds a l AwyaraEdi
PhD from the School of Philosophy, Religion and the History of Science of the University udto
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of Leeds in the United Kingdom. His current research interests are focussed on religion h-i Med
and the environment, environmental ethics, religion and development, religion and Na b
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politics, and women and religion. a
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DITED BY
Langaa Research & Publishing
Common Initiative Group Munyaradzi Mawere &
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye
North West Region
Cameroon
Harnessing Cultural Capital
for Sustainability:
A Pan Africanist Perspective
Edited by
Munyaradzi Mawere &
Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye
Langaa Research & Publishing CIG
Mankon, Bamenda
PPublisher:
Langaa RPCIG
Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda
North West Region
Cameroon
[email protected]
www.langaa-rpcig.net
Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective
[email protected]
www.africanbookscollective.com
ISBN:9956-762-50-4
© Munyaradzi Mawere & Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye 2015
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording,
or be stored in any information storage or retrieval system, without written
permission from the publisher.
DISCLAIMER
All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.
List of Contributors
Munyaradzi Mawere holds a PhD in Social Anthropology
from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Dr Mawere
also holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and B.A (Hons)
Degree in Philosophy from the University of Zimbabwe. He is
currently an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Culture and
Heritage Studies at Great Zimbabwe University. Before joining
this university, Dr Mawere was a lecturer at the University of
Zimbabwe and at Universidade Pedagogica, Mozambique,
where he has also worked in different capacities as a Senior
lecturer, Assistant Research Director, Postgraduate Co-
ordinator and Associate Professor. He has an outstanding
publishing record of more than eighty pieces of work which
include more than twenty books and over sixty book chapters
and papers in scholarly journals. His research interests include,
but not limited to, knowledge studies, environmental
conservation, political anthropology, African studies,
decoloniality, post-coloniality, African political systems, culture
and heritage studies.
Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye is Associate Professor in the
Department of Religion and Human Values at the University
of Cape Coast in Ghana, where he also received his MPhil, BA,
and Diploma of Education. Awuah-Nyamekye holds a PhD
from the School of Philosophy, Religion and the History of
Science of the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.
Awuah-Nyamekye also has a certificate in HIV/AIDS
Counselling and Care Giving from the University of Ghana.
He is a member of the Association for the Study of Literature
and Environment (ASLE) and the International Society for
Environmental Ethics (ISEE) Representative for Ghana. His
current research interests are focussed on religion and the
environment, environmental ethics, religion and development,
religion and politics, and women and religion. Awuah-
Nyamekye has written and published two books, co-edited two
books and has authored several articles in internationally
esteemed scholarly journals. Awuah-Nyamekye has presented
papers at several international conferences. Awuah-Nyamekye
is an Assistant Editor of De Gruyter Open and as well serves
on the Editorial Board of Philosophy Journal and reviews
articles for several academic journals.
Nelson Chanza is a Researcher in the Department of
Geosciences at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in
South Africa, where he obtained his PhD in Environmental
Geography. Dr Chanza also holds an MSc in Environmental
Policy and Planning and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the
University of Zimbabwe. Dr Chanza has also worked as
lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe since 2007. He has also
actively participated in national and international training and
capacity building programmes on monitoring and evaluation,
poverty alleviation and disaster management planning and
programming. His current research interests are in participatory
climate risk assessment and community-based adaptation.
Nelson has written several articles and book chapters on the
topics of sustainable rural development, disaster management
and indigenous-based responses to climate change.
Moussa Traoré is a lecturer at the English Department of the
University of Cape Coast in Ghana where he teaches
Literature. He received a BA and an MA from the English
Department of the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina
Faso and an MPhil from the English Department of the
University of Ghana, Legon. Moussa Traoré holds a PhD in
Comparative Literature from Illinois State University (USA)
and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management from the
same university. He is a member of African Studies Association
(ASA), African Literature Association (ALA) and Modern
Languages Association (MLA). He did some extensive work in
Translation-Interpretation (French & English) and his research
interest focusses on Pan Africanism, Diasporan Studies,
Postcolonialism, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English
as a Second Language (ESL) and Sustainable Development. He
published a book titled Intersecting Pan-Africanisms: Africa, North
America and the Caribbean and several articles in academic
journals. He also presented papers at several international
conferences.
Tapuwa Raymond Mubaya is a Lecturer and a PhD
candidate at Great Zimbabwe University, Faculty of Culture
and Heritage Studies. Before joining Great Zimbabwe
University, Mr. Mubaya worked for National Museums and
Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) for eight years as the
Curator of Archaeology and Head of the Great Zimbabwe
Monument Conservation Centre. Currently he is heading the
Department of Heritage Studies at Great Zimbabwe
University. Mr Mubaya holds a Master of Arts Degree in
Heritage Studies from the University of Zimbabwe. He is also
a member of the Association of Southern African Professional
Archaeologists (ASAPA) and the Zimbabwe Association of
Professional Archaeologists and related Disciplines (ZAPAD.
His current research interests are focussed on heritage
management and conservation, cultural tourism and museums.
Mubaya has fourteen articles in internationally esteemed
scholarly journals and is the co-editor of the book: African
Cultures, Memory and Space: Living the Past Presence in Zimbabwean
Heritage.
Kojo Okyere is a Lecturer in the Department of Religion and
Human Values at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana,
where he received his MPhil, and BA. He is currently pursuing
his PhD in the same university. Kojo Okyere also has a
certificate in Marketing, from Chartered Institute of Marketing
in the United Kingdom. He is a member of Ghana Association
of Biblical Exegetes. His current research interests are in the
areas of Bible and Development, biblical hermeneutics,
wisdom literature of the Old Testament, and work in the Old
Testament. He has several articles in academic journals, and
has present papers at several international conferences.
Akiti Glory Alamu holds a PhD in the studies of religions. He
is currently with the Department of Religions at the University
of Ilorin in Ilorin in Nigeria. His research interests are, but not
limited to, sacred places, indigenous communities’ traditional
practices, African traditional religions, and conservation.
Misheck P. Chingozha holds BMgt (HR), MBA, MSc. in
Peace Leadership and Conflict Resolution from the Zimbabwe
Open University, an MSc. in Development Studies from the
Women’s University in Africa (WUA). Mr Chingozha is also a
holder of a Diploma in Adult Education from the University of
Zimbabwe, Diploma in Business Studies (FBS), a National
Diploma in Electrical Power Engineering, Certificate in
Electrical Engineering (HEXCO), Certificate in Accountancy
(ZAAT), and Skilled Worker Class One (manpower).
Chingozha is also an incumbent part-time Lecturer in the
Faculties of Commerce and Law, and Applied Social Sciences
at the Zimbabwe Open University. Besides, Chingozha is an
incumbent Senior Officer at the Rank of Superintendent in the
Zimbabwe Republic Police, and is the Deputy Officer
Commanding responsible for administration for Masvingo East
District. Chingozha has written and published a Shona novel
and co-authored 4 modules for the Zimbabwe open University.
His research interests lie in the areas of development, policing,
gender, leadership, indigenous knowledge systems, and
environmentally related issues.
Hezekiah Olufemi Adeosun holds a Ph.D. in Yoruba
Literature from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. He is
Senior Lecturer in the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian
Languages, University of Ilorin. Dr. Adeosun has many article
publications to his credit both locally and internationally. He is
the author of “Socio-semiotic Theory and Practice in Yoruba
Written Poetry” and “Gender Discourse in Yoruba Written
Poetry: A Socio-semiotic Analysis”. Adeosun’s research
interests include Yoruba Literature, Cultural Studies and Socio-
semiotics.
Joshua Chikozho is a holder of a Master’s Degree in Heritage
Studies from the University of Zimbabwe. He is the current
Curator for the BaTonga Community Museum. His research
interests include but not limited to community museum,
intangible heritage and heritage management.
Matabbeki Mudenda is currently the Manager of Binga
Community Craft Centre in Binga. He has more than 20 years’
experience working in Tonga craft commercial industry. His
research interests include but not limited to indigenous
knowledge systems of indigenous communities, environmental
conservation, and heritage management.
Pius Oyeniran Abioje is a Senior Lecturer in the Department
of Religions at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. He received B.
Th in Urban University, Rome; M.A. and PhD in University of
Calabar, Nigeria. He is a member of the Nigerian Association
for the Study of Religions (NASR); Nigerian Association for
Biblical Studies (NABIS); African Association for the Study of
Religion (AASR); American Academy of Religion (AAR), and a
former member of the Board of Trustees of the International
Association for History of Religion (IAHR). His current
research interests are focused on religion and culture. Abioje
has written and published a book, and has authored several
articles in internationally esteemed scholarly journals. Abioje
has presented papers at several international conferences.
Liveson Tatira is a Senior Lecturer and current chairperson in
the Department of Curriculum and Arts Education, University
of Zimbabwe. He holds a BA (Hons) in Shona, MA in African
Languages and Literature, Graduate Certificate in Education
and a DPhil, all from University of Zimbabwe. He holds
another PhD from Atlantic International University. He has
published books, several journal articles, book chapters and
poems. His research interests are in Onomastics, Indigenous
Knowledge Systems, Folklore and Literature.
Vincent Assanful is a Lecturer in the Department of Religion
and Human Values, University of Cape Coast where he
obtained his MPhil and B.A degrees. His area of research
includes comparative religions, Religion and Medicine, Religion
and Development, Religion and Politics and Religion and
Gender. He has some publications to his credit notable among
which is The Obaahemaa Stool: A symbol of Political and a Religious
Authority (2012). He currently is pursuing his PhD in the
Department of Religion and Human Values, University of
Cape Coast. His PhD thesis is an investigation into the
influence of Akan Traditional Religion on inheritance and
succession among the Assin.
Table of Contents
Cultural Capital, Social Security and Sustainability in
Conversation: An Introduction……………………….. xiii
Munyaradzi Mawere and Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye
Chapter 1
Indigenous Mechanisms for Disaster Risk Reduction: How the
Shona of Zimbabwe Managed Drought and Famine?......... 1
Munyaradzi Mawere and Tapuwa R. Mubaya
Chapter 2
Indigenous Political Structures in Africa: Interrogating
Rotational Kingship in Yorubaland vis-à-vis Political Crises
and Terrorism in Nigeria………………………………... 33
Pius Abioje
Chapter 3
Pan-Africanism, Marxism and Sustainable Development in
Jacques Roumain’s novel Gouverneurs de le rosée (Masters of the
Dew)…………………………………………………….. 55
Moussa Traoré
Chapter 4
Indigenous-Based Adaptation: An Imperative for Sustainable
Climate Change Strategies for Africa……………………. 85
Nelson Chanza
Chapter 5
Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Politics of
Development and Sustainability in Africa: A Critical Appraisal
of the Involvement of NGOs in Sustainable Development in
Zimbabwe……………………………………………… 135
Munyaradzi Mawere and Misheck P. Chingozha
ix
