Nairobi — KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE theory of evolution of living organisms is appreciated by very few people in Kenya and, indeed, the whole of Africa. It is a specialised field of biological sciences which has attracted only a few scholars, especially from the African Diaspora.

The theory of evolution which postulates the origin of living things from a common, simpler life was never an African traditional belief even before the advent of Christianity or Islam.

Traditional beliefs identified the existence of God the creator of Heaven, Earth, Man and all other living things. For this reason, to them, the theory of evolution is ungodly. It is the domain of the atheists and racists of this world.

The term "evolution" was coined by Herbert Spencer in 1852 after it became known that fossils were remains of extinct creatures which turned into rock.

PREVIOUSLY, FOSSILS WERE REGARded as "God's rejects" or the "handiwork of the Devil". From then hitherto, fossils of diverse organisms have been identified. They range from microscopic to macroscopic marine and terrestrial animals and plants.

In the scientific study of life in the geographical past (palaeontology), fossils provide evidence of existence of living creatures which inhabited the earth millions of years ago.

Further, through fossil evidence, it has been possible to gain insight into the physical changes the earth has undergone in the past such as those instigated by climatic changes, tectonic and volcanic activities or collision with an asteroid.

The latter is thought to have occurred millions of years ago when, after the "big bang" the former super-continent, split into the current seven continents.

Assuming that the earth was then inhabited by living things, certainly, such changes would have resulted in death and burying of creatures under rubble.

Fossil revelations also serve as a challenge to mankind in seeking greater understanding of the dynamics of Planet Earth and sustainability of life.

The quest for answers to certain questions has stimulated specialisation in this line of research: Can the events which led to the extinction and fossilisation of living organisms recur and when?

Recent exploration in the Northern polar region uncovered extinct woolly rhinoceros embedded in ice. Its close relative is the African rhinoceros. After a million years, what message would the fossils of the two species of rhinoceros impart to future palaeontologists?

This would be a case with a similarity to the findings of Dr Frederick Manthi regarding the discovery of the fossils of homo habilis and homo erectus at Ileret near Lake Turkana.

The conclusion arrived at by Dr Manthi - that the two species co-existed in that ecosystem is sound and deserving recognition by the scientific community in Kenya and the whole of Africa.

The significance of this finding is that the theory of evolution of human beings from the two extinct, ape-like creatures: Homo habilis which gave rise to homo erectus, and which then evolved into homo sapiens (man) does not hold water any more.

Therefore, that site, the Lake Turkana basin, is not the cradle of mankind.

By extension, the findings could also imply that homo sapiens (man) also co-existed with the other two extinct ape-like creatures among many other organisms.

It is, therefore timely to suggest to the management of the National Museums of Kenya to respond to this historical finding and bring down the sculpture showing the sequence of human evolution from the gate of the museum, Nairobi. Its presence is no longer tenable.

THE THEORY OF CREATION JELLS very well with modern scientific principles based on genetics and environmental interaction.

In the words of Beryl G. Ashton, the author of Genes, Chromosomes and Evolution: "The human phenotype (whole person) is the product of his heredity and his environment which includes his education".

She also says that "no genetic evidence exists to indicate that the human race is not all one species".

These scientific words provide a bridge to the theory of creation and the origin of man being the Garden of Eden. But where was it located? Was it in one of the centres of early human civilisations: The Nile Basin; The Euphrates/Tigris (Mesopotamia); The Andes (Inca) or Mexico (Aztec)?

Most likely it was at Ileret.

Dr Kairu is a researcher with the Coffee Research Foundation.