Lumumba’s Africa focuses on the past and current issues affecting the African continent; Filmed amidst the beautiful landscapes of Kenya and hosted by Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, the show looks at the many dichotomies of Africa: why are some of the economies thriving while others stall; why conflicts emerge and refuse to die down, and why despite colonialism being ‘gone’, it still ruins the prosperity of nations.
African childhood – after colonials
Before the arrival of European colonizers, African childhood was a dynamic period of communal learning, ritual initiation, and gradual integration into the social fabric. This episode of Lumumba’s Africa examines how colonization violently disrupted this trajectory, replacing indigenous systems of nurture with structures designed for extraction and control, and asks what remains of these colonial scars in the African child of today.
The railroad of blood
In this episode of Lumumba’s Africa, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba turns his critical eye to one of the darkest chapters of French colonial engineering: the construction of the Congo-Ocean Railway. Often framed as a triumph of modernization, the professor says it is more accurately described as a “blood railway” – a project built on forced labor, mass displacement, and state-sanctioned brutality.
African childhood – before colonials
In this episode of Lumumba’s Africa, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba turns his gaze to the most foundational chapter of the African story: the upbringing of children before the colonial encounter. Join Professor Lumumba for this insightful and critical examination of a world that colonialism sought to erase – a world where every child was a communal treasure, and education was the air they breathed.
The story of Leopold Sedar Senghor
In this episode of Lumumba’s Africa, we explore the extraordinary life of Leopold Sedar Senghor – a poet, philosopher, professor, and statesman who became the first president of independent Senegal. Join us as we celebrate the poet who gave Africa a philosophy of pride and a voice that resonated across the world.
The story of Lesotho
Today on Lumumba’s Africa, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba turns his gaze to the mountain kingdom of Lesotho — a small, landlocked nation entirely surrounded by South Africa, yet fiercely independent in spirit and rich in history. Join Professor Lumumba as he unravels the story of Lesotho: a testament to resilience, sovereignty, and the enduring power of a people united under one rule.
Law & punishment in pre-colonial Africa
The common colonial narrative painted pre-colonial Africa as a dark, chaotic place, a “heart of darkness” where savage tribes warred endlessly and the only law was that of the jungle. This week on Lumumba’s Africa, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba dismantles this damaging stereotype, exploring the profound and varied legal systems that governed African societies for centuries before European arrival. Join us as we explore the complex and often misunderstood world of traditional African justice.