Our Team
Meet the visionary leaders and dedicated researchers building the intellectual infrastructure for African independence.
Founding Team
The core team that transformed a vision into a validated model for African intellectual sovereignty.
Triumph Kia Teh
Founder & Principal Investigator
Computer Science & Mathematics
Dartmouth College
Cameroonian
Triumph is the visionary founder who conceived and personally funded the Palaver Institute. As a senior Computer Science and Mathematics major at Dartmouth College, he identified the critical gap between Western AI paradigms and African epistemologies. Using savings from his AI research internship, he invested under $1,000 to launch the groundbreaking Cameroon pilot study.
His conviction that "truly effective, ethical, and explainable AI for Africa could not be built without first understanding indigenous models of human intelligence" drove him to create what has become a validated model for decolonized research. Triumph provides intellectual leadership, strategic vision, and detailed mentorship to all Institute fellows.
Key Achievements
Research Directors
Two exceptional Mastercard Scholars and Computer Science graduates from Ashesi University who served as operational coordinators for the Cameroon pilot.
Priscile Nkenmeza Nzonbi
Research Director
Computer Science, Ashesi University
Mastercard Scholar
Bilingual (French/English)
Priscile played a crucial role in bridging linguistic divides and coordinating the pilot study. As a native French speaker proficient in English, she facilitated communication across Cameroon's linguistic regions and provided supplementary mentorship to fellows. She synthesized the mothers' reports from French-speaking regions, contributing vital community perspectives to the research.
Key Contributions:
Patience Sombang
Research Director
Computer Science, Ashesi University
Mastercard Scholar
Operational Excellence
Patience provided essential operational leadership for the pilot study, managing logistical coordination and communication systems. Her technical background in Computer Science and experience as a Mastercard Scholar brought valuable organizational skills to the project. She conducted community interviews in English-speaking regions and provided crucial mentorship support to fellows.
Key Contributions:
Team Structure
Building a continental network of researchers, directors, and partners committed to African intellectual sovereignty.
Research Directors
8Senior academics leading specialized research labs across three schools
Current Fellows
10Active researchers in the 6-month intensive fellowship program
Alumni Network
10Former fellows continuing to contribute to the African research ecosystem
University Partners
5Collaborating institutions across the African continent
Join Our Mission
We're actively recruiting exceptional researchers, directors, and partners who share our commitment to building intellectual sovereignty for Africa through indigenous-centered research.
Strategic Partnerships (In Development)
Building a continental network through planned collaborations with leading African institutions by Summer 2026.
University of Buea
Planned Cameroon Hub Partner
Building on our successful 2025 pilot study foundation. Planned to serve as the Central Africa Hub for Francophone research and cross-cultural epistemology.
University of Ghana
Planned West Africa Hub
Target partnership for Anglophone West African research, focusing on oral traditions and indigenous knowledge systems.
University of Rwanda
Planned East Africa Hub
Target partnership co-located with our Kigali headquarters, focusing on technology applications and applied mathematics research.
University of Cape Town
Planned Southern Africa Hub
Target partnership focusing on social dynamics, historical epistemology, and Ubuntu philosophy applications.
Mohammed VI Polytechnic
Planned North Africa Hub
Target partnership in Morocco for Islamic-African philosophical integration and Mediterranean connections.
Founding Fellows (2025 Cameroon Cohort)
Ten exceptional researchers who validated our model with world-class interdisciplinary scholarship.
Stephen Fabrice Fanwong
Philosophy Fellow
Produced exemplary philosophical analysis exploring indigenous African epistemologies and their applications to understanding human intelligence within cultural contexts.
Distinction-Level WorkFouedjio Aaron Lagloire
Linguistics Fellow
Conducted foundational linguistic research examining how language structures reflect and shape indigenous models of intelligence and cognition.
Foundational ResearchBryan Kai
Economics Fellow
Delivered outstanding economic analysis exploring the intersection of traditional economic systems and indigenous approaches to problem-solving and resource allocation.
Exemplary WorkNestor D. Nji
Education Fellow
Produced particularly exemplary research on indigenous educational methodologies and their implications for understanding culturally-grounded intelligence development.
Exemplary WorkNdikaka Basil Ngala
Anthropology Fellow
Contributed valuable anthropological insights into cultural practices and social structures that embody indigenous intelligence frameworks.
Valuable ContributionsDaudu Ananias & Kumo Walters Nshom
Sociology Fellows (Co-authored)
Delivered outstanding sociological analysis of community-based intelligence and collective problem-solving approaches within African societies.
Outstanding ContentMedicine Fellow
Currently Recruiting
We are actively recruiting a medical researcher to join our founding cohort and contribute expertise on indigenous approaches to health, healing, and the intersection of physical and cognitive well-being.
Open PositionAdditional Research: A Psychology MS student is currently completing a 25-page French-language paper on indigenous human intelligence, ensuring the Palaver vision of cross-Africa reach is built from the pilot's foundation.
Get In Touch
Interested in collaborating or learning more about our research? We'd love to hear from you.
Contact Information
info@palaverinstitute.org
Website
palaverinstitute.org
Headquarters
Kigali, Rwanda
Continental Hubs: Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, Morocco
Connect With Us
Follow our journey as we build intellectual sovereignty for Africa. Join the conversation about decolonizing research and centering indigenous African knowledge systems.