Dr. Leo Igwe is the founder of the Nigerian Humanist Movement and former Western and Southern African representative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, now Humanists International. He is among the most prominent African non-religious people from the African continent. When he speaks, many people listen in a serious way. He holds a Ph.D. from the Bayreuth International School of African Studies at the University of Bayreuth in Germany, having earned a graduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Calabar in Nigeria.
Here we talk about the character of the humanist traditions in Africa.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: The character of Africa spans an enormous range. Traditional African ways of life and superstitions from the influence of the pre-colonial eras and remain influenced by the Christian and Islamic colonial periods.
All, now, influenced by modernity, cosmopolitanism, science, and technology. Humanism in its modern incarnation is new. It arose, in Nigeria, through you. What is the character of African Humanism?
Dr. Leo Igwe: Delineating the character of African humanism is problematic, especially within a historical context that is largely based on western, not African, representation of Africa or the African. Such a project is helpful, remedially useful in shedding some light on a phase described as dark, and in ascribing something, or better somebody, to a place, a time when ‘there was nothing’. The humanist cosmological outlook, as culturally linked to Europe, to the European renaissance or to the West seldom provides a coherent articulation of human centeredness, human assertiveness that speaks to ancient Africa, and the evolution of African humanism.
Humanist antecedents in Africa have largely been ignored or deemphasized because ancient African had been sliced from the tree of common humanity, leaving behind a gapping hole that yearns to be filled. Invariably, as an outlook that has humanity as its central element, the character of African humanism draws from varied sources and encounters, from the existential struggles in the precolonial, colonial and post-colonial formations. It is in this variety that the true character of African humanism rests. It’s in diversity that the strength of African humanism can be found. Indeed it’s only in such situation of the African human that the humanistic tendencies can be properly articulated. While, in the precolonial phase, superstitions wielded enormous influence, humanity overcame and overwhelmed the primitive tendencies. Although identified with ‘civilization’, the African contended with the malign influence of colonial- Christian and Islamic- religions. These contentions have continued in the post colonial era as the superstitious synergy of these foreign religions and their traditional counterpart pummels and tries to hinder and hamper the progressive emancipation of African human spirit. Thus the character of African humanism is summed, and can only be embodied in the virtues of defiance, resistance and affirmation, not in blind faith, unquestionable obedience and submission and passivity.
Jacobsen: How does this differ from the Nigerian type of humanism?
Igwe: Nigerian humanism is only a sub category of the African humanist formation. The Nigerian type does not necessarily differ in character and essence; it only contains specifics of these continent wide existential struggles. The Nigerian type of humanism has its own niche, and unique reference point. In many parts of the region, humanism contends with the dark influences of traditional superstitions and Christianity, or traditional beliefs and Islam or Islamic extremism and fundamentalist Christianity. Typical to the Nigerian situation is the combined negative influences of these superstitions and extremisms. Thus Nigerian humanism encapsulates strands of emancipatory narratives that speak to various traditions, and superstitions, to Christian and Muslim extremisms.
Jacobsen: What is the mutual interplay between African Humanism and Nigerian Humanism as emancipatory philosophies for African peoples who live in Africa now?
Igwe: In Nigeria and Africa, humanism can be resourceful in combating superstitious beliefs such as witchcraft and blood money that are too often used to exploit people. Persons living with albinism have become endangered species and are often denied their humanity; they are hunted down and butchered in the quest for their body parts in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. Elderly persons, women and children are accused of witchcraft, beaten, banished or lynched by mobs in Nigeria, Ghana and in other parts of the region. Nigerian and African Humanisms can reinforce each other in the quest to realize social change and progress.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Dr. Igwe.
Igwe: You are welcome, Scott.
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Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the Founder of In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal and In-Sight Publishing. He authored/co-authored some e-books, free or low-cost. If you want to contact Scott: Scott.D.Jacobsen@Gmail.com.
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Canadian Atheist Associates: Godless Mom, Nice Mangoes, Sandwalk, Brainstorm Podcast, Left at the Valley, Life, the Universe & Everything Else, The Reality Check, Bad Science Watch, British Columbia Humanist Association, Dying With Dignity Canada, Canadian Secular Alliance, Centre for Inquiry Canada, Kelowna Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists Association.
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Other National/Local Resources: Association humaniste du Québec, Atheist Freethinkers, Central Ontario Humanist Association, Comox Valley Humanists, Grey Bruce Humanists, Halton-Peel Humanist Community, Hamilton Humanists, Humanist Association of London, Humanist Association of Ottawa, Humanist Association of Toronto, Humanists, Atheists and Agnostics of Manitoba, Ontario Humanist Society, Secular Connextions Seculaire, Secular Humanists in Calgary, Society of Free Thinkers (Kitchener-Waterloo/Cambridge/Guelph), Thunder Bay Humanists, Toronto Oasis, Victoria Secular Humanist Association.
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Other International/Outside Canada Resources: Allianz vun Humanisten, Atheisten an Agnostiker, American Atheists,American Humanist Association, Associação Brasileira de Ateus e AgnósticoséééBrazilian Association of Atheists and Agnostics, Atheist Alliance International, Atheist Alliance of America, Atheist Centre, Atheist Foundation of Australia, The Brights Movement, Center for Inquiry (including Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science), Atheist Ireland, Camp Quest, Inc., Council for Secular Humanism, De Vrije Gedachte, European Humanist Federation, Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations, Foundation Beyond Belief, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Humanist Association of Ireland, Humanist International, Humanist Association of Germany, Humanist Association of Ireland, Humanist Society of Scotland, Humanists UK, Humanisterna/Humanists Sweden, Internet Infidels, International League of Non-Religious and Atheists, James Randi Educational Foundation, League of Militant Atheists, Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, National Secular Society, Rationalist International, Recovering From Religion, Religion News Service, Secular Coalition for America, Secular Student Alliance, The Clergy Project, The Rational Response Squad, The Satanic Temple, The Sunday Assembly, United Coalition of Reason, Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics.
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Image Credit: Dr. Leo Igwe.
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