Introduction

In African societies, memory is neither abstract nor distant: it is embodied, transmitted, and lived. It unfolds through language, speech, and everyday gestures. Amadou Hampâté Bâ’s famous statement, “In Africa, when an old man dies, it is a library that burns,” is not merely a metaphor. It expresses the fragility of knowledge when it is not sufficiently collected, preserved, and passed on. This reality is especially evident in African academia, where the passing of great intellectual figures sometimes leaves behind scattered, unfinished, or poorly archived works.

Language, the Living Memory of Peoples

Professor Djarangar Djita, the first full professor registered with CAMES and a major contributor to the language sciences in Chad, consistently emphasized that language is far more than a tool for communication. It is a collective memory in motion—a space where a people’s history, values, and representations are stored. From this perspective, safeguarding African languages as heritage means recognizing their full scientific and cultural dignity. It is not only about preserving texts, but also about understanding and transmitting the discursive practices that give meaning to human experience.

Orality and Writing: A Productive Continuum

Far from opposing orality to rational thought, Djita saw oral tradition as a legitimate and sophisticated form of knowledge production. Scientific writing does not break with this tradition; rather, it extends, structures, and preserves it over time. Thus, the transition from oral to written forms is less a rupture than a transformation in modes of transmission.

The Digital Age: A New Horizon for Transmission

In the digital era, the question of memory arises with renewed urgency. Digital tools offer powerful means to archive, disseminate, and share African knowledge. However, this process of preservation must remain attentive to cultural contexts, ensuring that technology serves memory, rather than the other way around.

Conclusion

Preserving African memory is both an intellectual and humanistic duty. Faithful to Professor Djita’s legacy, this approach affirms that Africa fully contributes to the construction of universal knowledge, and that no memory worthy of the name deserves to be forgotten.