Exploration of Biko and Sankara’s political thoughts and praxis in relation to African Renaissance as a decolonial project
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Date
2024
Authors
Lechaba, Leshaba Tony
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The condition of coloniality in Africa is endemic and continues to perpetuate the problem of dependency. Africans are grappling with the imposed conditions, which explains the enormity of the task at hand. This persistence of coloniality, and neo-colonial relations concerning Africa, and the rest of the Global South entrenches the marginality of those located in these regions. The post-colonial African existence is predicated on the continued subjection of the colonised. This situation necessitates the process of de-linking. To de-link from the colonial matrices of power means to disassociate from the imposed imperialistic relations that are skewed towards the coloniser. Against this background, this study examines the political thoughts and praxis of Biko and Sankara, to determine their contributions and commitments in advancing African Renaissance as a decolonial de-linking tool. To this end, 𝘜𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘶 philosophy was employed as a philosophical lens and a radical hermeneutic approach was utilised as an interpretative tool. This thesis elucidates the significance and relevance of Biko and Sankara’s political thoughts and praxis, which can be summed up in two words: Black Consciousness and authentic revolution. The former invokes that the African subject attains a critical consciousness to repudiate his/her subjection. The latter posits that a critically conscious subject is bound to seek a radical change in order to escape his/her conditionality. Furthermore, the prevailing situation dictates that a people-centric approach which is espoused by the principles and ethics of 𝘜𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘶 be advanced in response to the African condition. Seemingly, this people-centric approach can be read through and also reflected in Biko and Sankara’s political thought and praxis.
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Keywords
African Renaissance, Biko, Black consciousness, Critical consciousness, De-linking, Political thought, Liberation, Praxis, Pan-Africanism, Sankara, Revolution, Ubuntu