ABSTRACT
The Western management theories introduced in Africa at the time of colonialism plus the new ones that are imported on a regular basis have continued to discard and cripple the evolution and development of the indigenous management theories that sustained Africa for centuries Oghojafor and Chinyere (2013). Oblivious to Africa’s strengths-based practices, the colonial administrators introduced Western management theories that were hinged on Western cultures, values, ideals, and economic setup, with an assumption that this would steer development in Africa to the same level as Western countries, which has not happened until now (Hofstede, 1991). Consequently, communities were turned into observers of development interventions rather than architects of their own destiny. Western discourses have continued to relegate indigenous management of Africa, which is not only community-owned but also embedded with many strengths by replacing them with ones that are foreign to African norms (Oghojafor and Chinyere, 2013). The importance of African-based management theories was recognized and promoted by a few individuals such as Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, when he tasked people to live and work together to achieve collective development. Although Nyerere’s Ujama (villagization) did not entirely succeed (Kamugisha, 2011; Itika, de Ridder, and Tollenaar, 2011), Nyerere demonstrated that Africa could depend on its indigenous systems (Ajei, 2007). The African way of management is practical, grounded in local wisdom, and based on the traditional African values that serve the same functions as Western management theories.
