AN EXAMINATION OF AFRICAN HUMANISM AND SPIRITUALITY AS PRELUDE TO THE UBUNTU ONTOLOGY

Abstract

This study examines African humanism and spirituality as prelude to the ubuntu ontology. Humanism has been popularly acclaimed as an intricate nature of traditional African societies. Interwoven with this humanism is the African spirituality which permeated the entire African life. Sadly, it has been discovered over the past few years that the community spirit has declined amongst most Africans. This has led to an exponential increase in individualism, lack of love and hospitality, incessant conflicts and loss of hope. This is practically against the spirit of humanism that pervaded traditional African society. This necessarily begs the question: How must Africa and Africans respond to this situation? This is the problem that this study investigates using the ubuntu concept as a paradigm. The study employed the qualitative research design, with data gathered from secondary sources. The evaluative method was used to analyse the data. The basic finding is that African Humanism which had the welfare or wellbeing of the human person as its key attribute has drastically waned, leading to various forms of human abuses. The study surmises that unless the human person is seen as the center of the universe and the entire creation as being there to serve human purpose, as naturally engraved in traditional African humanism and enunciated by the ubuntu ontology, the challenges of inhumanity and injustice in Africa may not be surmounted.