Written by the WWLA Founders
Edited by Michelle Mocumbi
Our opening reflections in the We Will Lead Africa (WWLA) volume on technology, science, and innovation affirm:
WWLA is fuelled by a belief in the power of storytelling – that ancient technology that has been with us since the beginning of time, and that is still an inherent part of African cultures – as a tool for imagining, sparking, and driving progress, and as a way to inspire more change and shape the futures we want….
As we reflected on the remarkable journeys contained within this volume, we found ourselves returning again and again to the power of narrative. Mainstream conversations about technology, science, and innovation are often hosted as if they are driven solely by ideas, discoveries, systems, or breakthroughs. But behind every invention, every moment of progress, and every vision of the future is a story.
Technology leaders everywhere are trying to solve problems for a reason, whether they articulate those reasons or not. Those reasons may range from self-centred to societal, to everything in between. The stories we inherit, the stories we resist, the stories we embrace, and the stories we create all shape who we become and the footprints we leave behind. As one reflection from our recent conversations captured so beautifully, stories are often us ‘trying to make sense of the world’, carried forward by narratives that push us in one direction or another. Sometimes we rebel against them. Sometimes we are inspired by them. Sometimes we remake them entirely. Yet somehow, throughout our lives, we find ourselves riding the waves of story.
The foreword to Volume Five: Technology, Science, Innovation is a good example of this. Christian Happi – distinguished professor and Director and Principal Investigator at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases – opens the volume by grounding us in the reason behind his drive to find a cure for malaria. After a childhood encounter with the disease and the realization that there was no cure, he vowed to solve that problem. This is an example of how stories shape us from childhood onward. Stories also help us understand what is possible. They offer a way to interpret experience, imagine futures, and locate ourselves within a larger human journey. A child hearing of someone who began life in a village much like their own and went on to ‘lead the world’ receives a spark of possibility, a new narrative through which to understand themselves and their future.
As we tell stories of technology, science, and innovation, we are not simply chronicling achievements. We are telling stories of people, their aspirations, their courage, their failures, their questions, and their hopes. In doing so, we are also protecting the stories of what it means to be human. In a rapidly changing world, where technological advances increasingly shape how we live, work, and relate to one another, it feels more important than ever to remember that, before everything and after everything, we are human.
This perspective is especially significant in the African context. As Christian reminds us in his foreword, ‘We know that Africa is the cradle of humanity. So we as Africans, as the originators of mankind, have a responsibility to make our own significant contributions to human development.’
That responsibility is not new. The story of Africa’s contributions to science and innovation stretches back through millennia: from the astronomical knowledge of ancient Egypt to the engineering achievements of the Kingdom of Benin, from centres of learning across the continent to knowledge systems that were refined and transmitted across generations. And storytelling remains one of humanity’s most enduring innovations, carrying knowledge, values, imagination, and wisdom across generations. More than that, it helps shape what comes next. As the preface reminds us, ‘It is the storyteller that creates the future too.’ Yet many stories of technology, science, and innovation from Africa and by Africans have been forgotten, disrupted, erased, or overlooked. Highlighting them is for us, both an act of remembering and an act of future-making. We believe Africa has something unique to contribute to the world. And perhaps that contribution begins with storytelling itself – the stories we remember, the ones we tell ourselves now, and the ones we vow to co-create for the generations to come.
Bottom: Editor Sarah Owusu with contributors Geci Karuri-Sebina and Emmanuel Gamor.
Technology, Science, Innovation is, therefore, both a celebration and an invitation: a celebration of the extraordinary individuals whose stories we shared and an invitation to readers of all ages to imagine what might be possible for themselves, their communities, and the world. Every story we encounter expands the horizon of what we believe can be done. And every story we share becomes part of the wave carrying humanity forward.
Together, we’ll continue riding those waves.
Excerpt from the foreword by Christian Happi:
We Will Lead Africa: Technology, Science, Innovation is a collection of personal leadership narratives told by Africans, for Africans, that proves how far we can go when we dare to dream big and pursue our dreams with our total energy. When we meet people who encourage our pursuits, and forge alliances and communities with them. When we find the window of opportunity within each inevitable challenge that comes our way.
To the young readers, let the stories that decorate this book inspire you to dream beyond the lines, to keep your eyes on the ball and not let anyone discourage you from your dreams. Impossibility does not exist, because God created us with the ability to do things beyond our imagination. Be courageous, be committed, stay focused, and you will make the fruits of your dreams – those very ones that seem impossible – a reality.
To the older readers, let these leaders remind you that you are never too old to set big dreams. Even when you think you’re tired, don’t hesitate to set new goals, because somebody will pick them up and continue with them even when you are no longer there. You must keep working to make your immediate environment, your community, your country – our continent – a better place to be.
To all my fellow Africans, let this volume move us to come together as one people and address the challenges this continent has faced. To identify our problems and work in partnership with those who are willing to work with us. To tell our stories through our lenses and adopt new narratives that evolve our communities, countries, and continent, and, in turn, our world.
Use the slide deck below to read some inspirational quotes from Volume Five:
