The succeeding component sets the tone for Africa to identify talents and competence, tap and harness quality human resources, recruit personnel and put them in the right places. The author underscores how rivalry between the two superpowers at that time inspired research and development efforts.Īmaefule would like African nations to draw lessons from America’s approach to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) relations “while the United States had to search for counter technologies that could dwarf the threats of the USSR”, Africa is still enmeshed in the woods struggling against poor management of resources in different sectors. Are there prospects for such a symbiotic relationship? Is it possible to have a meeting of vision and mind among political leaders, bureaucrats, business people and academia to fast track attempts to leapfrog into a higher level of development? In the second chapter, the author focuses on the collaboration between the military and the academia in bringing about innovations with the support of the political leadership. This shows that the old world order is still the prevalent circumstance. The book reviews past concerns about media imperialism and the clamor for balance, primarily by Africa countries highlighting that the invention of the internet and the world wide web has, rather than bridge the gap, widened it in favour of providers of information and consumers who have become ‘net importers of information’. The book opens with the triple earth shaking events of 1989: the release of Nelson Mandela from prison after almost three decades, the development of the world wide web (Those historical incidents set the stage for a prospective brand new world signposted by globalisation, openness, freedom and efforts at integration of humankind into an emergent global community with a reduced level of strive between the major super powers in the world at that time. Joseph Adeyeye, Executive Director, Digital Operations and Publications, Punch Newspapers, is not just an enduring validation of diligence at work but serves as a detailed blurb which introduces the publication. Okigbo was one of our favorite teachers back then while he taught at the University of Nigeria, where Amaefule earned his first degree in mass communication. If the status of someone who endorses a book confers importance on such an intellectual effort, then Technology and Development – An African Perspectiveis a top draw because Professor Umar Dambatta, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is no mean man.Īs if that was not enough, the preface is authored by one of the most engaging scholars of mass communication, Professor Charles Okigbo, a well-respected mentor to some of us – now an emeritus professor of mass communication and strategic communication, North Dakota State University, United States of America. In putting the work together, Amaefule has become a member of a select group of “beat reporters” in journalism practice who evolved into thinkers having drawn from their experiences, exposure and education to add more value in their field to the society. Everest Amaefule’s fresh and insightful book with nine chapters would provide several talking points in years to come.