THE CONCEPTION OF MORALITY IN INDIGENOUS AFRICAN CULTURE

Abstract

There has been a divergent view regarding the concept and philosophy of African morality. Some aliens tend to cogitate Africa as devoid of morality, moral consciousness and perceive Africa ‘’as they do not distinguish between good and evil ….”(Temple, 1952). This led them into giving all forms of derogatory names to Africans and African morality . With a special focus on Africa, this paper deals with discourses being made on morality in African thought. These discourses displays the ambivalence existed among those scholars seeking to define the foundation of morality in Africa within the parameter of religious episteme, community based, ancestral worship and tabooed verdict. Therefore, this paper will be of great benefit and afford the opportunity of preserving moral values and beliefs of the people not only for future generation but also as a source of wisdom from which the younger generations will benefit. Africans gallant traditions and creative energies need to be rediscovered, promoted and celebrated.  It is momentous that Africa must be candidly studied on its own terms and to mollify its people’s needs through indigenous knowledge. In nutshell, this paper deliberates and ascertains what African people actually know, actually believe, and think about the foundations of morality.