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01 April 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied
Dr Munyaradzi Mushonga drew from Moshoeshoe I’s decolonial philosophy in his virtual lecture hosted by Institute of Peace and Leadership at the National University of Lesotho.

King Moshoeshoe I was a decolonial philosopher-king well before the decolonisation of the 20th century and the current insurgent and resurgent decolonial turn gained momentum. This was the overarching message of Dr Munyaradzi Mushonga, who delivered the annual Moshoeshoe I Memorial lecture. The lecture, hosted by the Moshoeshoe I Institute of Peace and Leadership at the National University of Lesotho, took place virtually on Wednesday 17 March 2021.

Dr Mushonga, Senior Lecturer and Progamme Director of Africa Studies in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) at the University of the Free State, says his lecture titled, In living memory of Moshoeshoe I: The decolonial philosopher-king of love, peace, co-existence and pluriversal humanism, was about how wisdom, knowledge, love, peace, ethics of living together, and pluriversal humanism were all merged into alliance in the one person of King Moshoeshoe.  

Moshoehoeism a prequel for modern decolonialism 

Being an African Studies scholar, Dr Mushonga implored modern scholars to appreciate ‘Moshoehoeism’ and said that such lectures provide the opportunity to relive the past and honour prominent individuals such as King Moshoeshoe I.

Moshoehoeism is a philosophy that is dedicated to liberating Frantz Fanon’s ‘the wretched of the earth’. It is important that Moshoehoeism is used by African Studies scholars for the “purposes of re-humanising, remembering, and re-educating previously de-humanised, dis-membered and mis-educated sons and daughters of the earth.” 

Dr Mushongha says that King Moshoeshoe I was always seeking true understanding (knowledge) – to seek true knowledge is to have a decolonial mind and consciousness. “He saved his kingdom from extinction through a paradigm of knowledge; a paradigm that informed him that it was time to make concessions on sovereignty in order to save the nation and nationhood.”

“To have the wisdom, knowledge, and courage to love and make peace under social and political conditions that did not permit love and peace is to be truly decolonial,” said Dr Mushongha. 

WATCH: YouTube recording of Moshoeshoe I Memorial Lecture 

Note to viewers: the order of the recordings is as follows:
1. Preamble
2. Part 1
3. Part 2a
4. Part 2b
5. Part 3 and 4

 


News Archive

Messages and mail – what people say about Kovsies
2014-10-02

 
Letters from Kovsie students, parents, the community and even visitors to our university from across the globe regularly pour into our mailboxes and onto our social media pages.

To give you a glimpse of what they say about our institution, here are a few examples:

•    If you continue with this innovative thinking then the UFS will soon become the Ivy League institution of South Africa. – Chris Abels, United Kingdom

•    My daughter loves Kovsies. She has really come out of her shell as a result of the wonderful environment created by Kovsie leaders. She is flourishing and has for the second year in a row achieved the distinction of being a top academic student. Once again, thank you for your kind assistance which clearly indicates to me that Kovsies treat their students like family and not merely a number. – Grant Combrink, Port Elizabeth

•    The state of the University of Free State inspired me to go back to school and do my law degree. The cleanliness and the mood of the institution was inspirational and not only to me but also to a few of my colleagues. – Joseph Peter Kgomo, a journalist with the public broadcaster

•    I arrived in Bloemfontein to begin a one year appointment as a Fulbright Scholar. I have remarked to friends and colleagues in America that we can learn a great deal about hospitality towards our foreign visitors by embodying the altruism demonstrated throughout your campus. Thank you for the opportunity to become a Kovsie. – Professor Brenda C Eppley, Professor at Area Community College in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA

•    I would like to congratulate you on the job well done regarding transformation and integration thereof. Indeed, the UFS that I am in is not the UOVS that I was in. – Tefo Masoetsa

•    I attended the Oprah Winfrey graduation ceremony in 2009 and when Dr Desmond Tutu received his honorary Doctorate. On both occasions one felt something big and miraculous was happening and many in the audience were moved. You are doing something down there in the Free State that really deserves attention! – Joy Summers, Producer: Carte Blanche

•    There will be much more hurt before our country is healed, but it will be the Kovsie doctors, psychiatrists and teachers applying the plasters and it will be the Kovsie architects, quantity surveyors, jurists and farmers building and regulating a new country. – Marzanne Lombard, proud former member of Soetdoring and Welwitschia Residences

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