Content area
Full text
WASHINGTON A. J. OKUMU, The African Renaissance: history, significance and strategy. Trenton NJ and Asmara: Africa World Press, 2002, 295 pp., US$24.95, ISBN 1 59221 013 9 (paperback).
FANTU CHERU, African Renaissance: roadmaps to the challenge of globalization. London and New York: Zed Books, 2002, 253 pp., L14.95, ISBN 1 84277 087 (paperback).
Various conferences, articles, papers and books have been devoted to dissecting and analysing the concept of an 'African Renaissance' since South African president Thabo Mbeki resurrected the term in the early 1990s. These two books add to this debate, not considering the latest documents emerging from the African political constituency, but challenging the Afro-pessimism of The Economist's 'Hopeless Africa' (13 May 2000) by offering their reflections on the potential revival of Africa and recommendations for the form this should take.
The introduction to Okumu's book promises a refreshing approach which delves into the historical meaning and significance of the concept of 'renaissance', drawing on the experience of the European Renaissance. The African Renaissance should be about celebrating 'Africa's cultural glory' (p. 7), questioning external ideas of 'development' and mobilising Africa's qualities in order to transform society. Unfortunately, the interest sparked by this introduction is dashed by a series of haphazard chapters, which fail to lay down clear arguments in support of Okumu's belief that an African Renaissance is underway. Chapter 2 covers the historical roots of Africa's poverty, concentrating heavily on the slave trade and partition of Africa. Chapter 3 essentially explores African political renaissance from black nationalism, through Cold War manipulations to Africa's problem of power-hungry and 'intellectually impoverished' leaders. Okumu then outlines what he sees as Africa's development 'problematique' (chapter 4), the 'Seeds of Hope' (chapter 5) and policies for the success of the Renaissance (chapter 6), followed by a consideration...