TITLE:
How Indigenous Leadership Research in Africa Can Inspire National Prosperity
AUTHORS:
Allan Doyle Mududa Bukusi, Agnes Jemutai Korir, Justus Kitoo Musya
KEYWORDS:
Afrocentric Leadership, Ubuntu, Indigenous Leadership Systems, Sustainable Development, Colonialism, National Prosperity
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.7,
July
18,
2023
ABSTRACT: This paper challenges leaders involved in governance, politics, academia,
industry and leadership training to access the Afrocentric leadership advantage
to unlock the wisdom and benefits of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) across
the continent. The authors conducted a review of recent published literature by
African leadership scholars that authenticate indigenous leadership thought in
the face of historic, colonial and imperial Eurocentric western theory. The
authors re-position indigenous leadership research as a critical center-piece
and last-mile strategy to achieve pragmatic national transformation. The
authors argue that hegemonic Eurocentric leadership models serve to satisfy
global, financial and economic capital gains metrics, but do not always serve
the social wellbeing and transformative growth interests of local communities.
The paper urges policy makers, leadership program developers and business
innovators to access and incorporate the findings of Indigenous Leadership
Research in Africa (ILRA) to inspire national development and prosperity over
the next 200 years.