Africa Must Be Modern: A Manifesto [Hardcover]

In a forthright and uncompromising manner, Ol?f?mi T??w? explores Africa's hostility toward modernity and how that hostility has impeded economic development and social and political transformation. What has to change for Africa to be able to respond to the challenges of modernity and globalization? T??w? insists that Africa can renew itself only by fully engaging with democracy and capitalism and by mining its untapped intellectual resources. While many may not agree with T??w?'s positions, they will be unable to ignore what he says. This is a bold exhortation for Africa to come into the 21st century.

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Ol?f?mi T??w? is Professor of Africana Studies at the Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University. He is author ofHow Colonialism Preempted Modernity in Africa(IUP, 2010).

Whoever thinks he knows the problem of Africa had better read this book. Whoever feels there is no known solution that can apply should read this book first; but whoever wishes to remain unperturbed about the African predicament had better not read this book. This book almost certainly will challenge any mind. The author has evidently written down thoughts that cost him his sleep for many years now.

T?iw?'s firm and fierce argument is timely because it unapologetically prompts questions. . .45.4 Winter 2014

This book is a brave and boisterous attempt to challenge Africa to follow a clear-cut development trajectory in the face of its disappointing performance in the development arena in the post-colonial period. Taiwo provides an interesting analysis of modernity asl3u