Indigenous Knowledge as an Instrument of National Power

Indigenous knowledge is an overlooked area by international relations scholars. This explains why it has not been formally included in the other elements of national power. Moreover, its strategic importance to the security and stability of a nation is either played down or simply unacknowledged. However, recent studies on how indigenous knowledge drives the socio-political economy of rising powers such as China and India proves that indigenous knowledge which encompasses herbal medicine, agriculture, technology, warfare, architecture, astronomy, natural resource management, etc. can accelerate the process of national development if properly channeled to do so. As African countries struggle to catch up with the ever changing global world, there is the need for us to look inward and integrate the indigenous knowledge into the military, intelligence, diplomacy, legal, information, financial and economic systems to enable us become more visible and relevant in international politics.