Joseph Ki-Zerbo - Social and Political Ideas

Social and Political Ideas

Ki-Zerbo exposed his social and political ideas in many released books on history and culture. He wrote a pedagogic manual called “Le Monde Africain Noir” in English “Black African World” that was released in 1963. In 1972, Ki-Zerbo released a famous book “Histoire de l’Afrique Noir” in English “History of Black Africa” that became the reference book in African history. Holentein (2006) described that in his book, Ki-Zerbo refuted the common belief of Africa as a black continent without culture and history. He proved the contrary in saying that Africa had reached an upper level of political, social and cultural development before slavery and colonization. Written only few years after independence, Ki-Zerbo’s book represented the hope of many Africans of a brighter future in liberty and auto determination.

Sitchet (2003), a reporter of Africulture, argued that from 1972 to 1978 Ki-Zerbo was executive member of the UNESCO foundation (United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization). From 1976 to 2001, Ki Zerbo was also the President of African Historian Association and moreover a Professor at the University of Ouagadougou. His conviction on education led him to found in 1980, Centre for African Development Studies (CEDA) that has this goal “on ne developpe pas, on se developpe”. (In English, we don’t develop, we develop ourselves). Holenstein (2006) insisted that on the basis of a critic on the relation north-south imperialism, Ki-Zerbo forecast an endogenous development that will take seriously the ecological and social skills, and the African cultural identity. His endogenous development is a practice that lets native farmers use their own ideas and traditions alongside new technology. It incorporates the ideas and knowledge of indigenous cultures rather than disregarding them.