THE AFRICAN (IGBO) CONCEPT OF AKARA AKA: A PHILOSOPHICAL REASSESSMENT

Abstract

The issue of human success and failure has raised series of questions in history. Some argue that all human experiences (success and failure) are solely Akara Aka based, that is, pre-ordained or predestined by ‘Divinity’ and that man can never alter them; others argue in very opposite, that they are all man’s conscious effort and determination to maximize his existential potentiality to explore nature; whereas many others posit that they are the combination of Akara Aka and man’s effort to maximize his existential possibilities. At this, we may ask: (1) If there is Akara Aka, why must some be preordained for success and others failures? (2) In the face of Akara Aka, what is the fate of human endowments, tendencies and capabilities and most of all, the human freedom and volition which are the core ingredients of human existence? Or what is the difference between luck/fortune, God’s blessings on hard works and Akara Aka? (3) Is God still an impartial and just God if some people’s Akara Aka are failures or hard-going while some success or easy-going? (4) What is then the true nature of God and man vis-à-vis the question of evil and moral judgments on people’s actions? Nevertheless, we will here try to analyze and evaluate the whole idea of Akara Aka and the implications from its Igbo understanding and then try to evaluate if there is limit to divine interference or penetrations in human affairs. In doing this, we will employ expository, analytical and comparative methods.