The Nigerian state encounters philosophy

On critical African philosophy: Mapping the boundaries of a good philosophical tradition

“…Philosophy not only became the acts of the professors; philosophizing was integrated into the structured space of the university and its ideological and intellectual dynamics. Outside its Greek essence as worldview—a way of life—philosophy became “so technical and elitist as to require a strict philosophical language and stricter philosophical training” (Afolayan 2018a, 31).…”

“…in Waquant 1989, 6; emphasis in original). Thus, homo academicus operates in an intellectual field “motivated by power, politics, culture and political economy that structure and shape interests and conflicts around reputation, promotion, position and intellectual culture generally” (Afolayan 2018a, 32). Philosophy within the intellectual field therefore creates a spurious distinction between scholarly knowledge and practical knowledge, with the deck stacked against the latter.…”

“…On the contrary, “[p]hilosophy remains a reflection on its place, geographically, culturally, disciplinarily, and intellectually” (Janz 2009, 6). Since philosophy is concerned with the universal articulation of the human condition, it cannot ever discount the particular and cultural reflections on this condition in several places and spaces (Afolayan 2018a, 110). Thus, the academic and professional attempts to de‐space and de‐place philosophy through universal abstractions are misconceived.…”

“…CAP 2 connects African philosophy to the demos (Africans) in their existential and postcolonial angst, and it does this at the political and the popular level. In this context, CAP 2 becomes political to the extent that it orients social policy and the latter's capacity to connect the “human” to the “humane” and “development.” African philosophy becomes popular “in the sense of an archaeological excavation of those ideas, doxastic paradigms, models and worldviews that underlie the popular interventions of Nigerians in their existence” (Afolayan 2018a, 175).…”