KENYAN CREATIVITY  ENIGMA.

To what do we credit creativity? Creativity is generally out of intelligence and it’s only out of high intelligence does high-quality-creative-thinking come. Sometimes, I always wonder how Creative Kenyans are! How  intelligent Kenyans are! Think about this: what do we credit to the super-amazing creativity of Kenyans on facebook? And on other social sites and texts chatting? Ever noted how fast Kenyans satirize and humourize events, occurrences and political statements in Kenya? And someone wants to doubt the creativity in us and how far Kenyans can go if they had the opportunity. The technology. The funds. The freedom. The support.
Many a times many have asked themselves: Why is it that the whites are relatively FAR much ahead of us? In Development: socially, politically, economically and far much better in science and technology.
Many find it tremendously demotivating to realize more than 90% of inventions made in a length of time are by the whites. Credit unto the few like: Thomas R. Odhiambo, a Kenyan Entomologist and environmental activist, the inventors of the traffic light, elevator, and the pressure cooker and Paul Kaine, a Nigerian engineer who invented a pocket electronic map among others.
Does African creativity offer anything for development? Are African inventions a waste of time or can they be the way forward? The BBC World Service programme, Africa Live! debated this and others issues on Wednesday 2nd Jan at 1630 and 1830 GMT.
Below is one of the comments made during the live discussion:
Sylino, USA/Malawi:
Having attended University both in Africa and the USA, I can honestly say that my African professors and University faculty as a whole were the most brilliant scholars I have ever encountered. Some of them worked for Nasa and other agencies abroad but ended up coming back home to teach.
Everyone asks why we as Africans are still this far behind. They say necessity is the mother of
Invention. Doesn’t mean no necessity!! A greater percentage of the electronics we use are all imported. So the question may be why? But its equally technically open that the African environment is hostile to innovation. Either people discourage you, criticize you, or make you feel strange for having come up with something unique. Many people do not like to question established ways of doing things. Like Steve Job’s termed it dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. No doubt that’s what most Africans do: In this case Kenyans.
But does that deserve the name: “Behind”, ”Non-creative”, “lazy” “Uninventive” among others?? No ! It doesn’t! Am sure if you ain’t!.
Or do you wanna forget that its Africans who invented walking! But as usual we never wanted to profit from it, brand it or commercialise it! We sat back, relaxed and let the Americans run away with the idea! Hurray to Africa, what would the world be like if Lucy had not taken that first step? (Ed: “Lucy” or Dinquenesh is one of the oldest known hominids (who preceded humans) and was found in Ethiopia.)
Although one may argue that comedies may be understood in accordance to the culture of the people; but can you make a comparison between Kenyan comedies and the American ones? Take for instance Churchil Show let alone Naswa comparing it to Popcon TV on Citizen! Or do you also require illustrations from Truthmeter, Bulls’ Eye and HekaHeka on Kenyan Politics. Being honest, Many people may not have realized this but it’s incomparable!
Still to answer the question why?
Africans are very intelligent, yes!…Kenyans are very creative and intelligent too…but how fast are the western nations growing? African creativity is shy. It lacks confidence and conviction. A shy creature is not pro-active. It needs prodding. But the rest of the world is too busy competing to be noticed. Maybe “Walichanuka” mapema. Lucky to experience technology first…even to the point of bringing us The Bible…”Back” poor Africans!
Africans are so inventive, but their governments frustrate them. In Kenya, in 2010 we had Gabriel Nderitu, who had been constructing an aircraft in his front yard on the outskirts of Nairobi. He wasn’t an engineer neither did he have any aviation background, only a passion for flight and the ability to download about 2GB of information online. Earlier before the test run, the country’s civil aviation officials served Nderitu with a letter ordering him to “ Refrain from further construction or development”.In Uganda, in the days of Idi Amin, one Munyegera managed to turn a vehicle into a flying helicopter. He crashed in the sugar plantations. Instead of promoting him, the then government threatened to arrest him. African scientists need a supportive environment. Kenyan creativity is magic. One major setback is lack of funds. I think assets should be made available for African innovative ideas. Aren’t we just killing our own creativity and ending up remaining where we are? Think about it.
Kenyans’ Think about it. All involved: We should allow ourselves to “expand”