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The programmes also intend to assist students to appreciate the cultural premise of Africa’s development, bring out African solutions to African problems and help Africans to understand their own culture within the context of tolerance for other people’s cultures.

The three-day retreat, held at the Elmina Beach Resort in the Central Region of Ghana from Tuesday, 30th November to Thursday, 2nd December, 2021, provided participants with the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to exchange ideas and to improve teamwork in the areas of research.     

Presenting to faculty on “Postgraduate Programmes in African Studies,” Associate Professor in African Studies and the Founding Director of the Centre for African and International Studies, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. Wilson K. Yayoh, brought insightful perspectives on the constituents of African Studies, the structure of graduate programmes in African Studies and course to be considered under Liberal African Studies.

Prof. Yayoh charged faculty to prioritise and incorporate indigenous African knowledge and appropriate technology such as oil extraction from coconut, groundnut, palm oil, shea nut and processing of charcoal and fish into programmes to attract people from other disciplines.

“Indigenous knowledge is one of the newly emerging themes in African Studies. Indigenous technology is a vast area we have not tapped so far as African Studies is concerned. Who says that we cannot brew pito and bottle it? Trust me, people will not buy beer anymore.

“Why can’t we apply science to that indigenous technology and begin to export pito? You’ll be amazed at the money we’ll make out of it. So, the idea of indigenous knowledge is very crucial. Even people with bachelor degrees in Home Economics can do Master’s in African Studies and look at indigenous foods,” he professed.

The Head of CAS, Dr. Gabriel Botchwey, on his part, accentuated the fact that African Studies courses are compulsory for all persons who study bachelor degrees at universities in Ghana thus, all tertiary institutions in the country must have Lecturers with postgraduate degrees in African Studies with a minimum of MPhil to qualify them to teach the courses in tertiary institutions, including the Colleges of Education.

“The programme provides a pathway to PhD in African Studies for those who wish to pursue this in future. It also serves as a preparation for advanced research in African Studies with local and international partners,” he indicated.

The Ag. Planning Officer, UEW, Mr. Prince Asiedu, took the Faculty Members of CAS through “Introduction of New Programmes and Accreditation”.

Among Lecturers and administrative staff present at the three-day academic retreat were Dr. Edmond Agyeman, Dr. Michael Doggu, Dr. Jovia Haruna Salifu, Dr. David Zuure, Mr. Richard Abankwa Agyapong, Mr. Samuel Nyamekye Otchere, Mr. Akolgo Ayine, Ms. Mabel Ameyaw, Ms. Shirley Dankwa, Mr. Enoch Mensah Andoh and Ms. Jennifer Otoo.