Ali Mazrui: Scholar who foresaw Black Africa owning nuclear weapons

Kenyan Professor Ali Mazrui during his last days. (File, Standard)

Ali Al'amin Mazrui was a Kenyan academic, political thinker, writer on Islamic and African studies, and university professor. He was, and still is, considered one of Africa's most notable intellectuals, having had a significant impact on the post-colonial generation.

Mazrui is credited with producing The Africans: A Triple Heritage, a groundbreaking television series that gained popularity in the 1980s. In the nine-part documentary, co-produced by the US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and the Nigerian Television Authority, Mazrui explored a broad range of subjects relating to African society and culture. Some episodes focused on nature, political instability, conflict, exploitation, and the family.