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.
Introduction
In Africa, the study of earlier
features of moral understanding is exceedingly important. Knowledge of
morality, in addition to satisfying our curiosity regarding the past, gives us
a clear understanding of the nature of morality. This is because people who
have evolved a culture would be expected to have a distinguishable
epistemological or conceptual knowledge of the basic components of their
culture, including their ethics (Claude, Sumner, 2002).
It is a matter of fact that
morality is universal to humanity. This means that morality is essential to all
human being no matter where they live or no matter what kind of life they lead.
Morality is what makes man a man. In this case, Wiredu (1998) said that “any
society without medium of morality must collapse.” This being the case,
however, many foreigners have erroneous understanding of African morality. Some
even tend to regard Africans as devoid of morality and moral consciousness. For
instance, they asserted that “Africans do not distinguish between good and
evil…they are devoid of moral content or of universally accepted ethical norms”
(Temple, 1952).
The central theme in moral
philosophy are the nature of principles, how people can learn, internalize, and
use moral principles to guide their conduct, action, or the entire life style.
Thus, morality has to do with some sort of standard that can guide human
action. In Africa, we can understand morality simply as synthesis of social
values, norms, mores, and their authenticity in community from which they
arise. African ethics is the conceptualization, appropriation,
contextualization and analysis of African values within the African cultural
experience. (Goodman, 2006). Wiredu (1998) also defined African ethics as the
observance of rules for the harmonious adjustment of the interest the
individual to those of others in society. It covers the entire range of human
behavior that is evolved in our relationship with oneself, other person and
with other world as well.
According to Kwame Gyekye (1997),
African traditional ethics has dual connotation: first, it refers to set of
social rules, values, and norms that that guide the conduct of the people in a
society; second it refers to the attitude and responses to such norms and
rules…embedded in the whole society and aiming at directing the way of life as
bad or good in order to live the communal and harmonious life. The rationale
for moral rules then is to ensure the harmonious co-existence of members of the
society through the systematic adjustment of their discordant interest (Wiredu,
1998).
The concept of ethics in the
African traditional society is based on the notion that man is never alone.
Thus, society according to Opoku (1978) is a series of interrelationships in
which each one contributes to the welfare and the stability of the community,
and avoids that which is disruptive or harmful to the community’s life African
ethics is based on communal living in the sense that it fuses the society into
one big whole. “In African Traditional Society, there is no ‘me’ but ‘us’; not
‘my’ but ours.” It is within these perspective and context of no ‘me’ but ‘us’
no ‘my’ but ‘ours’ in a given traditional African society that African ethics
has been formulated (Mbiti,1969).
There
are two dichotomous views, says James Kikongo (2002), among the scholars of
African concerning the African traditional concept of the basis of foundation
of morality. The first, and which seems to be most predominant and shared by
majority of the critics, is that African morality is founded on African concept
of the spiritual reality (religion). The second is that African morality is
fundamentally determined by the conception of human well fare. In addition
Africans devotions to their ancestor and taboo have taken as the
characteristics of African moral awareness. Reverence for their ancestors
regarded as so typical of the indigenous African culture that some African
morality as “ancestor worship”. Relevantly, taboos are cultural and religious
phenomena that maintain order, cohesion, and integration in traditional African
society (Ibid, 2002).
There has been a divergent view
regarding the concept and philosophy of African traditional Religion. Some have
seen Africans as not having the capacity to reason on the concept or the
philosophy of God. This led them into giving all forms of derogatory names to
African traditional religion. The fact that Africans are notoriously religious
is no longer an issue for debate among scholars today. This is because various
peoples of Africa own a religious system and a set of beliefs and practices
which bind them together to their ultimate. This is why A. C. Leonard (1966) argues
that “the religion of these natives [Africans] is their existence and their
existence is their religion”. It supplies the principle on which their law is
dispensed and morality adjudicated. The entire organization of their common
life is so interwoven with it that they cannot get away from it. Like the
Hindus they eat religiously, drink religiously and sing religiously.
When we speak of African
traditional religion we mean the indigenous religion of the Africans. It is the
religion that has been handed down from generation to generation by the
forbears of the present generation of Africans. It is not a fossil religion (a
thing of the past) but a religion that Africans today have made theirs by
living it and practicing it. This is a religion that has no written literature,
yet it is “written” everywhere for those who care to see and read. It is a
religion whose historical founder is neither known nor worshipped; it is a
religion that has no zeal for membership drive, yet it offers persistent
fascination for Africans, young and old.
This religion has no founder like
Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity; rather it
evolved slowly through a long period of time, and experienced a situation of
continuities and discontinuities (Awolalu and Dopamu, 1979). According to Mbiti
(1969) “God made the heavenly part of the universe first, and then, standing on
it, he created the earth”. Some myths believe that “God created the earth
first, and then, standing on it, he created the heaven.” The Africans see man
as the center of the universe. This concept of man as the center of the
universe may be found in other religions too.
Bolaji Idowu (1973) asserted that
when we use the word traditional in reference to African religion, we are not
stressing its primitive nature as some opine nor are we stressing that it is a
fossil religion – a religion that is incapable of adapting to changes. This
religion has no written scripture like other religions but is orally
transmitted from one generation to another through songs, liturgies, proverbs,
short sayings, myths, and others. This makes it prone to experience
exaggerations, modifications and distortions yet the kernel of the religious
beliefs and practices remain intact. Sources of studying this religion are
through oral tradition. Idowu (1973) explains that these oral traditions which
serve as the vehicle for studying African traditional religion: constitute the
scriptures as well as the breviaries of African Traditional religion:
therefore, no one can expect to see the religion from the inside unless he
proceeds through him. They are, in fact, probably of more value to the student
than some printed scriptures and common orders, because they are indeed living
and active.
Mbiti (1969) has this to say about African
culture intertwining with religion. Africans
are notoriously religious, and each people have their own religious system,
with a set of beliefs and practices. Religion permeates into all the department
of life so fully that it is not easy or possible always to isolate it. A study
of these religious systems is therefore ultimately a study of the people
themselves in all complexities of both traditional and modern life… Religion is
the strongest element in traditional background, and exerts probably the
greatest influence upon the thinking and living of the people concerned. In
corroboration with Mbiti, Ezeanya (1980) agrees that in Africa “life is
religion, and religion is life”. This means that religion could not be
explained away from morality in Africa. Whoever tries it will be seen as a
stranger to Africa.
Characteristics of
African Traditional Religion
Bolaji Idowu 1973) has enunciated
five component elements of African traditional religion. These five elements he
called the structures of African traditional religion, while Awolalu and Dopamu
1979) see them as the features of African traditional religion (In this work we
shall look at these five elements as the philosophical foundation of African
traditional religion. These five features or foundation are, belief in God,
belief in divinities, belief in spirits, belief in the ancestors and belief in
the practice of magic and medicine.
Belief
in God: The concept of belief in God in Africa
forms the bedrock of every religious worship and ceremony. It is an idea that
is fundamental to African religion. Africans believe in the existence of a
supreme primordial being, the Lord of the universe (Idowu,1973)
Belief
in divinities: These are divine beings that
derive their being from the Supreme Being. They are created to serve God’s will
and sometimes manifest his attributes. They also serve as intermediaries
between God and man (Awolalu and Dopamu, 1979).
Belief
in spirits: Spirits usually make natural
phenomena their place of habitation though these things may be destroyed
without destroying the spirits. This is because they have the power to
incarnate into anything at will. They are separate and separable entities and
the material objects they inhabit are but channels through which the spirits
are approached. These spirits are ubiquitous and so are feared by people. So
many channels can be used to appease them such as sacrifices, offerings, and
others.
Belief
in the ancestors: Ancestors are spirits
of dead Africans especially those who died at ripe good old age and who lived a
worthy life while on earth and left a legacy before their death. Mbiti calls
them the “living dead.” (Mbiti,1969).
Belief
in the practice of magic and medicine:
The practice of magic and medicine enables an African to procure what cannot be
obtained in the ordinary way. Among those who use their magical powers for harm
include such people as the sorcerers and witchcrafts, while those who use their
power for good include medicine people who treat people for various ailments
and those who exercise spirits out from those who were possessed.
Harmony of African Traditional Religion and Morality
The relation between religion and
morality has attracted the attention of philosophers since the inception of
philosophy and the act of philosophizing. Theists argued that the link between
morality and religion is indubitable. Some scholars are arguing that religion
is foundational with respect to African traditional morality and others denying
it (J.N. Kudadjie, 1976 and Kwame Gyekye, 1987). For many philosophers, African
ethical system is based on religion since both the former and latter are
concerned with the values of human life. In the same way, Wiredu (1998) asserts
that “in traditional Africa what is morally good is conceived to be what is
decent for man-what brings dignity, respect, contentment, prosperity and joy to
man and his community. And what is morally bad is what brings misery and
misfortune and disgrace.”
Furthermore, as Udeani (2008)
figures out, within the traditional African societies there is no
differentiation between life, religion and, morality rather, an intrinsic unity
between them. In similar vein, Heidi Verhoef and Claudine M. ( 1997) precisely
state that in African vantage point: the relationship between philosophy,
religion and morality as lived by the people is one of unity .there is no
distinction between these disciplines as they are not perceived as entities in
themselves but as dynamic elements which cannot be separated from life
processes. Philosophy is life; religion is life; morality is life; community is
life. There is no room for separation within the African worldview, but only
complex interdependence.
Moreover, from the African
tradition, morality or ethics are merged with religion. This confirms John
Mbiti’ (1969) and other scholars’ view of religious foundation of African
morality. This clearly implies that the moral beliefs and principles of the
African people are derived from their religion and that religion provides the
necessary justification for moral values and beliefs. Moral concepts, such as
good, bad right and wrong, are defined in terms of religious prescriptions or
commands James Kikongo (2002). To these scholars religion is surely a
foundational theory of morals in African societies. Accordingly, Africans lives
and practice their religion, as one and the same and morality within Africa is
that which evolves from the process of living and is grounded in the context of
communal life in which religion can be considered as the presupposition of the
moral life Heidi Verhoef and Claudine M. (1997).
As Mbiti (1969) argues, there is no
separation between concerns of a religious and philosophical nature, but
complex interdependence. Everything within the universe is interconnected,
existing within a unified whole experiencing certain supernatural force from
which life and moral character emerges Benezet Bujo (2001). Accordingly,
African traditional ethics entails a supernatural dimension. According to
Ekwenife (1990) African traditional religion refers to: those institutionalized
beliefs and practices of indigenous religion of Africa which are rooted in the
past African religious culture, transmitted to the present rotaries by successive
African forbears mainly through oral traditions… sacred specialists and
persons, sacred places and objects and religious work of art, a religion which
is slowly but constantly updates by each generation in the light of new
experiences through the dialectical process of continuities and
discontinuities.”
In traditional Africa, the action
or behavior of individuals is judged as moral or amoral based on the
interaction in the society. A person is not simply good or bad; instead he or
she may act in a good or bad way depending on the consequences of his or her
action viewed in the community Udeani (2008). According to John Mbiti (1969),
one act may be good in certain circumstances, while it is evil (sinful) in
others, depending on its impact upon the relation of the parties involved. From
the African viewpoint, moral principles are primarily concerned with the
maintenance of good relationship with others as opposed to the maintenance of
justice and individual rights in the West. In Africa what is right is what
connects people together; what separate people are wrong.
In Africa, as Ikuenobe strongly
argues, the communalistic ethos, the existences and needs of the community, are
logically prior to those of the individual. In this perspective a person is
constituted and defined by community. Furthermore, African morality is
naturalistic and humanistic, in that moral principles are addressed to the
social and natural conditions and features of human beings, their needs and
interests in the context of their communal existences. Thus, African morality can be understood in
terms of communalism and social welfare. The African moral life does not
concede with the Western liberal, autonomous, solipsistic, atomistic, and
individualistic self that is exemplified Kantian ethics and metaphysics (Samuel
E. Stumpf, 1994).Basically, the African morality is concerned with the goodness
of all human being. Consequently, the essence of goodness and good life in
African traditional thought has to do with doing well and not to harm other. To
this extent, the African traditional morality or ethics is essentially social
oriented and anchored on the well-being of social being. Moreover, African in
their traditional ethics place some sort of emphasis on goodness of character
that promotes the good life of the community. The promotion of good life
therefore is the determinant principle of African traditional morality and this
promotion is guaranteed only in the community (Benezet Bujo2001).
As
Omoregbe (1998) clearly illustrates, in African tradition, goodness of
character consists of virtues such as kindness, generosity, hospitality,
justice, and respect for elders. From
the African viewpoint, moral principles are primarily concerned with
maintenance of good relationship with others as opposed to the maintenance of
justice and individual rights. In Africa what is right is what connect people
together; what separate people is wrong (John Mbiti, 1969). In the same vein, Idowu (1973), elaborating
on the concept of immorality in African traditional religions, posit that since
the individual does not and cannot exist alone except corporately, every member
of the community is expected to act in such a way as to promote always the good
of the whole society. It is held that whatever happens to the individual is
believed to happen also to the whole group and whatever happens to the whole
group happens to the individual.
Ethics
in African traditional society-what a person does in accordance with the
established norms-contributes to the welfare of the whole community. At the
same time, his misdeeds, however, can bring calamity to his immediate family,
extended family, his lineage and the entire community (Opoku, 1978). As we have said earlier African humanism is
quite different from western notion of humanism. Richar Bell (2002) clearly
asserted that: African humanism is rooted in traditional African values of
natural; respect. It is rooted in lived dependences where individual person
must depend on his or her large community. The existence of social structure is
a necessary feature of every human society. Nkrumah (1964) says “our philosophy
must find its weapon in the environment and living condition of the African
people.” The communal or communitarian aspects of African socio-ethnical
thought are reflected in the communitarian feature of the social structure of
African society.
Africans see human person as
inherently communal being. The fact that a person is born in to an existing
community must suggest a conception of the he person as a communitarian being
by natural though some people insist individuality. Therefore, Africans do not
think of themselves as discrete individuals, but rather as part of the
community. An often quoted line from John Mbiti’s book “African Religion and
Philosophy” supporting this view is: “I am because we are; and since we are
therefore I am.” This is the cardinal point in the understanding African
concept of man. More importantly, John Mbiti betrays the relevance of I think
therefore I am’ and draw the African communalist axiom I am because we are and
since we are, therefore I am.” we
believe that Mbiti share the views of Fichte, who say “the I posit itself if
and only if it recognize the self-posting of other.” According to Heinz
Kimmerles(1997)’ interpretation of Mbiti; Descartes cogito has already acquired
quite a place in African philosophy, dielectrically speaking .Mbiti has
commented , by implication that I think
therefore I am betrays an individualistic outlook, to which he has counter
posed what he takes to be the African communalist axiom: I am because we are
and since we are, therefore I am.
Ancestors as Watchdogs
of Moral Behavior in Africa
As Benezet Bujo puts, the members
of African community include the living and the living dead, the ancestors.
Mbiti(1969) write everything including God, ancestors, humans, animals, plants,
and inanimate objects are connected. In this section, we will discuss the role
that the ancestors play as the characteristics of African morality. The African sees a manifestation of the past
generation with the present generation, where the west a new generation
replacing an old generation. For African the ideal take the form of exemplary
past which realized in the present (Dime,C.A, 1986). In the African cosmology,
life is grounded in the past, but experienced in the present. Continuity
oriented towards the past is apparent in the statement: I do this because my
father did. And they did it because our ancestors did it. Offiong,,E.A(1978)
contends that “the past ancestors do were indispensable in giving meaning to
one’s present existence.” Whatever the ancestors do must therefore be, and is
accepted as just, and people have no choice, but to submit.
Ancestor’s belief has often been
considered as the most distinctive features of African community. The ancestors
described as the “living dead” or the “revered dead”, are believed to be the
moral agents in their immediate families they have physically left behind. They
oversee and superintend over the family ethical code. However, the manner in
which ancestors belief are concertized may vary from culture to culture or from
community to community. For instance, Bantu people have special reverence
towards the ancestors the laws of community life have been instituted and
sanctioned by them (Gyekye, and Wiredu, 1992). Ancestors do punish with all
severity any violation of laws and custom which were established, in the
beginning for the wellbeing of the community (Temples,1952).
Similarly, in Akan community
according to Wiredu(1998) the ancestors are conceived to be the departed
spirits of erstwhile elders of our societies who live in the world analogous
and contiguous to our and work for good life of the living by watching over
their morals. In this regard, they both like and unlike the living. Like the
living, they have interest in morality of which they are, indeed recognized as,
in some ways, guardians. But unlike person, they are not normally perceived by
naked eye, which means they can affect human life for good in the superhuman
ways. In the same way, the Oromo society pay tribute to the spirit of the dead,
the ancestor they commonly called ‘ekeraa.’[‡‡]
For instance when they faced serious problems in their lives and unable to find
solution to the problem, they consult dead spirit through intermediary known as
“ekeraadubiftu”[§§]
so as to get away out of their problem. Every important activity and social
relationship among society believed to express and sanction of the ancestors.
The ancestors spirits are continually involved in the affairs the living, but
they manifest their power and interest characteristically in the unforeseeable
occurrences (Workineh,2005).
The underlying reasons why African
community worships the ancestor fall into two. On the one hand, worshipping of
ancestor spirit is derived from belief in the immortality of the soul coupled
with fear of death, which is virtually intrinsic among humankind. On the other,
African worship their ancestor not because of fear of death or not because they
believe in the immortality of the soul, but because their social structure
demand it (Mbon,F.M, 1990). The important thing about ancestor is that they are
moral archetypes. In the other word, the significance of the ancestor consists
in that they watch over the affairs of the living member of the family;
helping, and punishing the delinquent ((Gyekye and Wiredu, 1992). Africans
believe that the soul of people retain functional roles after death. The
functional role of ancestor’s soul is believed to affect people who are still
living. Ancestors are the intermediaries between living human being and others
force in the universe, which watch over their descendants (Mbiti, 1969). To put shortly, ancestors are not perceived
to be ghosts or terrible spirit, but living dead they are portrayed as departed
family members. Not only family members, they are also identifiable family members.
It is however; true that only specific member of other living dead, not all
deceased that occupy the position of ancestors. The characteristics of
individual within African community determine their position of living and the
living dead. Accordingly, no one can attain ancestor status without having led
a morally good life (Mbiti, 1969). For an ancestor is a model or exemplary of
conduct in the community; they are regarded as a source of social and moral
stability.
The Nature of
Traditional African Morality
Traditional African morality can be
described in the following terms: communalistic; humanistic or anthropocentric;
this-worldly; religious; tabooed and ancestral.
Communalistic:
If we carry out a duty to help someone
in distress, we would not be doing so because we think a person has a right
against us, a right we should help to fulfill. We would be carrying out that
duty because we consider that person worthy of some moral consideration by us.
Wiredu (1998) is also of the opinion that African traditional morality is
“quintessentially social”. Further, he adds; the communalistic orientation …
means that an individual’s image will depend rather crucially upon the extent
to which his/her actions benefit others rather than him/herself, not of course,
by coincidence, but by design … an individual who remained content with
self-regarding success would be viewed as so circumscribed in outlook as not to
merit the title of a real person.
Humanistic
or anthropocentric: According to Wiredu
(1998) African concepts of morals are generally of a humanistic orientation: …
at all stages … morality is grounded in conceptual and empirical considerations
about human well-being … this is why the term ‘humanistic’ is so very apt as a
characterization of African moral
thinking.… A human person is essentially the center of the thick set of
concentric circles of obligations and responsibilities matched by rights and
privileges revolving round levels of relationships irradiating from the
consanguinity of household kith and kin, through the ‘blood’ ties of lineage
and clan, to the wider circumference of human family hood.
A
this-worldly morality: This last
characteristic of African traditional morality indicates the fact that it does
not believe in any judgment of our moral behavior in life after death. Beyond
death there are only the ancestors who continue to live as they used to live in
this world. There is no final judgment by God which can encourage one to live a
morally good life here on earth Bujo (1990).
Religious:
Moreover, from the African tradition, morality
or ethics are merged with religion. This confirms John Mbiti (1969) and other
scholars’ view of religious foundation of African morality. This clearly
implies that the moral beliefs and principles of the African people are derived
from their religion and that religion provides the necessary justification for
moral values and beliefs. Moral concepts, such as good, bad right and wrong,
are defined in terms of religious prescriptions or commands (James Kikongo,
2002).
Tabooed:
According to Mbiti (1969), in every
African indigenous society, there
exists many laws, customs, set forms of behavior, regulations, rules
observances and taboos which constitute the moral code and ethics of a given
community or society. There are many things held to be morally wrong and taboo,
such as: robbery, murder, rape, telling lies, stealing, being cruel, saying bad
words, showing disrespect, practicing sorcery or witchcraft, interfering with
public rights, backbiting, greedy or selfishness, breaking promises and so on.
Whoever does them is considered to be a bad or evil person (Mbiti, 1969).
Taboos may, however, be religious, social, economic or political, or a
combination of one or two or even all of these classifications at once.
Ancestral:
Kwame Appiah(1992) argue in his very
popular and influential book In My Father’s House ‘‘Most Africans, now, whether
converted to Islam or Christianity or not, still share the beliefs of their
ancestors in an ontology of visible beings,” and at the same time absolutely
deny ‘‘a metaphysical unity to African conceptions” or ‘‘an African worldview?
According to Mbiti (1969) the word
taboo originated from the Polynesian term “tabu” meaning forbidden thing or
person or place. It implies certain kind of prohibitions. Action can be
classified in to right and wrong, in which right actions are allowed to be
accomplished, whereas wrong actions and behaviors are prohibited or tabooed. In
this case one is not free to do his or her wish always. A person is expected to
exercise some restraints in order to conform to the laws of the land. Many
taboos are associated with the divinities, religious functionaries, ancestors,
and many other departments of life.
Taboos play very significant roles
in many African societies since they can be religious and cultural tools for
social integration. Ogujiofor.J (2001) depicts African morality as tabooed
morality. It strengthens the values and moral beliefs which form the basis of
social life. By terming them as sacred or divine injunctions, taboos have the
greater power to direct human actions and sayings. Taboos are cultural and
religious phenomena which help in maintaining order, cohesion and integration
in traditional African society. They consist of morality which is difficult to
separates from religion. A person maintains a harmonious relationship with all
creatures of deity guaranteed by taboos in the society. They are obeyed because
apart from being sanctioned by Supreme Being, and the deities, they are guarded
by the society as well. The failure to obey such a tabooed action is believed
to result in certain kind of physical or psychological punishment. This is
because; it violates what is prohibited by the society in question.
In other words, taboos, according to
Kudadjie.J.N (1987) are cultural phenomena which help in maintaining moral
canons in traditional societies. Since the deities are the guardian of morality
in traditional societies, taboos are obeyed. To keep away from sin, most
Africans do not deviate from these taboos. Among the African societies there
are different taboos concerning sex, food, death and so on. In African
traditional society and culture, taboos are prohibitions and expressed in
everyday life and activities of people. Some of these taboos regulate how we
eat, what pregnant women should do and should not do, prohibitions about sex
and so on. Cultural taboos emanates from particular peoples, world view which
through mysticism or deity imposes preventions to regulate life according to
these peoples’ beliefs. It is a kind of superstition, yet at the same time it
is beneficial to recognize their role than not.
Yet another role of taboos in
African traditional culture is that, they help in maintaining law and order in
traditional African societies.). In the same manner, Gyeke.K (1997) opined that
taboos help in maintaining law and order in traditional African societies.
Taboos are societal un-codified laws in traditional African because they
perform the function of the constitution in today’s society. Punitive measures in traditional African
societies were applied to check offenders of social laws or taboos. They are
called social laws because a man like elsewhere in Africa is a social being.
Thus, any violation of the divine laws would automatically affect the society
as a whole. In any case, the wrath of God will befall the whole society.
It is obvious that African morality
laid a great emphasis on social conduct. Basic moral principles and practices
in the form of taboos (the dos and don’ts) guide people’s action and help them
to choose between right and wrong. For instance, children in African societies
are taught basic principles of morality embedded in taboos. A system of taboos
and sanctions held in honor of the ancestor or ancestress (in the case of
women), divinities and spirits are used in the African societies to enforce
morality; because they are agents of morality in traditional African thought.
In pre-colonial African society,
and even in some contemporary African societies, taboos play a significant role
and served as moral commandments. They held in the maintenance of laws and
order in the community and achieved such a paramount relevance due to the fact
that, since African traditional religion has no written scriptures. Based on oral
traditions, taboos come in handy for the provision of moral law to escort the
steps of person. These have been handed down from generation to generation, in
different African societies through oral means.
Conclusion
In nut shell, the moral beliefs and
principles of the African people are derived from their religion and that
religion provides the necessary justification for moral values and beliefs.
From the African viewpoint, moral principles are primarily concerned with the
maintenance of good relationship with others. Traditional African morality can
be described in the following terms as communalistic; humanistic or
anthropocentric; this-worldly; religious; tabooed and ancestral. Virtues and taboos found in our society
should be accepted applied to our day to day life experience, so that it
strengthens the values and moral beliefs which form the basis of social life.
In general, African morality is determined by the injunctions of an ancestors
and other extra human and superhuman power. A search for and protection of our
cultural heritage is the starting point of any meaningful attempt for African
cultural liberation and development.
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