JOURNALS

ABSTRACT

African socio-political philosophy, unlike other areas of inquiry within the parameters of African studies, has received less attention in comparison to other areas of study. This paper represents an attempt to contribute to the discourse on African indigenous democracy by building its foundation on the African ontology, particularly Igwebuike. The concept of Igwebuike captures the essence of traditional African socio-political thought, which sought to establish a balance between autocratic dictatorship and popular democracy, thereby creating a participatory democracy. However, the colonial political infrastructure disrupted, undermined, and devastated traditional African socio-political structures, with far-reaching implications for various aspects of African life. The religious-social formations which underpinned the democratic ethos were disrupted, disorganized and divested of their political functions. In light of these developments, the present study employs the Igwebuike theoretical framework, which emphasizes complementarity and interrelatedness, as a means of exploring African socio-political philosophy. The study also draws on thematic, systematic, and hermeneutic methods of inquiry to present and analyze the relevant ideas. The paper holds that there is a distinctive African socio-political system, and the development of African socio-political philosophy is vital to our understanding of African democracy and governance.