The Evolution of Power in African Contexts
Over the years, I have delved into various dimensions and understandings of power from cultural, political, historical, and epistemological perspectives. In my earlier work on Yorùbá Identity and Power Politics, I explored how traditional rulership functions as an institution that holds significant social value and influence. I emphasized the need to avoid sentimentalizing chieftaincy, instead highlighting the complex relationship Africans have with power—creating it, resisting it, and reshaping it in subtle yet impactful ways.
In Decolonizing Nigeria, 1945–1960, I focused on post-war political elites, tracing how figures like Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Ahmadu Bello navigated the landscape of political power. Their struggles were not only against colonial authorities but also among themselves, as they sought positions of influence for the future of the nation.
Reconceptualizing Power in Africa
Recently, I have concentrated more directly on the reconceptualization of power within African contexts. In my essay “Power, Privilege, and Philosophy in Africa,” I argued that power is not seen as a trophy to be won in indigenous philosophies, but rather as a relational and communal trust. In lectures delivered at the University of Lagos and Benue State University, I discussed how power struggles in Africa, whether political, cultural, or digital, stem from epistemological misalignments. It is crucial that we use our indigenous philosophical frameworks to intellectualize power, rather than imitate external models.
Resistance as a Form of Power
In Africa, power has never been unchallenged. From resistance against colonial authorities to civil resistance in postcolonial societies, the continent has developed an identity rooted in oppositional consciousness. Resistance is not merely a reaction; it is a counterpower and a form of political agency. To intellectualize power, we must historicize our resistance. Events such as the Aba Women’s War of 1929, the Mau-Mau rebellion in Kenya, and the Soweto student uprisings are not just outbursts but responses deeply embedded in history, socio-cultural logic, and an understanding of injustice and possibility.
Even under brutal regimes, Africans have responded not only physically but also through knowledge-based resistance by rejecting imposed meanings, reexpressing identities, and reclaiming languages. These actions should be recognized as African philosophical interventions rather than mere rebellions. Resistance intellectualizes power by exposing its limits, redirecting its movement, and creating new symbolic economies.
The Contradictory Nature of African States
The present African state remains one of the most contradictory political entities of this era, shaped by colonial ideas and systems. Many postcolonial states inherited not only territories but also the tools of their colonizers, making them sites of alienation rather than empowerment. However, we cannot abandon these states; instead, we must reimagine, restructure, and redirect them.
To intellectualize state power, we must ask: Who does the state serve, and what intellectual perspectives does it house? Historically, African politicians viewed the state as a catalyst for nation-building and economic salvation. These dreams, however, have been reduced to illusions due to internal conflicts and external pressures. The challenge today is not simply seizing power but morally redirecting it. We need a state that is not just regulatory but regenerative—one that prioritizes justice over law.
Intellectualizing Narrative Power
An adage states that “He who pays the piper dictates the tune.” Narrative power is a powerful tool for influence and liberation. For decades, Africa has suffered from narrative disempowerment, misrepresented, silenced, or infantilized in global affairs. To intellectualize power, we must intervene in the storytelling industry and tell our history from our own perspective.
Today, the tides are shifting through movies, literature, media outlets, and social media. Africans are beginning to seize narrative power. Writers like Chimamanda Adichie warn of the “danger of a single story,” and I argue for a polyphony of African stories situated within the context of African cosmologies. Let us tell stories of power, innovation, laughter, and traditions, not just pain and survival.
The Role of Language and Oral Traditions
Narrative power is both internal and external, exploring how we communicate with each other, examining our myths, proverbs, and metaphors of selfhood. Language is a site of power, and oral traditions are our archives of knowledge. Our philosophies are hidden in our proverbs. By reviving and reasserting our indigenous narratives, we can develop national and transnational discourses that reflect our own voices and visions.
Global Power and Africa’s Role
Recent global developments, such as the post-COVID world, the climate emergency, and the AI revolution, have exposed the fragility of old systems. Africa is no longer just a recipient of global trends but a shaper of the future. With its young population, frontier economy, and rich philosophical standing, Africa must now act.
Africa cannot be the architect of a new world order by imitation. It must negotiate for power on its terms through strategic alliances, a Pan-African ethos, and the decolonization of global institutions. African scholars must engage in radical institutional imagination, and global representatives must be philosophers. Our youths must be mobilized not only for elections but for vision.
Embracing Digital Power
The digital realm is not neutral. Algorithms have ideas behind them, and platforms govern the mind. Whoever controls data controls destiny. If we allow others to define us digitally, we risk repeating the mistakes of colonial modernity. The digital age represents Africa’s second fight for freedom, offering a way to break down barriers, learn, organize, and monetize knowledge.
However, we must transition from being excited about digital things to being in control of them. Africa needs its websites, content moderation rules, and data infrastructure. Digital literacy should be a major part of our curriculum, focusing not just on operating devices but on coding, critiquing, and innovating.
Conclusion
To intellectualize power is not to theorize about it at a distance, but to insert, interrogate, and transform it. Africa’s power is a reality to be harnessed and exploited. We can define power everywhere, from state corridors to storytelling huts, global diplomacy tables, or virtual nodes of digital networks. So let us rise, not out of rage, but to empower power to act. Let us think, act bravely, and lead with conviction.
