Nigerian author and leadership educator Adewale Ajadi has launched his new book, Afrilition: 21st Century African Manifesto. The virtual launch event was attended by journalists, media practitioners, researchers, and readers worldwide. Mr. Ajadi's book challenges negative narratives about Africa and encourages Africans to shape the continent's future. He was influenced by his experience with "Afro-pessimism," which focuses on Africa's problems and crises. This experience prompted him to rethink the way Africa is portrayed.
Mr. Ajadi's book offers a critical alternative for humanity, exploring how Africans can define their values and contribute to a changing global order. He emphasizes that achieving a desirable future for Africa requires more than optimism. The book does not compare Africa's development to the West or other parts of the world. Instead, it focuses on Africans' role in shaping their future. In a chapter titled "Bearing Witness," Mr. Ajadi writes about ignoring pessimists and being brave enough to dream of a better tomorrow.
The book has received positive reviews from various experts. Oje Aboyade, one of the reviewers, stated that the book's emphasis on Pan-Africanism resonated with him. He believes Africans should question the default acceptance of "Eurocentric" agendas and exploitative economic systems. Aboyade describes the book as a call for African excellence without external validation and a roadmap for future generations. Bolatito Kolawole, a researcher at the University of Lagos, noted the book's emphasis on values.
Kolawole stated that Afrilition offers another way to look at Africa's progress, beyond Western models and material gains. Martin Banda, a leadership educator, reviewed the book in a PREMIUM TIMES article on September 5. He focused on the book's format, which is partly written as a letter from a grandfather to his grandchildren. Banda said the letter format makes the book both tender and useful. The format forces the author to avoid jargon and cynicism.
The foreword of the book was written by Funmi Olonisakin, Deputy President of King's College London. She stated that the book makes a case for an Africa that contributes unique and authentic excellence to the world. Olonisakin believes that African excellence is linked to the need for a more balanced world that moves away from exploitation and hegemony. Ifeoluwatari Ajadi wrote the afterword, emphasizing that Africa's future must be actively shaped.
The book examines choices that could shape Africa's place in the world over the next two generations. It extends its focus beyond the continent to Africans and people of African heritage worldwide. The book argues for a broader understanding of prosperity, emphasizing humanity, humility, service, and community building. It promotes cooperation and community as part of the way Africans can respond to challenges.
Ultimately, Mr. Ajadi's book aims to shift the conversation from how Africa is viewed by others to what Africans themselves choose to build. The book launch event was a significant step in making the author's message widely available. With its focus on African excellence and self-determination, Afrilition is set to contribute to ongoing discussions about the continent's future.
Key points
- The book challenges negative narratives about Africa and encourages Africans to take a more deliberate role in shaping the continent's future.
- The author, Adewale Ajadi, was influenced by his experience with "Afro-pessimism" and seeks to offer a critical alternative for humanity.
- The book promotes cooperation, community, and a broader understanding of prosperity, emphasizing humanity, humility, service, and community building.
