Africa’s history goes beyond written records – Dr. Apaak calls for wider recognition and protection

Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Apaak has called for stronger efforts to preserve Africa’s intellectual and cultural heritage, urging universities, museums, archives and research institutions to make the continent’s history more accessible to future generations.

He said Africa’s historical and cultural inheritance was rich and complex, requiring rigorous research, responsible preservation and wider public appreciation.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 African Humanities Association Biennial Conference at the University of Ghana, Legon, on Tuesday, November 10, Dr. Apaak said archaeological and historical research continued to reveal the ingenuity, technological advancement and social organisation of African communities whose contributions had often been overlooked or misrepresented.

“Across Africa, archaeological and historical research continues to reveal the ingenuity, technology, social organisation and cultural achievements of communities whose contributions have too often been overlooked or misrepresented,” he said.

He noted that the humanities provided important tools for understanding human societies, particularly their histories, identities, citizenship and sense of belonging.

According to him, these areas of scholarship have become increasingly important as communities navigate rapid social and technological changes while balancing inherited traditions with emerging realities.

Dr. Apaak, who is also an archaeologist, explained that history was preserved in more than written records, pointing to landscapes, settlements, artefacts and cultural practices as important sources of knowledge about the past.

“Archaeology teaches us that a people’s history is preserved in far more than written accounts. It lives in landscapes, settlements, artefacts and cultural practices, and in the enduring bond between communities and their environments,” he said.

He called on African universities, museums, archives and research centres to work towards preserving, critically examining and making the continent’s heritage accessible to younger generations.

The Deputy Education Minister also highlighted the importance of African ownership of academic institutions and research initiatives.

He traced the development of the African Humanities Association to the African Humanities Program, established in 2008 with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and administered by the American Council of Learned Societies.

Over approximately 15 years, the programme supported more than 500 early-career scholars in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

In February 2020, fellows, advisers and assessors of the programme adopted a constitution and established the African Humanities Association as an institution governed and sustained by African scholars.

Dr. Apaak described the transition as an important demonstration of African scholarly ownership and institutional development.

He also welcomed the launch of the Association’s journal, ‘African Humanities Inquiry’, at the conference, saying it would strengthen the publication and reach of African scholarship.

The Association held its inaugural conference at the University of Cape Town in November 2023.

Dr. Apaak said the continued development of African scholarship would depend on collaboration, mentorship and opportunities for emerging researchers to contribute to the continent’s intellectual future.