ALA: AN EMBODIED SPIRIT AND UNIFYING REALITY/CONCEPT IN IGBO-AFRICAN WORLD-VIEW

Abstract

In recent time, there have been attempts by some scholars to reflect on the concept of ALA from either the Universalist point of view or Particularist point of view. Unfortunately, none of these efforts, taken singularly, has yielded the expected result in the concept of ALA as a unifying factor in Igbo-African world-view. This is because such approach either negates the Universalist aspect of ALA while considering the Particularist aspect or the Particularist aspect is obliterated in the course of sounding the Universalist quality of ALA. In the present paper, further attempt is made to bridge the created gap by the Universalist and the Particualrist understanding of ALA. The paper seeks to suggest that considering the Universalist quality of ALA alongside the Particular aspect is necessary. But the problem is how to achieve this feat. The work argues that this can be possible if the argument is dragged further to the point that it accommodates that talk about environmental friendliness becomes an emerging ethics for ALA as environmental protectionism. This is so bearing in mind that while ALA is called land, ground, soil and environment in Igbo-African world-view, ALA is, above all, the earth goddess/deity whose being penetrates the entire being of all Igbo-African in the Igbo-African traditional set-up; hence it is a unifying concept that binds all livings together. The study of ALA raises the concern for environmental togetherness wherein man, animals and plants share same protection and demand for same care and concern for preservation of all species in the entire ecosystem. This paper is a product of an analytic and critical, evaluative methods of reasoning, presentation and conclusion.