Tradition, African Philosophy and the Issue of Development in Africa

Abstract

One of the central themes in postcolonial African philosophy is that of the relationship between tradition and African development. One of the fundamental questions relating to this is what should be the attitude of African to their traditional cultural heritage. Response to this question bifurcated African philosophy into two major orientations, that is the traditionalist and modernist orientations. This essay critically engage the attitude of these orientations to African traditions and Western cultural hegemony. I argue in the essay that both orientations demonstrate improper attitudes to African tradition because they treated tradition as product rather process that allows for change in the development process. If Africa would have to develop, whether in philosophical or socio-political terms, it needs no legitimation from the West. This however does not imply uncritical romaticisation of African cultural material. The Essay concludes by looking at how tradition can be put to good use.

Keywords: Tradition, Development, Traditionalist, Modernist, Self-definition

DOI: 10.7176/JPCR/43-03

Publication date: April 30^th 2019