VIRTUOUS LIVING - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

In describing the spirit of African Renaissance, Richard Griggs in his paperGeopolitics of an New Discourse (1998) argues, “What is new is not Africanunification based on the starting blocks of African regionalism but the location,strategy and tactics for that achievement” (Griggs 1998:1). Mbeki confirms theAfrican Renaissance spirit thus:It is what we do to bring about these objectives that will take us a stepforward in our quest for a new and better African reality. I believe thatwhereas before, as Africans, we might have said all these things arenecessary, we have now arrived at the point where many on our continentfirmly believe that they are now possible (Mbeki 1999: xviii).It is with this spirit that Mamdani and others highlight the intelligentsia’s critical roleon the African continent in bringing about an “African Renaissance”.1.2.5.2 The role of the intellectuals in Africa’s rebirthMahmood Mamdani regards intellectual rebirth as “an urgent need”, given the extentof mental colonisation. An intellectual reawakening is imperative, both as anobjective and driving force, for the development of an “African Renaissance”(Mamdani 1999:129). “African Renaissance” points to a new sense of self – a newway of looking at history and one’s place in it. The awakening is located at the pointof our realisation that we were born of in a different historical period. This realisationcalls for a rethinking and a rewriting of our history. In so doing, we redefine our placein history, and give ourselves a sense of self-worth and a renewed sense of urgencyfor our socio-political determination (cf Mamdani 1999:130).Mamdani goes on to acknowledge that the intelligentsia are central to the process ofidentity formation, because purportedly institutions reproduce and change identities.He observes that, unfortunately in the development of this African Renaissance, weseem to have the political entity operating at the presidential level, and lessawareness, let alone active engagement with Africa’s rebirth among Africans in therural communities on the African continent. Mamdani maintains that we also needcultural and academic input, but we should not restrict the activity to the elite, sincethis omission would limit the progress of the revival of the continent.76