Philosophy and Education: The Engines of National Development

Philosophy represents a method of reflective, rational and constructive thinking, as well as a reasoned inquiry, while development designates the ability of a people to appropriate their total essence in a total manner as a people – a holistic vision in which they assume control of their own destiny. Similarly, education represents an enlightening experience or training in a particular subject. In line with this, this paper is an attempt to project philosophy and education as engines of national development. Against the backdrop of the diverse and heterogeneous nature of African cultures (Nigeria in particular), the paper raises two fundamental questions:  is it possible for Africa – Nigeria in particular – to develop as a nation in spite of her ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural differences? Considering the possibility of this quest, what are the critical factors in achieving it? Using historical hermeneutics and philosophical analysis, this paper argues that philosophy and education remain the bedrocks for Africa’s (Nigeria’s) development in the 21st century. Keywords: philosophy, education, national development, nationhood, culture, essence

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Superman and Its Religious Implications

This paper examines Nietzsche’s idea of the superman and its religious implications, with a view to showing that despite Nietzsche’s rejection of Christian religion and his attack on religious moral ideals, using his concept of the superman, Nietzsche fails in stripping humanity/man of his religious nature. Nietzsche’s superman represents the highest principle of the development of humanity and the affirmation of man’s full potentialities. He posits the superman as a critique on Christian religion and the crisis of modernity. This is because, according to him, the Christian morality stifles the development, freedom and creativity of humanity/man, as well as making him dependent on faith. Consequently, he advocates for the total rejection and abolition of the Christian moral ideals in order to make way for the freedom of humanity/man and consequently the emergence of super-humanity. Attempts are made to articulate Nietzsche’s concept of the superman and to highlight its link with his entire philosophic system. This will be examined critically, in each segment of the paper, to show its implications for religion. The paper employs the method of historical hermeneutics and textual analysis/exposition. Keywords: superman, religion, morality, reevaluation of values, Christianity, nihilism and modernity. DOI: 10.7176/JPCR/45-03 Publication date:October 31st 201

2015 Electioneering Process and the Widening of Voters’ Political Consciousness

Electioneering process represents a formal procedure whereby a person is elected into a political office. Previous elections, in the political history of Nigeria, have recorded a high level of political apathy. Lack of interest, with reference to voters’ participation, has been a common political culture of the country. The massive rigging, recorded in previous elections, has led to the characterization of electioneering process by many Nigerians as “selection” instead of “election.” This ugly phenomenon has informed the growing voters’ political apathy recorded in the previous elections. This paper, therefore, raises some fundamental questions such as: when will an average Nigerian voter engage actively and consciously in the electioneering process and in the question of who becomes the leader in the country? How will the political confidence of an average Nigerian voter be restored? These passionate and mind-bugling questions have, however, been put to rest, following the just concluded 2015 electioneering process. Unlike the previous elections, which were marred generally by high level of voters’ apathy, the just concluded election marks a sharp deviation from the past, by ushering in an era of active political participants and a high level of political consciousness on the side of the electorate. Based on this, this paper, by means of historical hermeneutics/interpretation and philosophical analysis, argues that the just concluded 2015 electioneering process is a political eye-opener, in that it marked the beginning of a new era of active voters’ participation and in widening their political consciousness. Keywords: electioneering process, political apathy, political culture, political consciousness, political re-engineerin

Nietzsche’s Idea of the ‘Will to Power’ and its Implications for Globalization and African Cultural Values

The Will to Power represents Nietzsche’s critical, analytic, deconstructive and interpretive tool, while globalization designate a doctrinal process of advancement and increase in interaction among countries, facilitated by progressive technological development, communication, knowledge and skills, as well as interaction of cultural values, systems and practices. Globalization, as a doctrine, has brought with it both negative and positive values, and has invariably posed serious challenges to Africa in relation to the erosion of her cultural values, especially, her most cherished cultural values. This challenge becomes very significant, especially with regards to the fact that these values are Western oriented and, in most cases, not congenial with the African cultural milieu. The implication of this phenomenon is the increase in the rate of cultural adulteration of Africa by the West and her epistemic dependency on the Western world. In line with the above, the problem this paper tackles is how to harness the positive values of globalization while, at the same time, checkmating its ugly effects on African cultural values. The main purpose of the paper is to provide a way of tackling the challenges posed by globalization, on African values system, while strategically mapping out a way of harnessing its positive principles. Using the method of historical hermeneutics and textual analysis/exposition, this paper argues that Nietzsche’s principle of the Will to Power, as a deconstructive and analytic principle, constitutes a sifting tool towards harnessing the positive values of globalization on African culture while, at the same time, checkmating its ugly menace. Keywords: globalization, will to power, superman, nihilism, perspectivism, democracy, politics of subjectivity, revaluation of values, cultural adulteration, critical literacy and epistemic dependency. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-20-08 Publication date:October 31st 201