Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship: Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa: Yakubu Abubakar: Bloomsbury Academic

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship

Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa

Open Access

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship

Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa

Open Access

Description

This open access book analyzes the limitations of top-down intervention programs designed by the state to address the problem of unemployment among marginalized communities in Africa and foregrounds the centrality of IKS in fostering entrepreneurship. Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba, Inocent Moyo, and Lethiwe Zondo examine the solutions to these problems within the ongoing debate on decolonization of knowledge and epistemic justice. The contributors argue that when the voices of the marginalized communities are taken into consideration in the design of employment and entrepreneurship policies, such policies would be more effective, affirming the agency and rights within these communities. Using case studies and theoretical research, this book investigates how a better engagement with marginalized communities and indigenous knowledges in the design of entrepreneurship and employment policies could foster more positive outcomes in Africa. This book recenters the voices of Indigenous youth within entrepreneurship programs to highlight the interests, priorities, and challenges of these communities.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by Mastercard Foundation

Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship: Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa
Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba, Inocent Moyo and Lethiwe Zondo
Part I: Theoretical Foundations of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa
Chapter 1: Decolonizing Knowledge on Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Africa: Why the Voices of Indigenous Youth Matter?
Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba
Chapter 2: Afrocentrism: A Post-Colonial Approach to Researching Indigenous Knowledge in Africa
Endurance Uzobo
Chapter 3: Involving African Indigenous Communities as Co-Researchers: Generating Indigenous Knowledge through Participatory Research
Yakubu Abubakar
Part II: Selected Case Studies of Application of Indigenous Knowledge and Entrepreneurship in Africa
Chapter 4: Governance Institutions in Indigenous Communities: The Case of Maasai Communities in Arusha, Tanzania
Ambrose Kessy
Chapter 5: Reforming Governance Mechanisms for Advancement of Batwa Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship Opportunities
John Mary Kanyamurwa
Chapter 6: Milk Safety Indigenous Knowledge Practices of Small Holder Banyankole Farmers in Sanga Sub County, Kiruhura District Uganda: A Gendered-Centered Assessment.
Judith Irene Nagasha, Elizabeth Kyazike, Florence Asiimwe and Sofia Boqvist
Chapter 7: Natural Resources Governance and Sustainable Development in Southern Africa: the case of Youth Entrepreneurship development in iNanda Tribal Land surrounding iNanda Dam.
Lethiwe Zondo, Khayelihle Sibisia and Wandile Zondo
Chapter 8 Exploring the Role of Cultural and Knowledge Practices in Small-Scale Fisheries in South Africa
Samantha Williams
Chapter 9: Indigenous Communities and Access to Natural Resources: Unlocking the Entrepreneurial Potential
Inocent Moyo and Jabulile Happyness Mzimela
Chapter 10: Youths’ Perspective on Entrepreneurship in Indigenous Communities in Africa
Vincent Eoghere Efebeh
Chapter 11: Youth Perspectives on Entrepreneurship and Employment in Indigenous Communities among the Ijaws in Nigeria
Philips Obololi-owei Okolo
Chapter 12: Indigenous Youth and Government Entrepreneurship Programmes in Ogoni, Nigeria
Kialee Nyiayaana
About the Editors and Contributors

Product details

Published	Aug 07 2025
Format	Hardback
Edition	1st
Extent	328
ISBN	9781666952049
Imprint	Bloomsbury Academic
Illustrations	4 BW Illustrations, 3 BW Photos, 10 Tables
Dimensions	229 x 152 mm
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

Anthology Editor

Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba

Anthology Editor

Inocent Moyo

Inocent Moyo is associate professor and deputy dea…

Anthology Editor

Lethiwe Zondo

Contributor

Yakubu Abubakar

Contributor

Florence Asiimwe

Contributor

Sofia Boqvist

Contributor

Vincent Eseoghene Efebeh

Contributor

Ambrose Kessy

Contributor

John Mary Kanyamurwa

Contributor

Elizabeth Kyazike

Contributor

Inocent Moyo

Inocent Moyo is associate professor and deputy dea…

Contributor

Jabulile Happyness Mzimela

Contributor

Judith Irene Nagasha

Contributor

Kialee Nyiayaana

Contributor

Philips Obololi-owei Okolo

Contributor

Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba

Contributor

Khayelihle Sibisia

Contributor

Endurance Uzobo

Contributor

Samantha Williams

Contributor

Lethiwe Zondo

Contributor

Wandile Zondo

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship: Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa is extremely timely. Theorizing issues of African Indigenous knowledge systems is a reminder to the world of Africa's contribution to knowledge production from time immemorial. The contributors provide solutions to resolve the current crisis of unemployment by showing the 'relevance of application of these systems to entrepreneurship,' recentering the neglected voices of marginalized groups within the African continent.

Njoki Nathani Wane, University of Toronto
Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba, Inocent Moyo, and Lethiwe Zondo’s insights are cogently woven into a pattern, integrating youth entrepreneurship and the historically marginalized Indigenous knowledge systems, encompassing traditions passed down through generations and practices of diverse Indigenous communities, and linking them to broad economic activities in their local spaces. Tackling youth inactivity and gender inequalities through indigenous knowledge systems is essential if countries are to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work for all by 2030. This book advocates for a shift from Eurocentric policy development processes to an inclusive and innovative approach. The contributors promote youth entrepreneurship and self-reliance, further contributing towards the promotion of the marginalized rural informal economy and open access to build cohesive communities in Africa. Therefore, I firmly believe that this book is valuable and worthy of recognition.

Charles Nwaila, National Skills Authority of South Africa