The African Philosopher and The Burden of Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS)

Abstract

Philosophy from the ancient period to the contemporary period is regarded as the basis for rationality in all human societies. It is thus a veritable framework for showcasing, transmitting and developing the constitutive elements necessary for growth and development. The African philosopher, very steep in western philosophical orientation, is more often than not engaged with the interrogation of reality from the western mindset and saddled with the problem of accommodating the cultural elements in his/her own culture for development, especially in the areas that constitute indigenous knowledge. The problem this chapter sets out to address is that of how the African philosopher with the western philosophical mindset can have an adequate gaze into African realities. We submit that the African philosopher must live with the reality that forms of knowledge within the indigenous African culture are as important as western epistemological paradigms. We adopt the critical and reconstructive methods of philosophy to examine the orientations in African philosophy concerning the cultural framework of philosophy and recommend that the African philosopher must theorize and promote indigenous knowledge because it offers a lot in the quest for the African development and that indigenous knowledge must not be seen as a burden but a blessing towards creating a complementary paradigm to the western ‘scientific’ framework. The imperative of indigenous knowledge system in African development cannot be over-emphasized in the contemporary period.