This week on Upfront we looked at some of the knowledge systems that are indigenous to many African societies. Africans have for thousands of years passed down knowledge from one generation to the other. They have managed to negotiate their survival based on specific realities and challenges. For years they have come up with a complex set of knowledge and technologies, developed around specific conditions of populations and communities. This is often indigenous to a particular geographic area. This knowledge is necessary and relevant to our existence and survival. Our show was rooted in the need to understand and explore the potential contribution of indigenous knowledge to local development. We also looked at the the protection of indigenous knowledge and its utilization for the benefit of its owners and the communities where it is practiced.
Some interesting videos on Indigenous knowledge research.

African use of complex geometric patterns




African Origins of Maths Dr Ron Eglash

This week on the show we talked about the all too important subject of trust. Trust has been described as both an emotional and logical act. Emotionally, when you trust someone you expose your vulnerabilities to them, but believing they will not take advantage of your openness.You go on a limb to trust the other person usually someone close you,friend or relative that you enter into an unwritten agreement. You invest in them with the only hope that you wont be heart broken.

The logical element of trust involves one's personal assessment of the possibilities of gain and loss, calculating expected utility based on hard performance data, and concluded that the person in question will behave in a predictable manner. In practice, trust is a bit of both. I trust you because I have experienced your trustworthiness and because I have faith in human nature. Trust is both important and dangerous. It is important because it allows us to form relationships with others and to depend on others—for love, for advice, for help. But since trust necessarily involves risk, it can also be dangerous. What we risk while trusting is the loss of the things that we entrust to others, including our self-respect, perhaps, which can be shattered by the betrayal of our trust. We feel trust. Emotions associated with trust include companionship, friendship, love, agreement, relaxation, comfort.

This week we talked about the much anticipated visit of the US president Obama to Ghana. This is the first visit he has made to a Sub Saharan country since taking office. The excitement of his visit extended far beyond Ghana's borders. The continent was abuzz with euphoria. To many he is not just a US president,he is also a son of the soil. His roots trace to Kenya,the land of his father.
This added an interesting dimension to the conversation surrounding his visit. Many of our listeners from East Africa felt that he should have paid his first visit to Kenya to pay hommage to his roots. But it became clear that his choice was rooted in a desire to showcase one of Africa's success stories. Ghana's democratic institutions are lot more developed compared to other African nations. It was less a snub to Kenya than an acknowledgment to Ghana's progress. Mr. Obama said that he chose Ghana to “highlight” its adherence to democratic principles and institutions, ensuring the kind of stability that brings prosperity. “This isn’t just some abstract notion that we’re trying to impose on Africa,” he said in an earlier interview. The NY Times editorial said that the 'sort of peaceful, transparent election that Ghana held last December is still an exception rather than the norm, analysts said. The same is true for the country’s comparatively well-managed economy.'

Ghana has successfully made the transition from dictatorial basket case to steadily maturing democracy. After an election a few months ago, power passed peacefully from one freely-elected party to another. Given the narrowness of the vote, the ruling party could have tried to rig the result, but they didn't. The economy has also been on the mend since the free-market reforms of the 1980s.

On the show i spoke to a group of Ghanian students from Ashesi University. They were ready to recieve the president and looked forward to his speech. However some had reservations of the kind of dialogue Obama would have with their politicians. They understand their society better than any outside observer,and they know that even though Ghana has made major strides in the right direction,there is a lot that needs to be done to make it better. So they were concerned that with Obama's visit,their politicians would feel vindicated or validated for some of the wrongs that continue to take place in Ghana.

Here is Obama's speech to the Ghanaian parliament during his visit.

This week on Upfront we explored the age old question. What is it that makes both genders different? There is evidence both physiological and otherwise that points to an inherent difference between boys and girls. Boys and girls think and in most cases act differently. When presented with the same situation,we often come to different conclusions. Some people say that girls are more introspective and less likely to use force in response to a situation. The opposite is true for men. One listener dared say that if women were in charge,there would be less wars in the world. However it would be illogical to conclude that all men are inclined to use of force in resolving issues.
What is true is that women are nurturers by nature. That is a fact that is supported by science. They give life and so they are inclined to want to preserve it.

Still,the question remains. Are girls trained or socialized to be different from boys. Does society steer girls and boys in different directions by the very nature of its treatment of these two genders? Is there a cultural aspect to the way girls and boys are raised? Does this inadvertently lead them to behave differently?

Dr Patricia Campbell an educator debunks some of the misconceptions related to this.She says that as a society we often look at this issue through a sex prism Someone's sex should not be a predictor of their abilities and interests. That assumption is wrong! Knowing someone’s sex may tell us a lot about them biologically but it tells us very little about them in other ways. Knowing someone is a woman does not tell us of her athletic ability. The same is true for a man. Knowing someone is a man tells us nothing about whether his math skills reflect those of an Einstein or a math phobic.Sex is not a good predictor of academic skills, interests or even emotional characteristics. So no! Boys are no better at maths than boys. What do you think?

This week on the show we took time to to pay tribute to the fallen legend that is Michael Jackson. His death came as a shock to millions of his fans around the world. Many were just getting ready to attend what was billed as his final tour. His imprint on music and dance will without a doubt live on forever. We had reactions from the continent,with people expressing sadness at Michael's passing. Many including myself remembered growing up to his music and watching his dances in awe.

We also talked about the power of dance as a form of expression and social outlet for millions of Africans. In the larger context we looked at the one social outlet point in every African urban community--the club. For over two decades the culture of 'clubbing' has transformed dancing from a traditional form of communication to a modern harbinger of western popular culture. Most of our listeners said that they had been to a club in their cities. As the weekend draws near,they make plans about where to go and meet their friends. Their weekend nightlife is as busy if not busier than their boring daily weekends working at the office. Night clubs give them the opportunity to get away from the grueling day--a temporary respite so to speak.
Others say that is an opportunity to meet old friends and meet new ones. To them it has nothing to do with dancing!
So have clubs become the social center point of African cities?


Finally in the spirit of remembering Michael Jackson. Lets watch one of my favorite videos.