Indigenous Knowledge Creation in Africa: Bridging The Gap Between Traditional African Medicine and Modernity

Jegede Obafemi

Abstract


For several millennia of human evolution and humankind search for advancement, one most neglected, unexplored but critical aspect of human development is the issue of Indigenous knowledge creation. This knowledge system is grossly underutilised chiefly because western knowledge is used to design the agenda for global development. However, recently, there is a global awareness towards using indigenous in the search for solutions to several problems that beset humanity. Critical to the different aspects of indigenous knowledge is traditional African medicine. In fact, there is no gainsaying that the neglect of traditional medicine cannot be divorced from the predicament of Africa especially regarding the overwhelming impact of diseases. Since the World Health Organization’s Alma Atta of 1978, traditional medicine has come to fore in the global discussion concerning health and healing for humankind. The most debated and most compelling aspect of this is the need for the integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine. This study therefor designed is to stimulate discussion on indigenous knowledge creation and its implication for synergizing traditional medicine with modern medicine.


Keywords


Modernity; Indigenous knowledge; Traditional African medicine; Integration

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/12845

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