Abstract
The question, who is an African? in the context of understanding African identity has biological, historical, cultural, religious, political, racial, linguistic, social, philosophical, and even geographical colourations. Scholars as well as commentators have continued to grapple with it as it has assumed a syncretistic or intersectional characterisation. The same applies to, “what is Africa?” because of the defined Western construct of its geography. This foray of concepts appears to be captured in ‘I am an African’, a treatise that exudes the telos of African past, present and the unwavering hope that the future of Africans and Africa is great in spite of the cynicism and loss of faith that the present seems to have foisted on the minds of many an African. Through a critical analysis, it is argued that African religion has a value that is capable of resolving the contentious identity crisis of an African.
Highlights
Attempts to answer the question “who is an African”? are difficult, not because there are no Africans, but that there are competing nuances
The thesis here, is that African religion, as expressed in community, has a critical role to play in addressing the question of African identity that is at once within and authentic
I argue that despite the multiple identities an African could possess, the unique experience of African community in its fullness, defines the African. This argument is predicated on the fact that most discursive, political and cultural definitions of Africans and Africa do not countenance the locale of African community as underscored here as perhaps the most resilient value that wrests with those contentious notions of Africa and being an African
Summary
Attempts to answer the question “who is an African”? are difficult, not because there are no Africans, but that there are competing nuances. Psychological, philosophical, cultural to religious approaches, identity studies have continued to garner vibrant interest These approaches are predisposed towards social or personal identity, and concentrate on utilitarian, circumstantial, evaluative or normative clauses. In answering the question “who is an African?” I am poised to have recourse to the African religious resource; community or communalism This is because African religion, as Mbiti (1969) and Idowu (1996) have lucidly argued, plays critical roles in African life. I argue that despite the multiple identities an African could possess, the unique experience of African community in its fullness, defines the African This argument is predicated on the fact that most discursive, political and cultural definitions of Africans and Africa do not countenance the locale of African community as underscored here as perhaps the most resilient value that wrests with those contentious notions of Africa and being an African
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