PreliminarycommunicationUDC1:32(292.6)(045)doi:10.21464/sp33107

Received:May11,2018

Jacob Aleonote AigbodiohAmbroseAlliUniversity,FacultyofArts,KM70BeninAuchiRoad,P.M.B14,NG-ED–310101Ekpoma

jabodioh@yahoo.co.uk

African Experience, Development, and the Metaphysical Radicalism of the African Humanities

AbstractAfrican colonial experience in the South of the Sahara, a product of African social­cultural interaction with European colonialist globalisation of foreign values, is often perceived, no­tably in some African humanities (as against the social sciences) as posing a predicament to African socio­cultural development. The situation has generated a spurious, metaphysical understanding that the African predicament stems necessarily from what her colonialist ex­periences have created of her cultures and human nature – a negative psychic inheritance. This is indicated mostly by the radicality of some proffered panaceas to the African predica­ment, say, violent revolution, existential suicide, cultural revivalism and acquiescence in the African fate. The paper argues that the understanding of African colonialist experience as a crippling challenge to African development runs deep in the consciousness of some Afri­can elite today, breeds disillusionment and hopelessness in the possibility of reversing the African predicament, and serves as an alibi for social vices. It, therefore, urges the need for a more collaborative, practical and strategic programme for the purpose of deconstructing the popular “irrationality” that is embedded in African cultures, and hence, to re­humanize the understanding and resolution of the African predicament.

KeywordsAfricanexperience,metaphysicalradicalism,violentrevolution,existentialsuicide,culturalrevivalism,development

Introduction and Clarification of Terms

Forthispaper,thenotionof“Africanexperience”isusedtocoverthecolo-nialandpostcolonial(Independence)periodsofthesocial-culturalhistoryofAfricaSouthoftheSahara,beginningfromthe15thcenturyA.D.tilldate.Consideringthatexperiencelacksamonolithicsignification,theexpressionisusedheretoreferto,firstly,the15thtomid-20thcenturyA.D.social-cul-turaleventsofforcedinfiltrationintothesaidAfricanterritories,extensivetransatlanticslavetradeinAfricans,andviolentsubjugation,arbitraryparti-tioning,occupationandadministrationofthementionedAfricanpeoplesandnationsbysomeEuropeanimperialpowers.AssociatedwiththeseeventsandactivitieswastheimpositionofafalseideologyoradeceptiveconsciousnessbywhichAfricanpeople,throughtheprocessofotheringtheiridentitiesviapragmatics,were labelled“barbaric”,“backward”,“uncivilized”,“supersti-tious”, “incapable of logical reasoning” and “lacking in good self-govern-ance” inorder to justify thecolonialists’prescriptionand legitimizationofalienformsofsocialinstitutionsandpracticeswhichunjustlyfunctionedtopromote the (hidden) purpose of domination or hegemony and relation of

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exploitation. Secondly, the notion refers to the post-colonial period of thesaidAfricanexperience(late1950suntiltoday),whentheinvolvedAfricancountriesbegantoattainpoliticalindependencebuthavecontinuedtoliveinaforced“onwardmatch”withwhatappearstobetheirreversibleglobalistinfluenceandenduring ideologiesofEuropeancultural superiorityandsu-premacy.Theresultisaculturalamalgamofconflictingvaluesandtheappar-entcreationofacompositeidentityofAfricanpeoples.SomeprominentAfricanscholarsandelite,workingonthosesocial-cultur-alevents,activitiesand realitiesofAfrica today– includingFrantzFanon,Walter Rodney, Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, ChinuaAchebe, CheikHamidouKane,BasilDavidson,andOnyemaechiE.F.Ogbunwezeh–per-ceiveAfricanexperienceasapredicament,thatis,asposingapparentlyinsur-mountablechallengesandproblemswhichhamstringthesaidAfricanpeoplesandgovernments fromexpressing themselves freely in thoughtandaction,hampertheirsocialandhumandevelopmentandstandontheirwaytoself-determination.This issoinboththeAfricanhumanities,mostlyinAfricanliteratureandsomephilosophicaldisquisitions,andthesocialsciences.Inthesocialsciences,theapproachtotheAfricanexperienceisusuallyempiricallydiagnosticandremedialandoftenleadstotheunderstandingthatwithproperplanningandimplementationofsomedevelopmentpolicies,theadverseef-fects of colonialism in theAfrican scene could be turned around. But thisis not the typical approach and understanding in some of the saidAfricanhumanities.Althoughthehumanisticapproachisoftensincerelydiagnostic,itfails,insomeselectedinstances,toprovidepracticableremedies.Theun-derstandingoftheAfricanpredicamentwhichemergestherefromisthattheAfrican experience poses an exceptional predicament which cannot possi-blyberemediedthroughnormalmeansofaffectingpositivesocialchange,howeverAfricansmay strive.Thisunderstanding iswhat this paper labels“metaphysicalradicalism”.Bymetaphysicalradicalism,Imeansimplyexcessiveorextrememetaphysi-cal indulgenceor, inotherwords, theunnecessary resort toexplainand/orresolvebanalsocial-culturalproblemsbyappealingto termswhicharenotrelevantorsignificanttotheproblematstake.Thisimpliesthatmetaphysi-calradicalismcouldoccuratoneorbothoftwocomplementarylevels,thediagnosticlevelandtheprescriptivelevel.Atthediagnosticlevelitconsistsinallegingthatthereisasomewhatnecessary(causal)connection,forexample,betweensocial-physicalactsofconflict,enslavementandsubjectiontoforcedgovernancewhichasocialgroupsuffers,ontheonehand,andthenear-per-manenthandicaporpsychicinheritanceofnotbeingabletoimproveonone’ssocialandmaterialconditionsonthepartofthegroupanditsposterity,ontheotherhand.Inotherwords,if,intheprocessofseekingtoexplainoridentifythefactorsresponsibleforasocialgroup’slethargicattitudetowardsitsself-improvement,anappeal ismade to termswhich, forexample,signifypsy-cho-mysticalentitiesorbearnorelevancetosocial-physicalrealitiesthentheexplanationcanbesaidtobeguiltyofmetaphysicalradicalism.SomeworksofFrantzFanonandC.H.Kane,forexample,diagnose,bywayofexplana-tion,theAfricansocial-culturallagasduetothepathologyofalienation,dualconsciousnessor(psychic)identitycrisis.On theotherhand, it sooftenhappens that remedieswhichareprescribedtoresolveasocialproblemsituationbearnorelevance to theproblem,notbecausetheyareirrationalbutbecausetheyaremisinformedandconstituteunusual,extremistdeparturefromprofferingremedieswhichappealtoterms

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aboutbanalsocial-culturalphenomena.Theextremistimportoftheremediesderivesfromthefactthatthetermsofjustificationareoftenaboutsomestrangesupernaturalentities,say,somepsycho-mysticalfactors,orevokesomefatal-istictheoriessuchasthatagivensocialsituationishopelesslybeyondhumanremedy.ThisradicalpositionisreflectedinEmmanuelBiakolo’sviewthat“thefashionablepessimismaboutmaterialandsocietaldevelopmentinAfricaseemstobemorepartofasustaineddoctrineofcongenitalincapacitythanaseriousreflectiononhistory”(Biakolo,1998:12).Bothlevelsofmetaphysicalradicalism,inourview,arebetrayedbythelan-guagewithwhichtheAfricanpredicamentisoftendepictedand/ortheradi-cal(extreme)natureofcommonlyprofferedpanaceastotheAfricanpredica-ment,forexample,violentrevolution,existentialsuicide,culturalrevivalismandpassiveacquiescenceintheAfricancondition.Ithasthesocialandphilo-sophicaleffectsofbreedingdespondencyandapathyamongAfricansabouttheAfricanconditionandofservingasanalibiforsuchsocialviceslikecor-ruptionandmisgovernance.Theunderstanding,thepaperfurtherargues,failstoappreciatethepotentialroleofsocialconflictandhumannatureinsocietaldevelopment.ThepapercanvassesamorepracticalandstrategicprogrammeofdeconstructingtheirrationalpatternofunderstandingtheAfricanpredica-mentthatis“sedimented”inAfricancultures.

The Language of Assimilation of the African Social Condition

Oneoftheearliestwidelyread,andpracticalworksonthedevastatingcon-sequencesofcolonialisminAfricawaswrittenbytheNigerianliteraryart-ist,ChinuaAchebein1958.ItisentitledThings Fall Apart. ThenovelwasandremainsthemostfrequentsourceofwidespreadknowledgeoftheevilswroughtontheAfricancontinentbytheEuropeancolonialencounter.Theintentionandspiritoftheworkareclearandcommendable.ItdepictstheAfricanpeoples,withparticularreferencetotheIgboofSouth-EastNigeria,asprepossessinggreatandenviablesocialinstitutionsbeforetheadventofthe colonialists. The institutions, inAchebe’s view, bear evidence to theexistenceofademocraticsettingwhereindecisionsweremadebyconsen-susaswellastothepresenceoftraditionsandlawswhichensuredsocialjusticeandfairness.Althoughthesocietieswerenon-literate,hegivestheimpressionthattheyweremostlypeaceful,free,progressiveandself-deter-mining.However,accordingtoAchebe,theAfricanvaluesystemwasdisruptedbytheadventofthecolonialistswhopropagatedforeignreligions,notablyChristi-anityandIslam,attheexpenseofexistinglocalreligion,anddictatedstrangesocialboundaries,modesofgovernanceandnewlegalsystems.Undertheseconditions,hepositsthatforfearofbeingcaughtupinthe“abominable”webofthenewcolonialdispensation,theliteraryhero,Okonkwo,chosetocom-mitsuicideratherthangotoprison.InAchebe’sview,therefore,theEuropeanincursionmeansthatAfrica’sen-tireculturalheritagewaslost,includingherculturalrootednessandidentity.ThatOkonkwooptedtocommitsuicideratherthanacceptthesocio-culturalconflictsituationoccasionedbythenewsocialandpoliticaldispensation,alsoimpliesthatnootherreasonableremedyorpracticableantidotetothecrisiscouldbeenvisagedbythehero,andhencethesituationwashopelessandbe-yondremedy.Theverytitleofthenovelpopularizestheseperceptionsofthe

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Africancolonialexperience,Things Fall Apart,themerementionofwhich,inatypicalAfricangathering,elicitsthefinalresponse“Andthecentrecannothold.”.Thismannerofspeakingwaswidelypopularisedandimbibed.NortonCriticalEditions(2008)hasitthat:

“Writtenduring a period of nationalist assertion and an emerging modern culture inAfrica,Things Fall Apart’sinfluencequicklyspreadfromNigeriathroughoutAfricaandbeyond.Initsfiftyyears,thisunforgettablenovelhasbeentranslatedintofiftylanguagesandhasbeenreadbymillions.”

Apartfromitsnumeroustranslations,andinsupportofitswidespreadreader-ship,onerecallsthattheworkwasformanydecadesastapletextforelemen-taryandsecondaryschoolpupilsalloverAfrica.Thepupilsofthoseyearsarenowtheadultsoftoday.ThisgivesahintoftheextenttowhichtheuncriticalAfricanpopulacehasinternalisedtheperceptionoftheAfricanexperienceasanirremediableimpasse.Theperceptionhasstuckliketheyokeofthebul-lock.Achebe’sworkmayhavesetthestagefortheenormousproliferation,insomenotableAfricanhumanisticstudies,ofthemostlydiagnosticbutnegativera-tionalisationoftheevilconsequencesofthecolonialexperienceforthepost-colonial times.Salientexamples includeWalterRodney’sHow Europe un­derdeveloped Africa (1972); FrantzFanon’sBlack Skin, White Masks(1967) andThe Wretched of the Earth (1978); Chinweizu Ibekwe’sThe West and the Rest of Us (1975);GeorgeAyittey’sAfrica Betrayed (1993);AbiodunA.Oyebola’sBlack Man’s Dilemma (1979); BasilDavidson’sThe Black Man’s Burden: Africa and the Curse of the Nation­State (1992); andTsenaySere-queberhan’sOur Heritage: the Past in the Present of African–American and African Existence (2000).AnAfricanadagehasitthathewhorelaysaninsultofthekingtotheking’sfaceisheldresponsibleforinsultingtheking.WorkslikethesepromotethedehumanisationofAfricans in thesense that they tend todenyAfricansoftheirnaturalhumancapabilitytoaffect theirenvironmentpositivelyandtoadapttothesocialconditionstheyfindthemselves,howeverharshtheymightbe.The language isanexampleofhowpeopleoughtnot to rubbish them-selvesas itviolatesanddemeans thedignityofAfricancorporate integrityanddiminishestheAfricannaturalrighttomoralself-preservation.TheytendtocreateandinstitutionaliseundesirableconceptsbywhichAfricanstendtounderstand their socially afflictive conditions, and by which other peopleswouldstigmatiseandcontrolthemsocially.Theyviolatethehumanisticmissionoftheirdisciplines,whichisto“makethebestsenseofourlife,andsoofourintellectualactivities,inthesituationinwhichwefindourselves”(Bernard,2001:4).ItsufficestonotethattheworksunderconsiderationarenegativeexercisesintheAfricanhumanities.

Radical Remedies to an “Exceptional” African Social Situation

ThelateGhanaianscholarPaulAnsah,reflectingontheAfricanpredicamentinanewspaperarticle,asreportedbyGyekye(1997:233),asked:“IsAfricaAccursedorBewitched?”.Hehadansweredthequestioninthenegative,andthisisbecause,asGyekye(1997:233)rightlyputsit,thereisnojustificationfor resorting to“supernaturalor fatalisticmetaphysicalcausalexplanationsfor phenomena, such as theAfrican predicament, that can be causally ex-

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plainedinrationalterms,thatis,byexploringtheunderlyingreasons”.ThusifAnsahhadansweredhisquestionintheaffirmative,hewouldhavebeensad-dledwiththeburdenofprovidingsomesupernaturalormetaphysicalcausalexplanationsforthemeresocialphenomenonoftheAfricanpredicament.AfewbutpopularworkssurreptitiouslyallegetheAfricanpredicamenttocon-sistinmetaphysicalcongerieswhichwouldnotgoawayexceptspecificradi-calmeasuresaretaken.Theradicalremediesoftensuggestedareaviolentrevolution,existentialsui-cide,pan-Africancultural revivalismandacquiescence in theAfrican fate.Severally,theradicalcontextofthesemeasuresconsistsintheirassumptionthattheAfricanpredicamentisinherentintheAfricansocialcondition,andtheirmagicalpromisethattheyalone,withoutanyotherefforts,canguaranteefreedom,self-determinationanddevelopmentforAfrica.

1. Violent Revolution

Revolutionisbroadlydefinedas

“…anyorallinstancesinwhichastateorapoliticalregimeisoverthrownandtherebytrans-formed by a popular movement in an irregular, extra-constitutional and/or violent fashion.”(Goodwin,1997:233)

Inanarrowersense,itissaidtoentail

“…notonlymassmobilizationandregimechange,butalsomoreorlessrapidandfundamen-talsocial,economicand/orculturalchange,duringorsoonafterthestruggleforstatepower.”(Goodwin,1997:233)

Itisviolentwhenthemeansemployedtoattainachangeofpoliticalregimeinvolveintenseandunrestrainedforce,resultinginkillingsandthedestruc-tionofproperties.Itscausesrangefromissuesofmodernisation,economicrecessionorsocialdiscriminationtobeinganoutcomeofapowerstrugglebetweencompetinginterestgroups.Theprimarycauseis,however,traceableto themasses’widespread frustrationwith the existing social andpoliticalsituation.AmongthescholarswhoadvocateviolentrevolutionasapanaceatotheAfri-canpredicamentareFrantzFanon,WalterRodney,NgũgĩwaThiong’o,AlexLaGuma,OusmaneSembène,FestusIyayi,andBenNwabueze,apartfromthoseAfricanleaders(e.g.JuliusNyerere,KennethKaundaandKwameNk-rumah)who,inspiredbyMarxismthataimstoreplacecapitalismwithcom-munism,havestridentlycalledforanAfricansocialism.AccordingtoJudeAgho,thesewriters

“…assumetheroleofliterarydefendersofthemassesandprescriberevolutionarysolutionsintheformoforganisedrevoltsandsyndicalismtotheproblemsofAfricainverycombativeanddenunciatoryways.”(Agho,2011:17)

Fanon,forexample,proposesaprocessofdecolonisationthroughaviolentrevolutionwhichwouldhalttheAfricanpoliticalelitesperceivedasaccom-plicesofthecolonialists,fromtheirexploitativetendencies,andbysodoingensurefreedomandrightofself-determinationfortheAfricanmasses.AsD.A.Masoloputsit,forFanon,whofrequentlyparaphrasedhisideasin

“… the languageofhismedical training, there is a specificproblem tobe solved (…).Thediseaseisalienation,thecauseiscolonialism,thecureisarevolution,anddestinyisfreedom,whichisthebasisofapositive(healthy)humanity.”(Masolo,1994:32)

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Onthenatureoftherevolutionrequired,Fanonwrites:

“Thenakedtruthofdecolonisationevokesforusthesearingbulletsandbloodstainedkniveswhichemanatefromit.Forifthelastshallbethefirst,this will only come to pass after a murder­ous and decisive struggle between the two protagonists (…) [Theprogrammeofdecolonisation]can only triumph if we use all means to turn the scale, including, of course, that of violence (…) thenativewhodecidestoputtheprogrammeintopractice,andtobecomeitsmovingforce,isreadyforviolenceatalltimes.Frombirth,itiscleartohimthatthisnarrowworld,strewnwithprohibitions,can only be called to question by absolute violence.”[Emphasesaremine](Fanon,1978:36)

ForFanon,asforotheradvocatesofviolentrevolution,onlyaviolentrevolu-tioncanensureAfrica’s freedomand self-determination.Thepanacea thusprecludesthefeasibilityofalternativeremediestotheAfricanpredicament,withtheimplicationthattheAfricanpredicamentwillnotandcannotberem-ediedormitigatedexcepttheAfricanmassesembarkonaviolentrevolution.ThispointissuccinctlyexpressedbyBenNwabueze,aConstitutionalLawexpert,aSeniorAdvocateofNigeria(SAN)andaone-timeMinisterofEdu-cationoftheFederalRepublicofNigeria,wheninarecentpublicpresenta-tionofhisColonialism in Africa: Ancient and Modern (Vols.1and2),regretsthat“thingsgetworseeveryday”,andsays:

“Bringingchangeswithalltheproposedmethodsandreformshereandtherecannotwork.Wehavepassedthatstageof transformation.Whatweneedisasurgical transformationbecause(…)thiscountry[Nigeria]canonlybechangedbyblood.Bloodyrevolutionsothatwhoeversurviveswouldgatherthepieces.”(Bammidele,2010)

Inhissupport,aone-timeMilitaryGovernorofLagosandlmoStatesofNi-geria,AdmiralNdubisiKanu(Rtd.),isquotedassaying,“AfricansandindeedNigerianswouldhavethemselvestoblamefortheinternalcolonisationandnot thewhitecolonialmasters” (Bamidele,2010).Thestresson theexclu-sivenecessityand sufficiencyofaviolent revolution tocureAfricaofhersocio-culturalmaladiesis,inourview,toostrongasitimpliesthefatalisticbeliefthatwhateverothereffortsAfricansputup,exceptaviolentrevolution,theparlousAfricanconditionscannotbeassuaged.TousethewordsofJeffGoodwin(1997:233),revolutionarymovementsareindicativeof“Nootherwayout.”,andthisissufficientlydisconcerting.Again,inBlack Skin, White Masks(1967),FanonlaysoutinaHegelianmodethedialecticsofthecolonialists’creationofthe“Other”inthepersonsofthecolonisedpeoples,intheprototypeimageoftheNegro.Thewhiteman,hesays,neededtheNegrotoserveasamirrorreflectionofwhatthewhitemanwasnot.TheNegrowasanecessarymediumforthewhiteman’sattainmentofself-consciousness.SothewhitemancreatedintheNegro,anindisputablecomplexofdependenceonthewhiteman.This,hesays,isauniversalprac-tice.Inhiswords:

“Manishumanonlytotheextenttowhichhetriestoimposehisexistenceonanothermaninordertoberecognisedbyhim.Aslongashehasnotyetbeeneffectivelyrecognisedbytheother,thatotherwillremainthethemeofhisactions.”(Fanon,1967:216–17)

Thisrelationshipwhichthecolonialistsallegedlyestablishedwiththecolo-nisedpeople, according toFanon,wasperpetratedby theAfricanpoliticaleliteinindependencetimes.Theelitealienatedthemselvesfromthemasses,forwhichreasonFanonsaysthattheyarenotinapositiontochampiontheAfricancauseoffreedom.Hence,hewrites:

“Buttheywillnot.Theywillnot,becausetheyarecreaturesofthecolonialregimesandleadersofthewesternpoliticalparties,andalso,forthemostpart,becausetheydonotdirecttheirprop-

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agandatowardstheruralmasses(…)theydonotgoouttofindthemassesofthepeople.Theydonotputtheirtheoreticalknowledgetotheserviceofthepeople;theyonlyerectaframeworkaroundthepeoplewhichfollowsana priorischedule.”(Fanon,1978:88–89)

Inthisway,itisclearthatFanon’smuch-toutedviolentrevolutionistobedi-rectedattheAfricanpoliticalelitewhoarethe“creaturesofcolonialregimes,andleadersofthewesternpoliticalparties”.Fanon’sexplanationoftheAfricanhumanandsocialconditionhasbeenvari-ouslycriticised.Here,Ishalllimitmyselftothequestionofthevalidityorrationalityofhismetaphysicsofthe“other”asanecessaryconditionfortherealisationofnotonlythewhiteman’sconsciousnessofhisexistencebutforallhumanstobeabletorealisetheirdistinctiveexistence.Inhisview,totheextentthatanyone’sexistenceisnotyetstampedoutbytherecognitionoftheother,“theotherwillremainthethemeofhisactions”.Ifthisisapreconditionforallhumanexistence,itisdifficulttoseehowtheNegromightsucceedinextricatinghimselffrombeingtheother,howeverhardhestruggles,sincehisdistinctothernesswouldneedtoberecognisedbythecreationofan-other.Inotherwords,sincetheNegrohasbeencreatedbythe“other”throughwhomthewhitemancanasserthimselfasadistinctexistence,itisdifficulttosayhowelsehewouldberecognisedat theendofthestruggleagainsthis im-age,orhowthestrugglewouldobliteratehisotherness.Atbest,itseems,hisstrugglewouldstillmarkhimoutasthe“other”(Masolo,1994:35–36).Allthese raisedoubtaboutFanon’s rationalisation, in Jean-PaulSartre’smodeofexistentialism,abouttheAfricanhumanandsocialconditiononwhichhepremisestheneedforaviolentrevolution.Thepointhereisnotthatrevolutionsorregimechanges,violentornot,areincapableofaffectingsocio-politicalchangesthatcouldensurefreedom,self-determination,socialjusticeanddevelopment.LiketheFrenchandAmericanrevolutions,therecentoron-goingrevolutionsintheNorthernAfricanstatesofTunisia,Egypt,Libya,AlgeriaandinpartsoftheArabianworldareobvi-ouslessonsinthetransformativepowerofrevolutions.Ifnothingelse,itisexpectedthattherewouldbeachangeinthe“sit-tight”syndromeofmanyAfricanpoliticalregimes,andanattitudinalchangetowardssocialjusticeanddemocraticidealsinthosestates.Still,thepointmustbemadethatsocio-cul-turaltransformationsarenotnecessarilytheoutcomeofviolentrevolutions.Like all other means of attaining regime changes, say, coup d’etats, civilwars,revolts,rebellionsandevenpeacefultransitionstodemocraticregimes,throughaplebisciteorfreeelections,violentrevolutionscanbringaboutachangeofpolitical regimesbutwithoutaffecting themoredesirablesocio-cultural transformations.This implies that more than the sheer occurrenceof a violent revolution, other factors are pre-conditional.For example, themasseswouldseemtoneedtohavetherighteducationorintellectualaware-nessnotonlyoftherealsocialcausesoftheirparlousconditionsofexistencebutalsoofsocialandpoliticalalternatives.ThisistheneedforwhatGyekyecalls “mental revolution, involving radical changes in thementalhabitsoroutlooksofapeople”(Gyekye,1997:224).This,inturn,wouldseemdifficulttorealiseinasocialconditionofweakeconomicandtechnologicalviability,scientificandintellectualdependence,hunger,povertyanddisease(Oladipo,2009:28–33).Hence,ina“cultureofdependency”(Oladipo,2009:33)andenervatingpoverty,themasseswouldbeobliviousoftheexistenceofalterna-tivemeansofattainingsocio-culturalreforms.Tothisextent,agenuineandeffectiveviolentrevolutionwouldpresupposeminimalchanges(revolutions)inthepeople’s“agricultural,moral,industrialandpolitico-legal”experience

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(Gyekye,1997:224).Intheabsenceofthesepreconditions,thepanaceaofaviolentrevolutiontotheAfricanpredicamentwouldforlongmeannomorethanafaçadefordrummingupinthemindsoftheAfricanpeoplethebeliefthattheAfricandespicablesocio-culturalsituationisirremediable.

2. Existential Suicide

Thesuggestionof“existentialsuicide”bysomescholarscomesclosetosay-ingthatAfricansshouldbepreparedforthemisadventureofcorporateself-annihilation.ChinuaAchebe’sThings Fall ApartbetraysthislineofthoughtintheheroOkonkwo’sresorttosuicide.Irele(1982:9)citesCheikhHamidouKane’sL’Aventure ambiguë (Ambiguous Adventure)asaclassicrecastofthepathology of alienation. In this novel, according to Irele, the hero, SambaDiallo,representstheAfricanwhosuffersfromadualconsciousness(schizo-phrenia?),thementaldilemmaofbeingacompositeoftwoculturalheritages,and is, as a result, unable to have a “stable and compact order of values”(Irele,1982:10).Irelerightlyallegesthatthehero’s“suicideattheendofthenovelisthusalogicaloutcomeofhisspiritualtragedy”(Irele,1982:10).ThisgivestheimpressionthatthechoiceforAfricansis,asinJean-PaulSartre’sexistentialism,betweenbeingandnothingness,“…betweenanaffirmativebeingintheworld,whichconfrontsallitsproblemsinordertowrestameaningoutofitscontingencies,andawithdrawalintomeaninglessvoid.”(Irele,1982:10)

Thehero’ssuicidethussignifies,onKane’ssuggestion,thattheonlyoptionopentoAfricansinthefaceoftheAfricanpredicamentistowithdrawintotheabyssofnothingness,ratherthanconfronttheirsocialproblemsintheworldwithnaturalhumaningenuity.Suchaprescriptionofsuicide,asanonlyremedytotheAfricanpredicament,hasnodoubtcontributedimmenselytothepsychicdemoralisationofAfricansinconnectionwiththepracticalpossibilityofpositiveleveragefromAfricanpredicament.Kane’swork,likeAchebe’s,isacarry-overoftheintellectualorientationwhichtheauthorreceivedfromthewesternsystemofeducation,givenitsSartreanunderpinning.BeneathitliesthemetaphysicsofadividedAfricanpersonalitywhichisnolongerabletomakemeaningoutofthehybridAfricansocio-culturalrealities.TosuggestthatsuicideisthesolepanaceatoAfricans’inabilitytorecovertheiroriginalpersonalityamountstosayingthatAfricanshavelosttheirnaturalhumanpotentialitiestoadjustandadapttoameresocial-culturalconflictsituation,andthisispatentlyfalse.First,therearenocultureswhosesocialvaluesandwaysoflifearestatic,suchthattheyfunctiontomaintaintheindividualpersonalitiesinapermanentconditionofnoconflictwithothercultures(Lauer,2003:25).Secondly,Africanhumannature,likethehumanspeciesgenerally,iscapableofadaptationtoculture-conflictsituations.Man,inthegenericsense, isaself-creatingandself-or-ganisingcreature,imbuedwithinnatepotentialitiesatbirthtomakehimself“whathebecomesbythehabitsheforms”(Adler,1985:219).Africansarenolesshumanandendowedwitheverymaterialandspiritualabilitiestoadaptto socialconflict situations.Finally, it isun-African toaskone tocontem-plateorcondescendtoanactofsuicide,literallyspeakingorotherwise.ThisisbecausesuicideviolatesthenormativeontologicalprincipleoftraditionalAfricansocialexistence.Thisistheprincipleofontologicalunitywhich,ac-cordingtoMamboA.Mazama,isaboutthe

“…energyofcosmicoriginthatpermeatesandliveswithinallthereis–humanbeings,animals,mineralsandobjectsaswellasevents.Thiscommonenergysharedbyallconfersacommon

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essencetoeverythingintheworld,andthusensuresthefundamentalunityofallthatexists(…)Thisenergyconstitutestheactivedynamicprinciplethatanimatescreationandwhichcanbeidentifiedaslifeitself.”(Mazama,2002:219)

Theprinciple thusconferspersonhoodandhumanityon the individualandensuresconnectednesswithallthatpossessthecommonessence,includingtheancestorsand theyetunborngenerations. It is for this reason thatvic-timsofsuicideweredeniednormalburialrites,andwere, instead,dumpedand abandoned unceremoniously in places outside the villages, commonlyreferredtoas“bad-bush”or“evilforest”,forvulturesandotherscavengerstofeedon.Theyarebelievedtohavelosttheirontologicalconnectednesstothecommonhumanessence.Hence,anactofsuicideisconsideredintraditionalAfricansocietiesasanabominabletaboo.Besides, theoptionof existential suicide falselypresupposes that the real-ityofAfricanexistenceisnecessarilytiedtothepre-colonialculturalformoflifeandthatAfricansareincapableoftoleratingchangesintheirwaysoflife.AuthenticAfricanexistencedoesnot terminatewhere thepre-colonialculturesleftus.

3. Pan-African Cultural Revivalism

Thereisalsotheproposalof“pan–Africanculturalrevivalism”,thethesisthatunlessAfricansembarkonawholesalerecoursetotheirrootculturalbeliefsandpractices,thereisnohopethattheywouldescapetheschizophreniciden-titieswhichthecolonialencounterhascreatedofthemandtheircultures.Irele(1982:11)sharestheviewthatChinuaAchebe’sArrow of God andCamaraLaye’sL’Enfant noir(The African Child)andLe Regard du roi (Radiance of the King)areillustrativeofhowAfricanmodernliteratureoffersus“anim-ageofourexperienceasone,notonlyofculturalandspiritualdisorientationbutofmoraldecline”.Irelealsonotesthatthisimageimpliesthefeelingthat“itiswithinthetraditionalculturethatwewerehappiest,moreateasewithourselves,thattherewasthetruestcoincidencebetweenusandtheworld:inotherwords,thatouridentitywaslocated”(Irele,1982:11–12).ThisisthefeelingwhichOke(2006:333)referstoas“culturalnostalgia”,the“longingforthereturntosuchsupplantedculturesorculturalpatterns”,whichdefinedpre-colonialAfrican existence.As we shall argue presently, not only doesthisremedialproposalsmackofafeelingofhelplessness,andindicativeofabdicationofresponsibilitytotackletheAfricanpredicamentrealisticallyinempiricalterms,itsextremistcharactercreatesapathy,despondencyanddis-illusionment that currentAfricandeplorable situationsarenot amenable tosocialre-construction.Meanwhile,letustakeacursoryviewofsomebanalargumentstotheconclusionthatonlyareturntoAfricanculturalrootsholdsthekeytoAfricanliberationanddevelopment.AmongthescholarswhochampiontheadvocacyofculturalrevivalismareSegunGbadegesin,BasilDavidson,GeorgeAyittey,PeterKanyandagoandToyin Falola (Oke, 2006: 333–335).As if to indicate how fashionable thetrendhasbecome,OkequotestwoNigerianpoliticalleaders,TundeAdeniran(one-time Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Education) and General OlusegunObasanjo(one-timemilitaryHeadofStateandformerconstitutionalPresi-dentofNigeria)asendorsingit.WithspecificreferencetoNigeria,Adeniran(quotedbyOke)says:

“ThetimehascomeforNigeriatogobeyondethicalappeals,dropouranchorintothedepthsofourculturalheritageanddrawfromthepoolofbrotherhood,communion,communityand

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othervirtuesandvaluesthatmakemanhuman.Bythetimethesearemadetoconditionintraandinter-partyactivitiesandinter-personalinteractionsacrossethnolinguisticandgeographicalzones,aswellasdeterminethedynamicsofourpoliticalsystemandtheprocessofgovernance,wewouldhaveeffectivelyeliminatedtheragingpovertywhichpresentlycharacterisestheprac-ticeofdemocracyandthreatensitssurvivalinNigeria.TheNigerianpeoplewouldalsohavebeendrawnawayfromanatrophyingculturethatunlinksthemfromtheiraspirationsandmockstheireffortsatself-actualisation.”(Oke,2006:336)

Inthesamevein,Obasanjoisallegedtohave“askedrhetoricallyoutofde-spair”:

“Shouldwenotinourowninterestandintheinterestofhumanity,hackbacktoourtraditionof‘espritdecorps’andcommunalismandbuildaneconomyandasocietyofourown?”(Oke,2006:336)

InOke’s(2006:337)view,thepanaceathusurgedbyprominentAfricanintel-lectualsandpoliticalleaderssuggeststhattheAfricanpasthassomevalueswhichneed tobegiven serious attention in seeking to resolve theAfricanpredicament.Atthesametime,hethinks,forseveralreasons,that“thepastseemstobeawrongdirectioninwhichtoseekthewayforwardforAfrica”.Hisargumentsboildowntosayingthatgiventhatsocialfrictionsarenaturalconsequencesofinter-culturalcontacts,indigenousAfricantraditions,valuesandwaysoflifemaynotberecoverable,evenwiththepossibleinputofex-pertsoftheAfricanpast,fortheAfricanpeoplestoreturntoafteroverfivecenturiesoflivingwiththecolonialculturalencounter(Oke,2006:337–338).Thisiscoupledwiththefactthatsomeofthedefiningtraditions(e.g.,tradebybarter)ofthepastarenolongercompatiblewithcontemporaryorderofexistenceorglobalisation(Oke,2006:337).OkealsopointsoutthatreturningtotheAfricanpastis“anescapistapproachtotheproblem(…)anundesirablediversionfromtheserioustaskofre-makingAfrica”(Oke,2006:338).KwameGyekye(1997:233–235)allegesfivereasonswhytheculturalreviv-alistsmaybejustified.Theyare,insummary,thatAfricanculturalvirtuesandvalueswillserveasabasisforredeemingAfricanculturalidentityandpride;leadto“mentalliberation”,orthe“releaseofthemind”fromtheconstraintsimposedonitbytheinheritedgarbofcolonialmentalityanddisorientation;expose thewesternformsof lifeasdegenerateandhollow;facilitatedeve-lopmentalprocesseswhichwillknownofailureorfrustrations,andtowhichAfricanpeoplesareintellectualy,ideologically,oremotionallyattached;andlastly,bringaboutintegratednationbuildingthroughtheelevationofcom-monculturalelementsfromvariousculturalgroupstoanationalstatus.Afteranextensivereviewofthemainargumentsofsomeculturalanti-revivalistsrepresentedbyMarcienTowaandPaulinJ.Hountondji,Gyekyethinksthatthepositionsoftheculturalrevivalistsandtheanti-revivalistsareextremeandunrestricted,andassuchmustberejectedas“notalltheproductsofaculturalpastcanbesaidtobevaluableorworthlessintermsoftheethosofapresent,oralaterepoch”(Gyekye,1997:235–241).Inotherwords,noculturehasthemonopolyofvaluessinceeveryculture,onarealisticnormativeassessment,possessesbothnegativeandpositivefeatures.This, inhis(1997:242–263)view,isthecasewithAfricanpre-colonialcultures,especiallyintheareasofscience,technology,andsocialandmorallife.Accordingtohim(1997:242–263),noonecanreasonablydoubtthatpre-colonialoranypeoplewhatsoever,possessanempiricallybasedknowledgeinsofarastheysurviveontheusesof someagricultural tools toproduce staple foods, andonnatural (herbal)resourcestoprocuremedicineforhealthcare(cf.Wiredu,1980:42–44).Theproblemwiththoseculturesisthatscienceandtechnologywerenotsubject-

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edtotheoreticaldiscourse,andthequestionsof“why”and“how”werean-sweredwithinthecontextof“traditionalthought”(Wiredu,1980:42–44).By“traditionalthought”ismeant“prescientificthoughtofthetypethattendstoconstructexplanationsofnaturalphenomenaintermsoftheactivitiesofgodsandspirits”(Wiredu,1980:39).ThisimpliesasOke(2006:340)makesclear,thatAfrican pre-colonial cultures, like other cultures in their pre-scientificstagesofdevelopment,werenotwithoutsomeproblems,amountingtooneformofpredicamentoranother.Butsuchproblemsaresocial,andnotneces-sarilydefinitiveofthosecultures.Thisisbecausetheycanbesurmountedifgenuineeffortsaremadeatre-constructingandre-engineeringthosecultures.Hence,accordingtoWiredu:

“ThereisanurgentneedinAfricatodayforthekindofanalysisthatwouldidentifyandseparatethebackwardaspectsofourculturefromthoseworthkeeping.”(Wiredu,1980:41)

AndthereisnodoubtthatmanyfeaturesoftraditionalAfricanculturesarenormativelydesirable.However,WireduandGyekyeappeartomissoutontherealimportofcan-vassingawholesalereturntoAfricanculturalpastandwaysoflife.AgreedthattheresurelyaredesirableaspectsoftraditionalAfricancultures,mostlyintheareasofsocio-politicalorganization(say,communalismwithitsethosofco-dependency),decision-makingprocess(say,byconsensus)andmoralandjusticesystems,onewonderswhatpreciselyisbeingurgedforwholesalere-appropriationwithoutsomeformsofmodificationbytheculturalrevivalists.Thepracticalquestiononeneedstoaskis:IsittotraditionalAfricanmodesofagriculture,dressing,constructingbuildings,bridgesandroads(architecture),healthcare,transportation,informaleducation,ortradebybarter(‘demoneti-zation’)thatAfricansshouldreturnuncriticallytoavertthelingeringAfricanpredicament?Itisnotthatthisquestioncannotbeansweredintheaffirmative;itcouldindeedbeansweredintheaffirmative.Butifonedoes,asthepan-Africancultural revivalistsdo, thenonewouldbesaddledwith theburdenof demonstrating the desirability of those cultural ways of life in the faceofcurrentrealities,aswellasthefeasibilityofreversingandre-creatingthepresentconditionstotallywiththepast.Suchatask,itmustbesaid,wouldbeimpossibletocarryout,consideringtheimmenseinfluencesthecolonialencounter, inter-cultural interactionsandmodern technological trendshavewroughtinourmidstsocially,politicallyandeconomicallyoverthepastcen-turies.Underlyingthedifficultyofreverting thecurrentAfricanhybridisedculturetoitstraditionalformsisthefactornecessityofculturalinteractionsandmutualinfluences.Cultures,theirworldviews,valuesandbeliefsarenotisolatedmonads,howeverdistanttheymightbefromoneanothergeographi-cally,politicallyandeconomically.AsHelenLauerpointsout:

“Because ingeneral, suchcross-fertilisation is so familiara featureof ‘globalisation’, ithasbecometruistictoobservethatonecannotdefineexactlywhereone’sworldviewleavesoff,andanotherbegins.”(Lauer,2003:25)

Inotherwords,even if therehadbeennocolonial incursion intoAfrica, itwouldstillhavebeenpracticallyimpossibletoundertakeawholesalerever-sion to theAfricanculturalpastbecause thepresentwould still havebeendifferent from thepast owing toother cultural influences.This ismore sobecausemanyAfricanshaveaccesstootherworldviewsviatheirlinguisticinteractionswithotherpeoples.Hence,tosuggestawholesalereturntotheAfricanpastamountstoprofferinganimpracticableorunrealisticremedytotheAfricanpredicament.

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Consequently,likethepanaceasofviolentrevolutionandsuicide,itisade-featistresponsetotheAfricanpredicament,foritamountstoastridentprocla-mationthatAfricanshavebecomewearyandincapableofchange,ormeetingupwiththespateofculturalchanges.

4. Acquiescence in the African Fate

ThefourthpanaceatotheAfricanpredicamentwhichdeservesconsiderationisone that isusuallynotovertlyexpressed. It is that theAfricanconditiontodayisanecessaryconsequenceofagranddesignbytheWestanditsalliestoexploitAfricatoextinction,andthataboutthisa priori arrangementthereisnothingAfricanscandootherthantoacquiesceinituntilsuchatimewhenthoseimperialistswillloosentheirexploitativegriponAfrica.Thisviewisimpliedinallthenegativeregurgitationsorrationalisationsabouttheemas-culatoryimpactofcolonialismandneo-colonialismontheAfricanconditionstoday.In“ExplainingtheAfricanPredicament”,forexample,EmmanuelF.Ogbunwezehsuccinctlyexpressestheviewthus:“IagreewithChinweizuwhenlikehim,Idesignatedimperialismasthemetaphysicsofexploita-tion,whichnevergetsitsfangsoffthebleedingfleshofitsvictim.ChinwezuandWalterRodney(How Europe Underdeveloped Africa)wererighthereonthemoneythatneo-colonialpowercentresnevergrantedAfricaindependence.ContemporaryworkslikeJefferySach’sThe End of Poverty, JosephStiglitzGlobalization and its Discontents, JohnPerkinsConfessions of an Economic Hit­Man,NoamChomsky’sclassicpieces,andKarlMaier’sThis House Has Fallenalllendcredencetothis.Theyarealltestamentstothefactthatneo-colonialpowercentresarenotsleepingintheiraviddesiretoexploitAfricauntoextinction.”(Ogbunwezeh,2008)

Fromthisexcerpt,itisclearhowOgbunwezehandhislikesbemoanandla-menttheAfricanconditionsanddepictagloomyimageofthemashopelessbecauseofwhatWesternimperialismisdoingtothem.Forthesescholars,theneo-colonialpowersoperatea“metaphysicsofexploitationwhichnevergetsitsfangsoffthebleedingfleshofitsvictims”andare“notsleeping”inensur-ingthatAfricaisexploiteduntoextinction.ThishastheobviousimplicationthatthereisnothingAfricanscandoabouttheirconditionsotherthantore-signtheirfatetothewhimsandcapricesoftheirforeignmanipulators.This“policy”ofpassiveacquiescencewithoutinterferenceintheAfricanexistingstate-of-affairsasapanaceatotheAfricanpredicamentispopularlyexpressedamongtheNigerianpopulaceandgovernmentofficialsinpidginEnglishas“Siddonlook”,meaning“Let’ssitdown,waitandwatch(howthingsgo).”.Itisborneoutofthebeliefthatbehindtheforeignaids,programmes,poli-ciesandactionsoftheWest,thereisaconspiratorialdesigntounderminethedevelopmentandfreedomoftheirAfricanbeneficiaries.AccordingtoChin-wezu(1978:251),forexample,foreignloansintheformof“aid”,“continuestointensitytheoldcolonialpatternofmaldevelopment”andservestobe“thehelpofaburglarwhoofferstoguardyourhouse”.Whatstrikesonefromtheprecedingisnotthatcolonialismandimperialismarean“irreversible”partofAfricanhistoryinthesensethatitisimpossibletodivestentirelyAfricanculturesandidentityoftheircolonialinsignia,andhence,forAfricanstoreturnwholesaletotheirpre-colonialroots.1Norisitthatthereisneedtoexposethecriticalelementsoftheactivitiesofthoseneo-colonialpowercentreswhohaveenriched themselves through theheinouscrimeofthetradeinAfricanslaves,activitieswhichhavedetractedfromtheAfricanhumanresourcedevelopmentandhavecontinuedtocreateeconomicimbalanceandexploitationforAfricainanunjustworld.For,asNettleford(2007:5)rightlynotes,thediagnosticenterpriseisnecessarytobeabletode-

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fine,determineanddelineatethedestinyoftheAfricanpeople.Rather,whatisworrisome is that theprolongednegativediscoursewithourpracticableremedies tends to create a lethargic conditionof acquiescence,whichpro-motesandissustainedbythedevelopmentoffaithinanunquestionablecon-spiratorialdesignbytheWestandheralliesagainsttheAfricannations.ThisfaithiscloselyassociatedwithwhatKarlPoppercallsthe

“…conspiracy theory of society (…) theview thatwhateverhappens in society– includingthingswhichpeopleasaruledislike,suchaswar,unemployment,poverty,shortages–aretheresultsofdirectdesignbysomepowerfulindividualsorgroups.”(Popper,1965:341)

IntheAfricansituation,itisadominantbeliefamongscholarsandgovern-mentofficials thatAfricanpost-colonial ills – includingcorruption,unem-ployment, dictatorial regimes, ethno-religious conflicts, wars, inequitabledistributionofresources,mis-governance,underdevelopment,anddearthofpracticableideologies–aretheinevitableconsequencesofWesternEuropeanandNorthAmericanneo-colonialistmachinations.Inanenvironment,suchastheAfrican,whichistraditionallysuffusedwithsuperstitiousbeliefsintheabilitiesofwickedancestors,sorcerers,evilspirits,witches and wizards to influence and manipulate personal and social des-tinies, faith in theconspiratorialdesignof theWestandherallies iseasilymadegullibleandjustified.Forwhilesuccessiscommonlyregardedastheresultof individualor societalhardwork in the traditionalAfricansetting,failureis,moreoftenthannot,attributedtothehandiworkofmischief-mak-ers.ApartfrombeingasourceofdespairandhopelessnessinthepossibilityofareprievefromtheAfricanpredicament,theoptionofacquiescenceintheAfricanfatehascontinuedtoserveasanalibifortheperpetrationofallsortsofvicesinnationalpubliclife.TheoptionpresumesthattheAfricanpredica-mentisnecessarydedicto(bydefinition)anddere(byitsessentialcharac-teristics)insofarasouractionsaredeemedincapableofaffectingitpositivelyandarerenderedarbitrary.

Conclusion: The Strategic need for Deconstruction and Re-humanization of the African Predicament

AfricaSouthoftheSaharaispopulatedbyhumans.Byitsnature,thehumanspecieshasthepropensitytostrivetocontrolitsenvironmentandconquertheconflictingforcesofnature.It,therefore,createsitsenvironmentbyconstan-tlyseekingtomodifyallaspectsofthenaturalfurnitureoftheworldaroundit to suit its purposes. Inherent in its nature is the productive powers andpropertiestogenerateproblems,makechoicesandseektoresolveitsprob-lems.AccordingtoAllanL.Larson,“whateverelsehemaybe,manhasbeensimultaneouslyaproblem-creatingandproblem–solvingcreature” (Larson,1976:26).Hence,ratherthanresignitsfatetochance,bemoanitsprecariouscondition,orawaitanauspicioustimeforaviolentrevoltowingtoitsconflictsituation,thehumanspeciesisnaturallyendowedwiththecapacitytoresolveitsproblemssystematicallyinasocialcontext.

1

This is the sense in which Irele (1982:8)couldhavemeant that“weareconsciousoftheirreversiblenatureofthe[colonial]trans-formations”inourmidst,ratherthanthatlife–Africanexistence,freedomandrighttoself-

determination – ends where the colonial ef-fectsleaveus,andhence,thatAfrica’spresentandfuturehavegonewiththepastandcan-notpossiblybeaffectedpositivelytosuitourpurpose.

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Thathumansarethusendowedwithbuilt-incapabilitiestoresolvetheirprob-lemsmayhaveinformedNiyiOsundare’sopinionthatresolvingtheAfricanpredicament“…involvesthrowingofftheyokeofHistory,turningthatprisonintoapalaceofhope,under-standingAfrica,denouncinghervices,[and]nursinghervirtues.Aboveall,itmeansbelievinginourselves.”(Osundare,1998:234)

TheimportofthissuggestionisthatAfricansseemyettobementally“im-prisoned”intheirhistoricalpastfromwhichtheyneedacquittalorareleasethroughaphilosophicalself-understandingandasocialre-orientation.TheAfricansneedwhatJacquesDerridacalls“deconstruction”.Etymologi-cally,todeconstructmeans“toundo”or“tode-construct”.AccordingtoDav-idB.Allison:“[Deconstruction]signifiesaprojectofcriticalthoughtwhosetaskistolocateand‘takeapart’thoseconceptswhichserveastheaxiomsorrulesforaperiodofthought,thoseconceptswhichcommandtheunfoldingofanentireepochofmetaphysics.‘Deconstruction’issomewhatlessnegativethantheHeideggerianorNietzscheanterms‘destruction’or‘reversal’;itsuggeststhatcertainfundamentalconceptsofmetaphysicswillneverbeeliminated(…).Thereisnosimple‘overcoming’ofmetaphysicsorthelanguageofmetaphysics.”(Allison,1973:xxxii)

Given that the problem of theAfrican experience as a predicament is oneof anegativepsychic inheritance, the relevanceofDerrida’s notionofde-construction cannot be gainsaid. What needs to be deconstructed are notthetextsorwritings, includingpictorial,musicalandsculptural“writings”,whichgiveawaytheAfricansituationashopelessandirremediable,butthe“(ir)rationality”whichgovernstheirradicalforms.Theirrationalityofatext,touseRichardRorty’swords,refersto“howthe‘accident’featuresofatextcanbeseenasbetraying,subvertingitspurportedly‘essential’message”(Rorty,1995:171).Deconstruction,therefore,impliessettingasidesuchirrationality,theancestralbiasesassociatedwithAfricanhistory.It is thedevaluationofthepatternofhistoricalunderstandingwhichhasbecome“sedimented”inourcolonialandpost-colonialcultures.Itmeansare-evaluationoftheclassicsofAfricanphilosophyaswellasthoseabouttheAfricansocio-historicalexist-ence.Intheseways,itisourhopenotjustthatthemetaphysicalradicalism,whichwe claim is fundamentally responsible for theAfricanpredicament,wouldbedeconstructed, but also that theAfricanpsychewouldbeon thepathtore-humanization,i.e.,seeingthesocialandculturalproblemswhichcurrentlyplagueAfricaashuman problems,ratherthanas“African problemsgeneratedbyourbeingsomehowunlikeothers”(Appiah,1992:136)(Em-phasisismine).Thedeconstructionwhichishererecommendedgoesbeyondthetraditionalmethodsofphilosophicalanalysisandcritique,orwhatWiredu(1995:22–23)calls“conceptualdecolonisation”,towhatDerridareferstoasseekingto“multiplythecautionaryindicatorsandputasideallthetraditionalphilosophicalconcepts”(Derrida,1988:3).What IsupposeDerridameanshereisthataconcertedprogrammeorprojectisrequiredintheformofaprac-ticalphilosophywhichisnotlimitedtoprofessionalphilosophers,butneedsthecollaborativeeffortsofallrelevantsocietalsegments,includingwriters,musicians, pictorial and sculptural artists, governments, non-governmentalandcorporatebodies,aswellasinternationalbodies,liketheAfricanUnionandtheUnitedNations.Thegoalistoconsciouslygeneratewhatonemaycall“psychiccourageorconfidenceboosters”,suchaswouldre-orientateAfri-cans,forexample,toseetheirproblemsasexpectedlyhuman,butsurmounta-ble.Forexample,oneconsidersthatsomeofJ.F.Kennedy’sspeeches,MartinLutherKingJr.’s“Ihaveadream.”,andBarackObama’s“Yeswecan.”have

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an inestimable (de)constructive and humanising impact on the psyche andproblemsoftheAmericanpeople.Withsimilarhome-grownboosters,KarlMarx(1978:145)wouldmostprobablyconcedethatphilosophywouldnotonlyhaveinterpretedtheAfricanformoflifebutchangedit.

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Jacob Aleonote Aigbodioh

Afričko iskustvo, razvoj i metafizički radikalizam afričke humanistike

SažetakAfričko iskustvo kolonizacije južno od Sahare, proizvod afričke sociokulturne interakcije s eu­ropskom kolonijalnom globalizacijom stranih vrijednosti, često se percipira, naročito u nekim afričkim humanistikama (a protiv društvenih znanosti) kao predikament za afrički sociokulturni razvoj. Situacija je proizvela lažno, metafizičko razumijevanje da predikament nužno proizlazi iz iskustva kolonizacije – negativno psihičko nasljedstvo. Najviše se to uočava preko radikal­nosti nekih preferiranih panaceja za predikament, primjerice, nasilna revolucija, egzistencijsko samoubojstvo, kulturni preporod i pomirenje sa sudbinom Afrike. Rad obrazlaže da je razumije­vanje afričkog iskustva kolonizacije kao sakačućeg izazova afričkom razvoju duboko ukorije­njen u svjesnost nekih afričkih elita, da rasplođuje razočarenje i beznadnost u mogućnost pre­okretanja afričkog predikamenta, te takav služi kao alibi za društvene poroke. Stoga rad potiče na potrebu za više suradničkim, praktičnim i strateškim programom u svrhe dekonstruiranja popularne »iracionalnosti« usađene u afričke kulture te time rehumanizacije razumijevanja i razrješenja afričkog predikamenta.

Ključne riječiafričko iskustvo,metafizički radikalizam,nasilnarevolucija,egzistencijskosamoubojstvo,kulturnipreporod,razvoj

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Jacob Aleonote Aigbodioh

Afrikanische Erfahrung, Entwicklung und metaphysischer Radikalismus der afrikanischen Geisteswissenschaften

ZusammenfassungDie afrikanische Kolonisationserfahrung südlich der Sahara, ein Produkt afrikanischer sozio­kultureller Interaktion mit der europäischen kolonialen Globalisierung fremder Werte, wird ins­besondere in einigen afrikanischen Geisteswissenschaften (und gegen die Sozialwissenschaften) oftmals als Prädikament der soziokulturellen Entfaltung Afrikas perzipiert. Die Situation er­brachte eine falsche metaphysische Auffassung, das Prädikament gehe notwendigerweise aus der Kolonisationserfahrung hervor – eine negative psychische Hinterlassenschaft. Dies wird am deutlichsten bemerkbar angesichts der Radikalität etlicher bevorzugter Panazeen für das Prädikament, beispielsweise der gewaltsamen Revolution, des existenziellen Selbstmords, der kulturellen Wiedergeburt und der Versöhnung mit dem Schicksal Afrikas. In dem Artikel wird begründet, das Verständnis der afrikanischen Kolonisationserfahrung als beeinträchtigende Herausforderung an die Entwicklung Afrikas sei tief im Bewusstsein einiger afrikanischer Eli­ten verwurzelt, es erwecke die Enttäuschung und Hoffnungslosigkeit bezüglich der Möglichkeit einer Umdrehung des afrikanischen Prädikaments und als solches diene es als Alibi für sozi­ale Laster. Daher steigert die Arbeit das Bedürfnis nach einem mehr kollegial, praktisch und strategisch geprägten Programm zum Zwecke der Dekonstruierung populärer, in afrikanische Kulturen eingepflanzter „Irrationalität“, und damit zum Zwecke der Rehumanisierung des Ver­ständnisses sowie der Auflösung des afrikanischen Prädikaments.

SchlüsselwörterafrikanischeErfahrung,metaphysischerRadikalismus,gewaltsameRevolution,existenziellerSelbst-mord,kulturelleWiedergeburt,Entwicklung

Jacob Aleonote Aigbodioh

Expérience africaine, développement et radicalisme métaphysique des sciences humaines africaines

RésuméL’expérience coloniale en Afrique au sud du Sahara, résultat de l’interaction socioculturelle africaine et de la globalisation coloniale européenne par laquelle ont émergé des valeurs étran­gères, est souvent perçue, particulièrement dans les sciences humaines africaines (et à l’en­contre des sciences sociales) comme un obstacle au développement socioculturel africain. La situation a produit une compréhension métaphysique fallacieuse selon laquelle les difficultés dérivent nécessairement de l’expérience coloniale – héritage psychologique négatif. On ob­serve cela principalement à travers le radicalisme de certaines panacées privilégiées censées remédier à cette situation difficile, à l’instar de la révolution violente, du suicide existentiel, de la renaissance culturelle et de la réconciliation avec la destinée africaine. Ce travail dé­fend l’idée selon laquelle la compréhension de l’expérience coloniale en Afrique, en tant que défi mutilé allant à l’encontre du développement africain, est profondément enracinée dans la conscience de certaines élites africaines et entraîne de la déception et du désespoir concernant la possibilité de renverser cette situation difficile, servant ainsi d’alibi pour les vices sociaux. Par conséquent, ce travail souligne la nécessité d’élaborer un programme plus coopératif, pra­tique et stratégique dans la but de déconstruire les « irrationalités » ancrées dans les cultures africaines et ainsi rendre plus humain la compréhension de cette situation délicate africaine et ses résolutions.

Mots-clésexpérienceafricaine,radicalismemétaphysique,révolutionviolente,suicideexistentiel,renaissanceculturelle,développement