Prof. Nana Aba Amfo calls for decolonised knowledge systems, stronger African voice in global academia

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, has called for a fundamental shift in global knowledge production, urging greater recognition of African scholarship, languages, and intellectual traditions.

Speaking at her inaugural lecture, she said Africa must move beyond being a subject of research to becoming a full authority in producing and defining knowledge. She noted that global academic systems continue to privilege Western frameworks, often limiting the visibility and credibility of African-generated ideas.

Prof. Amfo stressed that this imbalance affects not only research output but also how African realities are interpreted globally, calling for what she described as a “reclaiming of voice” in academia.

A key concern in her address was the treatment of African languages, where she strongly warned against the use of the term “vernacular.” She explained that the label is often derogatory and reinforces the perception that African languages are informal or inferior, insisting that they should be recognized as fully developed languages that carry identity, culture, and knowledge systems.

She further highlighted how language is tied to power, explaining that meaning, authority, and recognition in academia are often shaped by who produces knowledge and where it is published. She argued that African scholars often face barriers in global publishing systems that prioritize Western theories and citation practices.

The Vice-Chancellor also touched on gender dynamics, noting that women in academia often face additional layers of marginalization in both recognition and visibility, particularly within global research networks.

Prof. Amfo emphasized that multilingualism in Africa is not a limitation but a strength, describing it as a rich intellectual resource that should influence how knowledge systems are built and taught.

She concluded that reclaiming Africa’s voice requires institutional transformation, stronger research funding, and deliberate efforts to reposition African universities as global knowledge leaders rather than peripheral contributors.