Kansas State University

In this book review, Chibuzor Azubuike takes a deep dive into It Takes a Village: Leading Social Change in Africa (2023) by Nigerian scholar Onyedikachi Ekwerike, Ph.D., who is currently a lecturer at the Institute for Leadership Advancement in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.  

This begins with a foreword from Nyasha GuramatunhuCooper, Ph.D. She writes with the endearment of a mother who is proud of her son’s achievement, and yet firmly charges readers, using parables, to not only read this book but implement Ekwerike’s submission. As a Zimbabwean leadership scholar, she is excited to read a leadership book by a fellow African, given that African scholars are under-represented in leadership curriculum and literature. She, however stated that she could be scared if anyone reads this book and does not take positive actions towards social change. 

In the book’s introduction, Ekwerike recounts his own story. Through leading a mental health organization in Nigeria, as well as being part of leadership development programs like the Mandela Washington Fellowship, he realized that there was a need for more in order to do more, which led him to a doctoral program and ultimately to writing this book. He went through the learning process and then wrote this book to teach young people how to learn social change effectively. This book is a product of qualitative research work for his Ph.D. dissertation.  

In chapter one, The Problem with Nigeria, Africa, you will notice that Nigeria is crossed out, coupled with the use of illustrations. Both styles are used in Okechukwu Ofili’s books, a Nigerian author who writes with sarcasm. In Ekwerike’s book, Nigeria represents Africa, as he says he is providing a holistic approach, while the context and research for this book is centered in Nigeria, the problems and processes to address those problems apply across the continent.     Continue reading “Revealing how to lead change in Africa by Africans: A review of It Takes a Village “ →