Zambians big talkers, says UNICAF boss

Zambians big talkers, says UNICAF boss

 By Tony Nkhoma

AFRICANS and Zambians, in particular, are very good story tellers but lack innovative ideas of implementing what they say, UNICAF University vice chancellor Dr Christine Mushibwe has observed.

Dr Mushibwe said Africa would not develop because its people liked to keep knowledge to themselves like wizards and witches did.

Speaking at the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA) 2025 Conference in Lusaka recently, Dr Mushibwe said Africans were big story tellers with little action.

They were only good at witchcraft in which they had thrived but without sharing their knowledge.

“Because it’s only the witches and the wizards that like keeping knowledge of anything that is important to themselves. And that is why they have not developed. They have remained secretive and mystical in whatever they do,” Dr Mushibwe said.

She said Africans’ secretive way of operation and lack of knowledge sharing had caused the continent to lag in terms of development.

Dr Mushibwe said wizards and witches were just too secretive, no wonder they had made progress in their careers without impacting others.

“And that is the core to education. I think knowledge is not secretive, and we can’t keep it on the shelf because the moment we do that, we become witches. And in Africa, and in particular Zambia, you know what I’m talking about,” she said.

Dr Mushibwe said the aspect of innovative knowledge sharing tended to be missing in the African culture, which she said was a source of concern.

“That is what the education in Africa has turned out to be. I think the aspect of being innovative tends to be missing. I think we are very good at talking. If there is a continent, I think, where we’ve got very good orators, I think it should be Africa. We are very good with our way. And we talk about a lot of things,” Dr Mushibwe said.

He said there is a need to turn academic knowledge into theory in order for the continent to yield tangible economic results.

“But because we are secretive with our knowledge, with our innovations, don’t give in now to the example of innovations. Because what is innovative is supposed to be feasible, isn’t it? So we’ve got a lot that we need to look at,” Dr Mushibwe said.

He called for more collaborative efforts among African universities in an efforts to drive commons solution to continental problems.

“These papers need to turn into practical aspects. We need to begin to transform, to translate theory into practical. I think for a long time we have been theoretical. And that is what we are supposed to be. As universities, there is so much that we can do,” Dr Mushibwe.

She said research in education should be translated into innovations that could drive transformative change.

“It is from research that we are going to become creative. It is from research that we are going to try as much as possible to solve the problems of our nation. And so as a SADC region, and people that are coming from within SADC, I think the theme of this conference, innovating higher education for sustainable development across the SADC region, innovation for impact, is very important,’” Dr Mushibwe said.

She said people’s visions should be translated into something that everyone could actually see and for the future generations to embrace.

The 2025 SARUA Conference was held under the theme ‘Innovating Higher Education for Sustainable Development across the SADC: Innovation for Impact’.

The Conference highlights the urgent need for universities to adapt to economic, technological and social shifts.