You could argue that geography played a part in how things got messed up.

Africa is long continent but not wide, hence latitude lines which affect climate are sparsed all around it. There is like several climatic regions compared to other continents. Thus, knowledge tends to still in one region and not get parsed around to other regions. Coz climate infleunces culture.

I mean we tend to have alot in common with people we can chit chat about the weather than people we cannot weather chit chat with. Consequently, knowledge gets passed on between people with "common" culture vs people without "common" culture.

People we don't share similarities, we pillage, take their shit and go back home. Knowledge does not get passed along, rather it get stifled. My 2¢.