Irrespective of whether Africans are coming home or not, one constant is that Africa is in dire need of development, and we need to do something to change the status quo. I have a few suggestions.

I have spent the past few weeks mulling on what my voice on Y!Naija should be about. I juggled ideas like fireballs in my mental air space, from marriage (inspired by Nolly-blockbuster, Mrs. Somebody), being a woman and wanting it all – the career and the little Tomis, to brainstorming how we could get African universities on the world map of institutions to be reckoned with. Suddenly it came to me on a Saturday evening, after reading Honourable Saka’s “African Paradox – Plenty Intellectuals, Yet No Physical Solutions”. Boy, that piece hit a raw nerve in me. I had always pondered on the gap between research and action in Africa, Nigeria to be precise, and this article drove the message home without mincing words. Being a PhD student myself, I was now very much more fired-up to ensure my research had IMPACT outside the four walls of a university. Making a difference is the passion that drives me to do what I do, but this piece is neither about me, nor my research.

Let me begin by giving a brief summary of Saka’s article on the gap between intellectuals and physical development. He opened this article with a declaration that “Africa, our beloved continent, is currently becoming dominated by a generation of noisemakers: a people who can talk, talk and talk almost all the time, yet with no physical action…” Saka decried postgraduate degree holders in Agricultural Science for instance, who may never set foot on a farm. Great ideas are born and buried like abikus in public speeches he inferred (abiku analogy is mine). Saka then went on to make an interesting point about pre-formal-education-Africa, when the people practiced subsistence living – producing their soaps, shoes and even local medicine. In his opinion, our fore fathers lived healthier and longer in comparison to this present day.

Africa now has a plethora of scholars, professionals and professors, but where is our impact he asks. The article concludes on this note, “I challenge all African experts, the intellectuals and all those with meaningful qualifications in their various portfolios to make their presence felt as the continent begs for solutions. Our destinies must be in our own hands“. Brilliant, I tell you. However, my only critique of the Saka’s article is that it seems to heavily suggest “action” rests solely in the hands of the intellectuals.

This approach to development, where ideas are implemented on the basis of what the intellectual-elite believes the people need, has always backfired. In my opinion, both thinking and action is the responsibility of every citizen. The intellectuals may be “talking and talking” because that is what they do best, churn ideas and make recommendations. We should adopt the mindset that all heads, hands (and legs where required) need to be on the thinking and implementation deck, to make our beloved continent, Africa, work. My argument is not to denounce that the research-action gap does exist. I am only convinced that in mapping a solution, we need to ensure our thinking is located within a viable frame with huge potentials for success.

Moving on, I began to investigate why this gap exists, what factors have contributed to the situation, what can we do to bridge the gap and who precisely needs to do what?

I believe the gap between (African) research and action on the continent exists for multiple reasons, mostly interrelated too. Many African researchers are based in Diaspora, this way concerted intellectual efforts are mostly directed to the foreign countries where they reside. Chika Uwazie published a great piece on Ventures Africa about why the Nigerian Diaspora won’t return home. In the wake of reading Afua Hirsh’s more recent article, “our parents left Africa – now we are coming home“, I found this an interesting deadlock. Uwazie raised valid points about why local brain-drain continuously persists, namely: political climate, lack of infrastructure, citizens being out of touch with their homelands and of course, the comfort of living overseas. Hirsh (from a Ghanaian background) on the other hand cited Africa’s changing economic fortunes and the enthusiasm among people of African heritage around the world to embrace their roots, as factors spurring Africans to return home.

Irrespective of whether Africans are coming home or not, one constant is that Africa is in dire need of development, and we need to do something to change the status quo. I have a few suggestions.

Research Collaborations: I suggest that researchers in Africa and Diaspora should make collaborative work a priority. At the expense of sounding slightly clichéd, the world has become a global village and sharing ideas takes no more than a mouse-click. All that is needed is the passion, determination and action.

Research Ideas: It’s amazing how many students select research topics out of convenience rather than a passion to make impact and contribute to knowledge in the society. It is usually obvious right from the research title – e.g. ‘A Study of Nigerians’ Perception of MTN’s Advertising’ – draft a questionnaire and boom – let my people go!

Nigeria has so many sociology departments, but I rarely see works investigating any social vice or offering reliable statistics (we always wait for the World Bank’s next publication). Who is investigating the culture of corruption, or who is collating our history as we get caught in the whirlwind of this digital age. Would we be able to explain how we got here? The best research identifies problems and tries to solve them. I would like to encourage teachers and supervisors to fight mediocrity and implore students to see projects and dissertations as opportunities to make a difference. The orientation of the mind is key.

Government & Universities: Le sigh. We need policies that actually work. More importantly, universities need funding. After the funding, universities need to diversify into promoting both theoretical skills and technical/practical skills, and ensure that both stay married. This suggestion rides on the back of my silent proclamation that everyone is an intellectual when it comes to taking action and spurring development. If our book-research informs what our craftsmen design for public consumption, development would no longer remain a mirage. Check out this 14-year-old Malawian boy, who harnessed the power of the wind to generate electricity for his home. It is a fact that we have it in us.

I would hit the pause button here on how I perceive the gap between research and action may be bridged, if not I may be liable of falling into the category of all talk, talk and talk. That is, if I am not already implicated. What I do know is that realizing there is a gap is a first step in the right direction, and gradually we would trace our steps to the promise land. If this is any consolation, I am kick-starting the road to redemption through my research, and would relentlessly work towards impacting my generation somehow, some way. I just won’t give up on this blessed continent, Africa.

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Tomi Oladepo is a Ph.D. student at University of Warwick. Her research is on the digital public sphere and democratic culture in developing societies. You can follow her on Twitter at @tomi_ola

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30 Days 30 Voices series is an opportunity for young Nigerians to share their stories and experiences with other young Nigerians, within our borders and beyond, to inspire and motivate them.

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.