Show Notes
Franck Zanu asked people across Africa one question: what’s your word for “maintenance”? The host of Zanu Project Rethink joins Nick to explain what he thinks their answers reveal, why he says colonialism isn’t what’s holding Africa back, and why Japan could adopt Western systems when so many African nations struggled to. Then Nick asks what Africa should do differently, and Frank’s answer isn’t the one you’d expect.
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0:00 Nick introduces Franck Zanu and the viral 'maintenance' question 2:22 Zanu says African languages have no word for maintenance 10:26 How Africa's countries were formed under colonial rule 19:51 Singapore and India split up after independence; African countries didn't 30:12 Why Japan adopted Western systems, and Africa struggled 37:59 How language shapes a culture's sense of time 44:42 What should Africa do differently? 52:34 No monuments or written language to trace Africa's past 54:48 Should the West stop intervening in Africa? 1:00:11 Slavery, America's race narrative, and why the anger never fades 1:06:09 Where to find Franck Zanu and Zanu Project Rethink
This is Episode 611 of Making the Argument, published October 29, 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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