Webinars

Religious violence is among the major security threats bewildering most African countries. Extremist views continue to attract greater followership across the continent as poverty increases. With countries like Nigeria and Mauritania further strengthening blasphemy laws that directly attack followers of non-mainstream religions, freedom of religion continues to shrink. Our guests will help us understand why religious fundamentalism in Africa is a threat to the freedom of religion.

Dr. Xolani Sakuba is a lecturer in the school of Religion, Philosophy, and Classics, Department of Biblical and Historical Studies, Theological Studies, and ethics, at the University of Kwazulu-Natal. Notable among his publications is “Fundamentalism in African Traditional Religion: A Reflection on some Points for Consideration”. His areas of research and expertise include systematic theology, theology, and Christian theology.

Dr. Kefas Lamak is a Ph.D. Pre-Comp candidate and a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Iowa. He is a recipient of an ASMEA Research Grant for his paper on “Religion or Violence in the Name of Allah: The Rise of an Islamist Extremist Group in Northern Nigeria in the 2000s and the Threat it Poses to Civility, Freedom, and Democracy”. His expertise, research, and teaching interests cut across modern religion and culture, African culture and religious practices, religiously affiliated conflicts, and resolution. Kefas is the author of three recent journal articles: “The Pre-Slavery Praxis and Ethos of the Religion of West African People” in Journal of Religion in Africa; “Religious Appropriation of the Slave Trade” in Journal of Black Religious Thought; and “Double Identities and Identity Struggles in Kongolese Catholicism of the 1700s” in Pharos Journal of Theology.

Freedom of association, expression, and movement are all under attack by autocratic leaders across Africa. As Africans become more weary of their safety and constitutionally protected rights, the state is creating more excuses to reduce personal freedoms. In this edition of the African Liberty webinar, we hope to examine the precipitating factors and potential policy-driven solutions.

Professor Martin Gill is the Director of Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International and a Professor of Criminology at the University of Leicester, UK. He is a published author of 13 books and over 100 articles, notable among his books is The Handbook of Security. He is listed as one of the most influential people in security in 2022 by Security Magazine.

Bintu Zahara Sakor is a renowned researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo with extensive experience managing projects in the fields of public policy, sustainable development, access to clean energy, and international humanitarian programs. She is also a successful business leader with demonstrated expertise in creating startups that support and advertise Africa’s transition to renewable energy and women-led enterprises’ accessibility to long-term financing across the Nordic region. Her research interests include political and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, demography, youth bulges, security challenges (West Africa & Sahel), gender empowerment, security, and peace.

In Africa, viable businesses face standard expansion obstacles related to a lack of funding and access to markets. Regulations and government policies that limit small and medium-sized enterprises’s (SMEs) ability to enter the market and successfully compete are some of the challenges that African SMEs must overcome. However, the government continues to play a role in the SMEs ecosystem in Africa. Should the state be involved in promoting business success for African SMEs? If so, to what extent and what are the implications?

Nicholas Woode-Smith writes for the Free Market Foundation, and is a Council Member of the Institute of Race Relations. Woode-Smith is an economic historian, political analyst, and fiction author. He has written hundreds of articles on South African politics, economics and history. Nicholas Woode-Smith is the Managing Editor and a Co-Founder of the Rational Standard. He holds a BSocSci in Philosophy and Economic History from the University of Cape Town.

Lipton Matthews is a researcher, business analyst, and writer. His writing has been published at The Federalist, Merino West, Intellectual Takeout, American Thinker, and the Mises Institute amongst others. His YouTube channel, with over 2k subscribers engages intellectuals and experts to discuss issues around market economy, politics, history and policies in Africa and beyond.

Africa’s political institutions keep changing, with significant wins in favor of limiting the state’s control over citizens. However, numerous African countries continue to have trouble institutionalizing and deepening democracy through elections. All over the continent, government abuse and impunity are still common. Reforming electoral structures may offer African countries some hope.

Akintunde Babatunde is the Deputy Director of Development, Practice, Policy, and Research at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development. His research and policy interest is in projects related to human development, agriculture, climate change, conflict, security, and transitional justice. He is the founder of Vantage Network Africa, a Chevening Scholarship alumnus, and a Mandela Washington Fellowship alumnus. He has a graduate degree in media practice for development and social change, as well as a specialization in Civic engagement. He has extensive knowledge in public policy, civic technology, and media innovation.

Linda Kavuka is the Director of African Programs at Students For Liberty International; Managing Director of African Liberty and she is a Trade Policy fellow at the Consumer Choice Center. Linda holds a Masters in International Trade Law (LLM) from the University of Aberdeen, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Nairobi. Linda is an International Trade Lawyer, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a Frederic Bastiat Fellow at the Mercatus Center, George Mason University, and an alumnus of the Atlas Network’s Smith Fellowship.

In recent years, several African nations have tightened restrictions on citizens’ digital and personal data rights during protests and war. Across Africa, internet penetration rates reach around 43% as the number of Africans using digital technology grows exponentially. Digital rights are closely linked to freedom of expression and privacy, yet governments keep using internet shutdowns and social media bans as means of political censorship.

Juliet Nanfuka is a research and communications expert at Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). She generates content on developments impacting online rights, reviews and analyzes ICT policy, and media interaction, and builds relationships with digital rights advocates. She holds a B.Journ with a specialization in Digital Media from Rhodes University. Juliet’s work explores connections between online rights and social innovation in Africa.

Ridwan Oloyede is a legal practitioner whose practice specializes in research into cybersecurity, data protection, and data ethics. He is the data protection team lead at the Tech Hive Advisory. Ridwan is a policy advisor and analyst who has published policy briefs on the intersection of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement and the impact of cross-border data transfer on the continent’s digital economy. He has also worked on a privacy framework for the protection of the African child online. He is a member of the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter and a Research Fellow at the African Academic Network on Internet Policy.

For far too long, the dominant narratives about Africa have concentrated on depicting the continent as broken, destitute, and corrupt. Unethical narratives about Africa often center the continent’s deficits rather than its agency. Some narratives have gone as far as altering history to tell stories that fail to give voice to African realities. The epistemic decolonization of African stories requires giving indigenous writers a space on notable platforms to tell true African stories. In this webinar, our guests will discuss the decolonization of narratives about Africa and how to ensure that more Africans are given room to share authentic African stories. What will it take to decolonize stories about Africa?

Yemisi Adegoke is a Senior Journalist and reporter with BBC News, covering West Africa. Yemisi is passionate about telling stories from around the continent. She is a multimedia personality who writes on culture, politics, and feminism. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Arthur L. Carter Institute at New York University. Yemisi is the host and producer of Behind all the Stories; a podcast for storytellers and journalists.

Nelson Abbey is a British-Nigerian writer, media professional, and satirist. He is a published author who is a co-founder of the Black Writers Guild. He is the co-author of the book How to think like a White Man, where he discusses the challenges of being a black professional in a white corporate world.

Bernard Matolino is a professor of philosophy at KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He is the author of several books on African philosophy, democracy, and theology. His research interests are on topics related to race, racism, and African philosophy.