Safeguarding Institutional memory

BATE FELIX

"In Africa, when an old person dies, it is a library that burns," once said Malian historian Ahmadou Hampate Bâ. Now, however, a new initiative aims to ensure that African leadership pass on their knowledge to future generations.

“There's a lack of institutional memory when it comes to African heads of states,” says David Monyae of South Africa’s Wits University international relations department. “They pass away and leave a vacuum. Meanwhile, some of them have written much and have a lot to say about the continent, from which future generations could learn.”

When 11 former African heads of state gathered for the African Presidential Roundtable at South Africa’s leading university in April, it was an opportunity to enhance a reversal of this trend. This year’s roundtable was attended by, amongst others, former presidents Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya, Nicephore Soglo of Benin, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Ali Hassan Mwinyi of Tanzania and Mozambique’s Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique.

President-in-residence, an initiative of Boston University's African Presidential Archive and Research Center (APARC), is a programme that could see many of these former leaders residing on various campuses on the continent. Through the programme, the leaders have an opportunity to share the knowledge and experience they acquired in office.

Launched in 2003, the President-in-residence programme has already seen four former democratically elected heads of states residing at Boston university where they give lectures and convene presidential roundtable discussions. Talks are underway to introduce the programme in African universities.

According to former American Ambassador Charles Stith, director of APARC and initiator of the programme, “it would provide an opportunity for democratically elected African leaders to transition to civilian status,” into an environment where their qualities and status would be highly valued, thus providing the universities and broader community access to these leaders.

“There's a need, particularly of African universities, to look into this,” says Monyae. “Students can discuss the former leaders’ policies, what was good, what they [the leaders] failed to achieve and why and what remedies are to be implemented.”
Though some cynics might question the status of some of these leaders, Wits University International Relations Professor John Stremlau notes that “it must be remembered that a university is a place of ideas where people come to share, debate and find solutions to problems”.

Stremlau welcomed the initiative: “The symbolism is quite significant. It shows an image of leaders who can have a respected and dignified life after their presidencies, while being very beneficial to students and academics.”

Thembilile Dube (21) a psychology Honours student at Wits University was one of the student leaders invited to participate in the roundtable discussions.
“I think it's a brilliant idea,” said Dube. “I believe that the former presidents have a wealth of knowledge and I believe that as young people we need to have access to them. They have walked a certain path and there's a need for them to pass that knowledge to the future generations.”

In the roundtable discussions in Johannesburg, the heads of states, business leaders, students and faculty members of participating universities from Africa and America discussed the recently released Blair Commission Africa Report and the perceptions of Africa in the American media.

In a press briefing that followed, the former leaders commended Prime Minister Tony Blair for launching the African commission initiative, noting that such concerted efforts would foster Africa’s growth.

But this growth could be hampered by the image of Africa that is portrayed, they added. “This has profound relevance to everything from the world seeing Africa as a worthy investment venue, to it being a valuable partner,” said Joaquim Chissano, former Mozambican president.

The former heads of states criticised the coverage of Africa in the American media. “The coverage is overwhelmingly negative, leading to the continent’s “exotification” and marginalisation, undermining democratic trends and showing an almost contemptuous lack of interest in the continent,” said Chissano.

They called on African institutions and journalist to develop strategies to counter these trends. Not that there should not be a critical coverage, said Chissano, but it should not be cynical: “Our point is simple, tell Africa's whole story.”

Sir Ketumile Masire, former president of Botswana, the convener of the roundtable and current president-in-resident at Boston University called on governments and the private sector to be more accountable of their actions on the continent so as to foster growth.

Talks are already underway for Wits University to host either former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi or Joaquim Chissano under the president-in-residence programme. Students will then have a first-hand opportunity to delve into the institutional memories of a continent’s living library.