Theorizing Nigerian Indigenous Knowledge Systems

As the first comprehensive book on theorizing indigenous Nigerian knowledge systems in communication, media and culture, this seminal work seeks to excavate, reclaim and recenter indigenous knowledge and perspectives in understanding the complexities of Nigerian communication, media, and cultural practices. This volume also seeks to de-westernize, decolonize, and domesticate African communication scholarship by bringing together seasoned communication and media scholars to develop communication and media theories rooted in the Nigerian perspective, drawing from the country’s status as the most populous Black nation on earth, and its rich sociocultural communication traditions. These contributions aim to challenge and dismantle the long-standing dominance of Euro-American epistemological frameworks in the field. Established and emerging African communication and media scholars are beginning to rethink and question the application of Western communication and media-based theories to indigenous African communication and media experiences, exploring their creation, content, reception, encoding, decoding, as well as their cultural and contextual aspects. These Afro-ethno-communicative postulations help in identifying how these theories align or diverge from the unique cultural and traditional communicative experiences of the indigenous African people. In light of this awareness, the book seeks to revolutionize the way African scholars apply African and Western theories to interpret local media and communication phenomena in Africa and the diaspora. It emphasizes a shift towards recognizing and embracing emerging non-western indigenous theories, showcasing their potential to break away from homogenization and serve as catalysts for progressive advancements in academic African scholarship.