Understanding Freedom and Human Rights in Africa

The issues of human rights and freedom are topical in most socio-political discourse especially in the African continent given the plethora of cases of human rights abuse and unnecessary curtailment and most times outright denial of freedom to citizens. This constitutes a serious bane to the flowering of human potentialities and the general human well -being. This anomaly has however continued unabated despite the volumes that have been written on the subjects and seminars and conferences held on the same. This paper, through the analytic and critical methods, argues that much may not be achieved until the philosophical foundation upon which these subjects rest is well articulated and appreciated. The paper equally claims that one of the ways of enhancing the respect for human rights and freedom in Africa is to recognize the symbiotic relationship between the two subjects. The paper finally argues that an integral view of human freedom/rights which recognizes not only freedom-from but also freedom-to and rights-to, is foundational for the promotion of human well-being

Authentic personhood in traditional Igbo-African thought

The precarious nature of human life and the general social disorder that characterise human society is a human creation. A good human community requisite for human well-being is equally not natural but man-made. This type of community is made possible by the conscious, deliberate and conscientious efforts and activities of good persons or what I have called ‘Authentic Personhood’ in this discourse. This paper therefore, discusses the notion of authentic personhood in traditional Igbo thought and argues that the qualities and values of authentic personhood create the wholesome human relations and environment necessary for social cohesion and human well-being. The paper further claims that the Igbo traditional notion of authentic personhood is better than the Western conception of personhood in this respect and can therefore serve as a cure to most of the ills of our modern society if well understood, and rightly applied in human interactions and general social engineering. Keywords: Personhood, Community, Values, Well-Being, Igbo, Authenti

An African Communitarian Response to Robert Nozick's Political Philosophy

Robert Nozick’s attempt to contribute to the existing corpus on the best possible way to achieve a good human community conducive for the realization and flowering of human well-being must be seen as a bold step to change the political cum socio-economic landscape of the world environment. This is expected of every political philosopher, to deploy his/her wealth of philosophical arsenal towards changing our world and making it conducive for the achievement of the summum bonnum. However, Nozick’s political thoughts have far reaching implications for human well-being and the establishment of a good human community. The paper through the analytical and critical methods of a philosophical research, argues against certain positions which Nozick has taken in his political thoughts. The paper claims that Nozick’s thought sparks an extreme form of unbridled individualism and that Nozick's entitlement theory lacks the human feelings of sympathy, co-existence, acceptance, care and concern requisite for building a good human community. The paper finally advocates for a political thought and arrangement that tries to minimize the plights and the sufferings of the disadvantaged and worse off members of the human community made possible through the virtues of sympathy, love, compassion, acceptance, co-existence and care espoused in African Communitarian idea of justice. DOI: 10.7176/JPCR/47-02 Publication date: December 31st 201

Understanding Freedom and Human Rights in Africa

The issues of human rights and freedom are topical in most socio-political discourse especially in the African continent given the plethora of cases of human rights abuse and unnecessary curtailment and most times outright denial of freedom to citizens. This constitutes a serious bane to the flowering of human potentialities and the general human well -being. This anomaly has however continued unabated despite the volumes that have been written on the subjects and seminars and conferences held on the same. This paper, through the analytic and critical methods, argues that much may not be achieved until the philosophical foundation upon which these subjects rest is well articulated and appreciated. The paper equally claims that one of the ways of enhancing the respect for human rights and freedom in Africa is to recognize the symbiotic relationship between the two subjects. The paper finally argues that an integral view of human freedom/rights which recognizes not only freedom-from but also freedom-to and rights-to, is foundational for the promotion of human well-being