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Dr. Kehbuma Langmia's UNISA speech explores the evolution of African rhetoric and the role of the "digital town crier" within the context of artificial intelligence and global digital communication. He questions whether the traditional voice of the African storyteller has been muted or transformed by electronic colonization and an "algorithm of dependence" on Western-controlled platforms. To counter this, the speaker emphasizes the primacy of African languages and symbols as essential tools for development and empowerment, arguing that Africa must create its own culturally and ethically contextualized AI, such as facial and voice recognition, to avoid the biases and "deepfakes" inherent in Western systems. Ultimately, the discourse calls for African "netizens" to liberate their minds from colonial stereotypes and use digital prompts critically to achieve an algorithm of inclusivity that can "give the world a human face."
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In his June 2026 address in Nigeria, Professor Kehbuma Langmia argues that the communication discipline is undergoing a significant paradigm shift, likening the current landscape to Chinua Achebe’s metaphor of a "dancing mask" that must be viewed from multiple perspectives to be fully understood. Langmia identifies a critical crisis he terms the "Algorithm of Dependence," wherein African media and communication remain tethered to Western colonial models and languages, which often marginalize indigenous African identities. To counter this "digital colonialism," he advocates for the establishment of an "Algorithm of Inclusivity". This transition requires African scholars and students to move from being mere consumers to active creators of AI, prioritizing the integration of African languages and symbols into digital platforms to ensure the continent finally writes its own history rather than allowing its story to be told by others
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