Africa and the research question

I am at the beginning of my research process. Meaning, I am at a point where I am starting to look at what has been done in terms of research in my area and trying to figure out where exactly I fit in. I have been in classes for 3 semesters now, and I have hardly heard a word about Africa. We're not in books, or journals or even the news. In the world of academics, we are not even a blip in the horizon. South America is coming up, Asia rose and became global. We, Africa, to the rest of the world just remained a dark continent. In a time where information is key, we seem to be unseen.

Before I left, every one told me told me to write my thesis on Kenya. Because out there, no one knows anything about us. I could literally write anything, and they would believe it was true. I laughed about it then. I'm not laughing so much now. Not only because suddenly I have to critically think if what I'm going to base my research on is relevant, but also because I'm not sure it's going to matter. I'm not sure all the work I'll put in will ever be seen by anyone outside of my review board. As I'm thinking of a research question, I think about all the people like me. People who have finally made it to these grand universities with fewer students than an average campus in Africa, but with credentials running around the block.

The University of Nairobi, in its highest global ranking in 2015, ranked at the lofty position of 174, In most other rankings however, it is closer to 1000. Why, in a school with 75,000 students and a staff of well over 1,000 aren't we doing better? Where are we going wrong? I was in school for 6 years in my bachelor and I never once discussed about what informs development in my own city in this century. There was no literature, there were few to no classes, we never once got a visit from the county government explaining anything. We learnt about the rise and fall of Europe, I can quote to you Jane Jacobs and discuss in detail about Frank Lloyd Wright, but my own backyard remains a mystery. That worries me greatly.

I am not saying that we are not doing research in Africa. But what we are producing, if anything, is not being seen or cannot be accessed. We are not publishing in international journals and very few of our researchers make appearances in international conferences and our presence is barely felt in global literature. I have been up and down the internet, looking for information and, this internet that knows everything, gave me one short article from University of Cape Town. For me to write a comprehensive thesis about anything, I will have to ask and almost beg for information from authorities I will have to search for. I often wonder what would happen if I decided to do further research. Will I have to leave my country behind to follow my dream? The world is filled with researchers afraid to go home. Fearing economic and social problems. Fearing that once they get home, all their hard work will fade into dust.

Out here, universities are being funded heavily to carry out research into modern day issues. Both students and academia are involved in the shaping of their space. Be it economically, physically or conceptually. Think tanks are being created, students are constantly being challenged, issues that are important now are being discussed. I had lecturers in my Bachelor who proudly taught us with the same notes they had been using for 20 years. It was like the Bible. No word shall be added or removed from these faded pages. What do such people do when they finally go back to their offices? Were they still reading about the world outside? A friend complained recently about the calibre of students coming out of university now and I am at pains to blame it on increased student intake. If we don't challenge the teachers, we cannot expect the students to be challenged. It doesn't work that way.

Research should inform policy and government and shape the direction of development and growth. Right now, we are looking too far beyond our borders to find answers to our local questions. We're relying on experts from far and wide while our own local breed of geniuses sit idly revisiting their notes. We should channel all those funds we are spreading to the West and finance research groups in Universities. The brightest people I have met have been from home. I don't know why we sell ourselves short. We have such big information hubs and yet little new knowledge is produced.

If we expect to compete with a global market, we have to produce people who are ready for a global world and we have to attract students and researchers from that same global market. We cannot continue sending our brightest to Europe and Australia and hope they we will have enough incentive for them to come back. you have to tell them that they have something to come back to. That they shall not be forced into doing things that do not add value to themselves and to the society they want to study. We need as a society to encourage research that affects us in our institution. No one will solve our problems or map our development better than we can do it ourselves. We have learnt how to do it but now we have to actually do it. I want to one day open planning books for Africans by Africans. I hope I can be part of something like that and I hope they will be taught in every institution in the world.