A Discourse on the Concept of Human Person in Igala Thought

Abstract

There are various conceptions of the human person which has made it difficult to comprehensively pin a universal understand to the concept. This paper, however, examines Igala concept of the human person. It holds that the Igala people see human beings as the primary foundation of the human person. It is only a human being that has the potency of human person. In other words, human beings can become (or not become) a human person. Human person is seen in diverse ways and meanings by the Igala people such as Onee as human being, human person, offspring, young able human being, as responsible person and a host of others. The paper goes further to examine the various ways by which the Igala people conceive of human person and analyse the various discourse by Igala scholars on human person. In line with the Igala thought, this paper concludes that the concept of the human person entails much more than being human, it includes certain values that authenticate our humanness.