BEYOND SPECULATION - A Framework for the Future of African Technology

This thesis investigates the potential for Africanfuturism to transcend its role as a literary and aesthetic genre and function as a part of a framework for technological innovation. Addressing the ethical and environmental crises inherent in Nigeria’s artisanal cobalt mining sector, the project challenges Western industrial paradigms that view the African landscape as a passive resource to be conquered. Instead, it proposes a "Stewardship Paradigm" rooted in indigenous epistemologies, speculative design, and local foresight.

Beyond Speculation demonstrates that when technology is grounded in local culture and long-term foresight, it can transform the miner from a laborer into a steward, ensuring that the future of African industry is both profitable and humane. The project culminates in a Virtual Reality (VR) interactive documentary that invites stakeholders to inhabit a preferred future for mining and agriculture.

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PETER OKE is a filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto, Canada. With over seven years of experience in directing, producing, and cinematography, Peter’s work is defined by a deep commitment to socially impactful narratives and the exploration of African identity in the diaspora. Currently a graduate student at OCAD University, Peter is expanding the boundaries of non-fiction storytelling through his thesis on Africanfuturist decolonial technology and Virtual Reality. His latest film, Beyond Tarkwa Bay, continues his exploration of resilience, capturing the vibrant surf culture of Lagos against the backdrop of displacement.