AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY IN AND BEYOUND ETHNOPHILOSOPHY

Abstract

The most basic and fundamental appreciation of the disciplinary nomenclature African Philosophy is deeply rooted in the genuine conceptualization of itself as Philosophy rather than mere Ethnophilosophy (Cultural Philosophy or Sage Philosophy). African Philosophy, therefore, is Philosophy in and beyond Ethnophilosophy and the likes with regard to its valid meaning, authentic source, proper understanding and authentic application. Albeit, the emergence of Contemporary and vibrant African Philosophers in the chequerred history of Philosophy allows for a rigorous but coordinated attention to this age long problem on the proper meaning and place of African Philosophy as Philosophy qua tale in the World philosophical circle.. Using the method of hermeneutics, the paper shows that African Philosophy like other philosophies from many philosophical traditions within the world philosophical heritage has a resourceful origin sprouting from the background of an African Weltanschauung that is from ethno-philosophical foundations as they equally had their sources from their worldview. Theophilus Okere very foremost in this orientation refers to such philosophical materials as philosophemes which is the philosophical deposits and layers of traditional or indigenous systems of critical thoughts and culture in the nascent stage of philosophy unto contemporary history of philosophy often misinterpreted as cosmological studies seeking for the Urstuff. Africa Philosophy is therefore philosophy in its Africanity and Philosophicality.