Dialogue looks into “decolonising” education

Bold Plan to revive Pan-Africanism

The writings of Frantz Fanon‚ Malcolm X‚ Robert Sobukwe and Thabo Mbeki took centre stage at a three-day colloquium on the decolonisation of education hosted by the University of Johannesburg at the weekend.

The dialogue‚ which began on Friday‚ was hosted by the university’s newly-established Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) in collaboration with partners from across the continent. The scholarly debates were meant to help put together a book that will steer efforts in decolonising education.

The topics ranged from reparations‚ the rise and fall of PanAfricanism‚ pioneers of PanAfricanism‚ politicians‚ historians‚ economists‚ sociologists‚ the literati and musical activists.

Dr Odilile Ayodele from UJ spoke of lessons from the former managing director of the World Bank and former minister of finance in Nigeria‚ Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

“Okonjo-Iweala consistently preached that in order for Africa to be able to take care of itself‚ it’s leaders must be willing to reform its systems‚ deal with corruption and patronage,” said Ayodele.

According to Professor Adekeye Adebajo‚ director: IPATC ‚ the project represents an ambitious effort to create a “Johannesburg School of PanAfricanism” that can revive Pan-Africanism.

The conference saw presentations on the intellectual contributions of Pixley ka Seme‚ Chimamanda Adichie‚ Maya Angelou‚ Kwame Nkrumah‚ Robert Sobukwe‚ Thabo Mbeki‚ Malcolm X‚ Ngozi OkonjoIweala‚ Frantz Fanon‚ Steve Biko‚ Miriam Makeba, Bob Marley and others.