Dr. Deezia Burabari Sunday | Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (original) (raw)

Papers by Dr. Deezia Burabari Sunday

Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development , 2024

The Ogoni society is a unity of both the visible and the invisible worlds. In this scheme, human ... more The Ogoni society is a unity of both the visible and the invisible worlds. In this scheme, human and all concrete objects they create or live with are inextricably linked to a spirit world. Masquerades, in their semi-divine state serve as a conduit between the spirit world and the realm of the living, providing a means for ancestral spirits and supernatural deities to communicate and bestow blessings and protection upon their descendants. However, the Ogoni social milieu in its original traditional settings is no longer as vivid and valid as it ought to be. Consequently, masquerades in the Ogoni communities could be said to have lost its ancestral flavours and heritage of the spirits. The reason for the current neglect attitude shown towards the patronage of the indigenous cultures cannot be separated from globalization and advances in technology, as well as the fact that some of these masquerades are under threat of extinction as much effort has not been done towards its documentation. This study focused on the philosophy behind the mask, and the symbolic significance of masquerades among the Ogoni and the global future. The paper adopted the descriptive method. The paper argued that while these masquerades are designed to entertain, they perform more utilitarian functions than mere spectacle. The study concluded that while not adopting the negative and harmful practices of masquerades in Ogoni, the good part must be preserved and mingles with modern concept, thereby maintaining the people’s distinctiveness.

African Anthropologist , 2024

Human quest for esoteric knowledge of the transcendental and mundane worlds, as well as the strug... more Human quest for esoteric knowledge of the transcendental and mundane worlds, as well as the struggle towards acquiring them through membership in secret societies has become a worldwide phenomenon. The Amanikpo secret society in Nigeria, being one of the most influential cults within the Ogoni socio-religious milieu, reenacts both political and cosmological order in Ogoni communities. However, in recent years, those noble ideas of Amanikpo have not only been misinterpreted by the emerging trends of other secret societies, but threatened by modernization and its agents. Premised on the above, this paper examines the religious-philosophical foundation, and functions of Amanikpo in the Ogoni traditional society. Using the ethnographic method, the study discovers that despite their cryptic activities, Amanikpo had (and possibly still has) a significance beyond mere entertainment, as its relevance in indigenous education, spiritual development and the preservation of Ogoni spiritual and cultural values still holds sway.

Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religions, 2024

The Biakē custom, an ancient practice among the Ogoni indigenous people, refers to a system by wh... more The Biakē custom, an ancient practice among the Ogoni indigenous people, refers to a system by which certain girls or women are not allowed to marry, but are legitimately allowed to raise children for their parents or family, because of some peculiar circumstances of the household, thus the idea of 'mothers but not wives.' However, the Biakē practice has been misconstrued with the malapropism called 'Sira-Custom,' implying a system in which the first daughters are not given out for marriage. This study focused on the philosophical foundation of Biakē and its implications on the Ogoni contemporary society. The study discovered that there was never a time in Ogoni history when Sira (first daughters) was denied the right to marry out. Every Ogoni daughter is eligible for marriage. The study argues that though the philosophy of Biakē emphasizes the continuity of the family/lineage, women serving under Biakē and their children may experience psychological trauma due to the absence of a "father figure" and other unmet needs. Using the prescriptive method, this paper advocated for the promulgation of laws, and regulations to modify the Biakē custom to accommodate the Ogoni modern-day reality.

Journal of Humanities, University of Malawi, 2013

This paper explores the underlying philosophy, beliefs, and practices surrounding witchcraft amon... more This paper explores the underlying philosophy, beliefs, and practices surrounding witchcraft among the Ogoni and Ikwerre ethnic groups inhabiting the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Throughout recorded history, humanity has embarked upon a rational journey to identify solutions to the myriad vicissitudes and afflictions that have plagued human existence. Belief in supernatural phenomena such as witchcraft has conventionally furnished reasonable explanations for tragedy and occurrences deemed odd or inexplicable through conventional epistemologies. Within these cosmologies, witches are frequently perceived as enemies of societal equilibrium, capable of inflicting ill health, misfortune, and diverse forms of affliction upon communities. However, while beliefs related to witchcraft and the supernatural may serve as metaphors for powerful forces or social dysfunction, they simultaneously constitute autonomous systems of signs, symbols, and meanings that can potentially generate tangible positive effects for adherents, with historical origins rooted in indigenous cultures. This paper uses the descriptive methodology to argue that witchcraft, as a construct dependent on human agency, is not inherently immoral or detrimental. Rather, the central issue lies in the improper application of knowledge, experience, and intelligence derived from witchcraft practices toward selfish ambitions, such as harming others for personal advantage. The paper concludes that if oriented toward serving the greater good, advancing human society, and promoting human dignity, witchcraft merits encouragement, provided it is harnessed ethically through proper use.

Leadership, Public Service and Administration of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria: Festschrift in Honour of Dr. Samuel Bererememamn Kalagbor , 2023

The deficiency in governance and the socio economic imbalance that have wreaked havoc on Nigeria'... more The deficiency in governance and the socio economic imbalance that have wreaked havoc on Nigeria's political landscape since independence point to a clear manifestation of leadership failure. The country had been governed by a generation of leaders who did not grasp the fundamentals of leadership, hence the abysmal failure to develop socio-economic and relgio-political strategies that would have allowed for sustained and meaningful nation-building. These leadership challenges are evidenced in political, social, and economic instability, as well as the prevalence of ethnic majority chauvinism, political instability and religious intolerance, which have all hampered Nigerian development. This is the justification behind Plato's suggestion in his socio-political philosophy that every political leader must be knowledgeable in philosophy. However, Plato’s notion of philosopher king is not without scorn. This chapter examined the notion of Philosopher King and its relevance to the leadership failure in the contemporary Nigeria. The paper adopted the qualitative research method, with reliance on primary and secondary source materials interpreted analytically on the subject matter. Although Plato's theory of the ideal state in his socio-political philosophy is admirable, the study found that it contains some outrageous and impractical elements that, if put into practice, could lead to dictatorship, tyranny, insensitivity, slavery, revolution and pessimism, making it unrealistic and misleading. In attempt to solve the leadership failure in the contemporary Nigeria, this study proposed the principle of common good in Ziibalogzii Philosophy, implying humanness and community engagement over material wealth, and quality of community life over the acquisition of material things. The paper contended that the post-colonial Nigeria would have seen growth and progress in every sector if the leaders had diligently performed flawless and selfless services in the course of their leadership responsibilities. The chapter, therefore, called for the adoption and a coherent application of Ziibalogzii philosophy in order to address the socio-economic imbalance and governance deficit that have wreaked havoc on Nigeria's political system.

Journal of African Political Philosophy and Leadership: Philosophia Politica , 2023

The persistent calls and initiatives to rid social work education and practices of their predomin... more The persistent calls and initiatives to rid social work education and practices of their predominately Western orientation in order to make them more applicable to African contexts are a result of culturally distinct orientations, varying developmental stages that imply various sets and intensities of social problems, as well as various social, economic, political, and spiritual realities. All these demanded an indigenous Philosophy, theoretical underpinnings, models, and methodologies. However, most social work philosophical theories and workplace approaches in Nigeria are based on Western paradigms that do not resonate with indigenous African values, beliefs, Philosophy, culture, and rights. It is in response to this identifiable gap that this study focused on Ziibalogzii Philosophy-which places emphasis on values of human solidarity, empathy, human dignity, holding that a person is a person through othersasan African philosophical foundation for Social work practices in Nigeria. The paper adopted the qualitative research method, with reliance on primary and secondary source materials interpreted analytically on the subject matter. According to the study, there are numerous familial and kinship networks and organizations, including Pya-be (compound or family), Bua-wuga (extended families), Pya-gan (Kindred or clan), Pyagbo (age groups), Pyabuen (community), town unions, and philanthropists, that serve as channels and sources of social care and protective services. The study argued that current social welfare initiatives, including fundamental social amenities in Nigeria, are utilized by governments to earn political points and hardly take into account the rights of the populace. The study came to the conclusion that while social work practices in Nigeria should be founded on the principles of Ziibalogii Philosophy, western theories and philosophies of social work might still be used as references.

Book in Honour of Professor G. O. M. Tasie., 2020

Theology in Africa is forever in motion. Hence taking stock of theological issues and trends in t... more Theology in Africa is forever in motion. Hence taking stock of theological issues and trends in the growth and development of Christianity, as a human activity, involves much more than simply believing certain propositions about matters of fact, such as the reasons for the emergence of African indigenous churches, which has turned a lethal for self-exoneration amidst the much problems facing Nigeria and the African continent at large. It is a historical fact that Africa was evangelized through colonial machinery. Hence, whether the European colonizers of Africa was motivated by greed or profit, as maintained by Marxists, or was the natural flowering of humanitarianism, philanthropy and evangelical piety as claimed by those who preach the gospel of the white man’s burden (Afigbo, 1975), or whether it came to do all, including colonialism, commerce, and Christianity, often referred to as the three C’s, it will be tantamount to poor historical thinking to erase the numerous and comprehensive achievements of the missionary enterprise because of human short-comings and failures. It is not an over statement to say that Christianity has become the religion of civilization and development. However, even with the pervasive influence of Christianity in Nigeria, Nigerian Christians (both the educated and non-educated) have refused to put off the memory of colonialism and missionary enterprise in Nigeria. They have continue to hold to the image of Christianity in the western garb; they live in the shadow of past experience and ideologies imposed on them by western explanations, reasons and theories. Consequently, they have continued to shift blames as a way of exonerating themselves from the evil ravaging the African continent and Nigeria in particular. As noted elsewhere, it is a known fact that both Christianity and colonialism denied Africans the right to religio-cultural development, self-expression and up a state of siege that is justified with theories about cultural assimilation (Deezia, 2017). The colonial enterprise provided a kind of structural and moral legitimacy to the missionary enterprise. Thus, there were great convergences in both projects, and the civilizing mission is identified as the most outstanding of these convergences. There is no doubt also that the autocracy and high handedness of the missionaries continued in spite of the grievances of the local congregation. The sadness and dissatisfaction of the people meant nothing to the missionaries. It was in this view that Mitchell contends that: What motivated the Aladura leaders and their followers was a desire to reform existing mission protestant Christianity and make it more relevant to the needs of the daily African life (Mitchell, 1966:85). It is obvious that the African indigenous churches did not emerge in a historical or social vacuum. They were conditioned by a number of factors ranging from spiritual, cultural, socio-economic, political and circumstantial factors (Ayegboyin & Ishola, 2013). However, considering the height of the struggle and quest to indigenize Christianity, the question that comes to mind is what has change? Are the above reasons still tenable till today? For how long shall Africans continue to shift blames for their woes? Are Christian leaders today not victims of what they dislodge in the colonial era, thus causing more harm than the western missionaries? This chapter, therefore, does not only unearth the African Christian scape goat mentality but also gave a critical appraisal of the reasons for the emergence of African indigenous churches in Nigeria, which the paper considered an dated thus the need to move forward.

Whatever befalls a man is believed to be what he/she settled with his bari (guardian angel) and K... more Whatever befalls a man is believed to be what he/she settled with his bari (guardian angel) and Kawaa-Bari (The Supreme Being). Hence, the experience of an invincible external pull and irresistible constraints and the feeling of powerlessness and void, are indeed the common fate human all share. In other words, how the principle of destiny balance against individual will and freedom of action calls for great concern among philosophers and theologians alike. However, our consideration here is with particular reference to the Ogoni, as little or no attention have been given to the concept of gborsi (destiny) from the Ogoni-African perspective. This study therefore gives a deep philosophical reflection on the concept of ‘Gborsi’ (destiny), and the role of one’s bari (personal god or guardian angel) in Ogoni ontology. The study further unveils the canons or principles believed to be responsible in the shaping of a person’s life, as well as the understanding of the factors or means of re...

The thrust of this paper is on the institution of yira-yii (traditional oath-taking) and its role... more The thrust of this paper is on the institution of yira-yii (traditional oath-taking) and its role in curbing disharmony, disequilibrium and socio-political instability among the Ogoni indigenous people, as well as how it has brought social order and peaceful-coexistence. Living in a physical and moral isolation is considered alien, as the Ogoni socio-cultural values emphasize on wholeness, solidarity and tenacity of purpose. Hence, Yira-yii (oath-taking) strengthens community networking as well as performing the healing function in the society. Using the historical and ethnographic approach, the paper focuses on the Ogoni philosophy of yira-yii (oath-taking), personnel involve in administration, the instrument used, the sacred places of administration, the socio-cultural significance, as well as the continuity and discontinuity in the practice of yira-yii (oath-taking). It is regrettably observed that despite the importance of yira-yii (oath-taking) in the Ogoni indigenous society, ...

Vol. 4, No. 4., 2021

The prosperity gospel, teaching, or theology holds that health and wealth are compulsory benefit... more The prosperity gospel, teaching, or theology holds that health and wealth are
compulsory benefits of the Christian faith. Unfortunately, most adherents of this
teaching have accepted it dogmatically, leaving them open to exploitation and
deception. Previous studies on prosperity gospel have looked at it from a
hermeneutic and theological standpoint, with little or no consideration of the
philosophical viewpoint necessary for a balanced understanding of the gospel.
This study focuses on prosperity gospel in its contents and principles, logicality and
inconsistency with the Biblical teachings and effects on its adherents. The study is
anchored on Kant's theory of morality 'the categorical imperative.' Through the lenses
of philosophy, the paper reveals the illogicality and inconsistency of prosperity
teaching: "wealth as gain of salvation" fails to explain why Christians like Apostle Peter
and John were poor (Acts :6); "sowing and reaping" contradict Jesus command to
Christians to give without expecting anything in return, but to store treasures in heaven
(Matthew. 6:9); "covenant of divine unfailing health" contradict scientific and Biblical
evidence (1 Timothy. 5:20) of human vulnerability to sickness; Power of positive verbal
confession" is hinged on faulty premise of an anthropocentric view that humans are in
God's class, making prayerful request unnecessary. The study argues that prosperity
preachers who manipulate people to create wealth for themselves simply see their
vulnerable victims as means to achieving their selfish end of wealth accumulation. The
paper advocates for a balanced theology that encourage rational faith for more effective
Christian impacts.

The reality of evil and human suffering in the world has long been a puzzle to human mind. Though... more The reality of evil and human suffering in the world has long been a puzzle to human mind. Though, over the ages, the various philosophical schools and religious traditions have formulated myriads of explanations to human predicaments; however, the problem of evil and human suffering remains a perennial issue in philosophy and religious discourse. It is against this background that this study is aimed to reinterpret the problem of evil and human suffering beyond the conventional narratives. The paper focuses on the origin, causes and purpose of evil and human suffering, as well as its practical solutions as practiced in the Ogoni traditional religious philosophy. In analyzing the subject matter, the study adopts the ethnographic method, using the historical and philosophical approach. Through this research effort, it was established that unlike the Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions in Ogoni who trace the sources and causes of evil and human suffering to a ‗mono-demonic factor,‘ the Ogoni indigenous people trace the sources and causes of evil and human suffering to a 'multi-causal factors.‘ More significantly is the fact that the Ogoni do not necessarily perceived evil and human suffering as the end in themselves. Goodness and evilness are dialectical and not diametrically opposed to each other. Hence, the Ogoni traditional philosophy does not give room for the problem of evil and human suffering, as its advantages in maintaining virtues and moral uprightness still holds way.

The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 2020

IAFOR Journal of Ethics, Religion & Philosophy, 2017

UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2020

Every society has its own norms, values and morals, which help them to structure their universe. ... more Every society has its own norms, values and morals, which help them to structure their universe. Among the Ogoni indigenous people, the centrality of ii-ii wa (traditional marriage) as the nucleus of society is the under guiding factor for their comprehensive marriage rites. To the Ogoni indigenous people, marriage is a sacred institution, inextricably attached to the Ogoni traditional religion. It is a process rather than a discrete event that marks one’s transition from one stage of life to another; it involves rituals, negotiations, and transactions that stretch over years. It is a community practice within which the values of a community are shaped and preserved. However, the eventual contact with the western culture through colonialism, christianity, education and, with the subsequent upsurge of globalization, reflects the diffusion of modern orientations and ideologies. These values are not only being challenged but also eroded. Consequently, this onslaught brings into questio...

editornirajournals@gmail.com 68 INTRODUCTION Ogoni is inhabited by an indigenous people in the so... more editornirajournals@gmail.com 68 INTRODUCTION Ogoni is inhabited by an indigenous people in the southern part of Nigeria, who are innately religious. The people believe that they are surrounded by supernatural powers. Their socio-religious lives such as interpersonal relationship, dietary pattern, cosmology, the concept of life, death and the hereafter, as well as perception of socio-religious order NATIONAL INNOVATION AND RESEARCH ACADEMIA International Journal of Sustainable Development ISSN: 2713-4683. Volume 6, Issue 1. Pages 68-78. October, 2019 Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal editornirajournals@gmail.com

Scientific Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, 2021

For centuries African philosophy and value system were denied; African philosophers, schools of t... more For centuries African philosophy and value system were denied; African philosophers, schools of thoughts, and traditions were not recognized as part of world philosophy; as a result, pre-colonial African cultures, and societies were labeled "ahistorical," "primitive," "paganistic," "savage," and "juju," among other terms. Africans were thought to be unable to think critically and to lack the kind of consciousness or mentality that promotes development. This condemnation ideology, which defines everything "good to be white" and everything "bad to be black", provided the western audience the moral ground for the destruction of the African society in all forms and manifestations. This study therefore focuses on the place of African philosophy and value system amidst modernity. It adopts the modernization theory of Max Weber and Talcott Parsons. Using the descriptive method, the study revealed that African philosophy, religion, value system and civilization have all been misinterpreted, misrepresented and completely misunderstood. The study argues that cultural features, worldviews, and belief systems have a significant impact on science and technology, philosophy and values, priorities and ideas, skills and ethics. This implies that all societies, even the modern world, are traditional societies. As such, African worldview and thought pattern constitute their philosophy. The paper maintains that African philosophy must transcend abstract reflection. That is to say, now that African philosophy has attained global recognition, there is the need for scholars to apply its principles toward person-oriented development.

Asceticism is a means of realising the absolute, owing to the fact that man does not live in harm... more Asceticism is a means of realising the absolute, owing to the fact that man does not live in harmony with the ultimate reality, which is observed as a common notion in the world religious traditions of mankind, as they all strive to bridge the visible world with that which is unseen and unknown. Thus, human re-absorption into the divine essence became an ultimate concern. In achieving this spiritual ideal demanded the practice of self-denial of all conventional (physical and psychological) desires. However, to some people, such ascetic practices do more damage than good. The paper adopted the philosophical, historical and comparative method, using theoretical approach, the paper focuses on the meaning and forms of asceticism as well as its central position in different religious traditions – African Traditional religion, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism – Through this research effort, it was established that the practice of asceticism is obligational in some religious trad...

Book in Honour of Professor G. O. M. Tasie., 2020

Theology in Africa is forever in motion. Hence taking stock of theological issues and trends in t... more Theology in Africa is forever in motion. Hence taking stock of theological issues and trends in the growth and development of Christianity, as a human activity, involves much more than simply believing certain propositions about matters of fact, such as the reasons for the emergence of African indigenous churches, which has turned a lethal for self-exoneration amidst the much problems facing Nigeria and the African continent at large.
It is a historical fact that Africa was evangelized through colonial machinery. Hence, whether the European colonizers of Africa was motivated by greed or profit, as maintained by Marxists, or was the natural flowering of humanitarianism, philanthropy and evangelical piety as claimed by those who preach the gospel of the white man’s burden (Afigbo, 1975), or whether it came to do all, including colonialism, commerce, and Christianity, often referred to as the three C’s, it will be tantamount to poor historical thinking to erase the numerous and comprehensive achievements of the missionary enterprise because of human short-comings and failures.
It is not an over statement to say that Christianity has become the religion of civilization and development. However, even with the pervasive influence of Christianity in Nigeria, Nigerian Christians (both the educated and non-educated) have refused to put off the memory of colonialism and missionary enterprise in Nigeria. They have continue to hold to the image of Christianity in the western garb; they live in the shadow of past experience and ideologies imposed on them by western explanations, reasons and theories. Consequently, they have continued to shift blames as a way of exonerating themselves from the evil ravaging the African continent and Nigeria in particular.
As noted elsewhere, it is a known fact that both Christianity and colonialism denied Africans the right to religio-cultural development, self-expression and up a state of siege that is justified with theories about cultural assimilation (Deezia, 2017). The colonial enterprise provided a kind of structural and moral legitimacy to the missionary enterprise. Thus, there were great convergences in both projects, and the civilizing mission is identified as the most outstanding of these convergences.
There is no doubt also that the autocracy and high handedness of the missionaries continued in spite of the grievances of the local congregation. The sadness and dissatisfaction of the people meant nothing to the missionaries. It was in this view that Mitchell contends that:
What motivated the Aladura leaders and their followers was a desire to reform existing mission protestant Christianity and make it more relevant to the needs of the daily African life (Mitchell, 1966:85).

It is obvious that the African indigenous churches did not emerge in a historical or social vacuum. They were conditioned by a number of factors ranging from spiritual, cultural, socio-economic, political and circumstantial factors (Ayegboyin & Ishola, 2013). However, considering the height of the struggle and quest to indigenize Christianity, the question that comes to mind is what has change? Are the above reasons still tenable till today? For how long shall Africans continue to shift blames for their woes? Are Christian leaders today not victims of what they dislodge in the colonial era, thus causing more harm than the western missionaries?
This chapter, therefore, does not only unearth the African Christian scape goat mentality but also gave a critical appraisal of the reasons for the emergence of African indigenous churches in Nigeria, which the paper considered an dated thus the need to move forward.

Journal of Religion and Culture, Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria., 2021

Gender roles in the Ogoni pre-colonial society was complementary; men and women had different ro... more Gender roles in the Ogoni pre-colonial society was complementary; men and women had different roles within their communities, and both roles were unique and valued. Thus, women in the pre-colonial Ogoni society had the opportunity to effectively contribute and participate in the development of the society. However, some Western and African scholars have continued to associate the Ogoni-African traditional religion and cultural values with rigid, socioeconomic and traditional system that relegate women to an inferior status. It is in the light of this imbalanced representation and conception that the paper is aimed to reinterpret the Ogoni gender roles and disparity beyond the conventional narratives. The paper adopts the descriptive method, with special reference to the historical and philosophical approach, as well as the Marxist/Socialist feminism theory. The paper reveals that the concept of gender disparity is alien to the Ogoni indigenous people hence, an importation of colonialism, which introduced a new sociopolitical order, religious beliefs, and educational system that completely altered the Ogoni value system, leading to the erosion of the gender equality that characterized the Ogoni post-colonial society. In conclusion, the paper showcases the need for massive awareness campaign against gender inequality in the Ogoni traditional society.
Keywords: Colonialism, Gender, Inequality, Patriarchy, and Religion.

International Journal of Humanities and Social Studies. Vol. 8, Issue 6, pp 279-285, 2020

The central thrust of this paper is the attention it has drawn to the people’s yearning for the d... more The central thrust of this paper is the attention it has drawn to the people’s yearning for the dividends of democracy, transparency, equity, fairness, and justice which is the essence of
democratic leadership. Thus, the Nigerian proverbial ‘national cake’ (commonwealth), connoting that the wealth of the nation belongs to all, and it’s for the common good of the people, irrespective of one’s tribe, religion, political affiliation, gender, o
r color. Regrettably, the Nigerian commonwealth is today serving the interest of a few individuals rather than the greater majority. It
is against this
backdrop that the paper is aimed to exploring the task of building the Nigerian commonwealth amidst
multi-ethnic, religious, sociopolitical, and individual/elites’ interest. The study further focuses on the philosophy of the proverbial
‘national cake’, the ingenuity of driving the Nigerian commonwealth (Niger Delta in focus), as well as building the
Nigerian commonwealth through the lenses of philosophy. In discussing this topic, the paper made use of the q
ualitative
technique with special reference to the historical and philosophical approach premised on secondary
data. The paper
traces the problem of building the Nigerian commonwealth to failure of leadership, and the continuous shifting of blames
to the 1914 amalgamation by Lord Lugard. The paper therefore charges Nigerians to rise
-up to the reality of building
and developing the country, through quality representation, strong will and sincerity of purpose, as well as the change in
people’s attitude towards the state, its right status, and its function towards the essence of commo
nwealth and democratic leadership.

Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development , 2024

African Anthropologist , 2024

Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religions, 2024

Journal of Humanities, University of Malawi, 2013

Leadership, Public Service and Administration of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria: Festschrift in Honour of Dr. Samuel Bererememamn Kalagbor , 2023

Journal of African Political Philosophy and Leadership: Philosophia Politica , 2023

Book in Honour of Professor G. O. M. Tasie., 2020

Vol. 4, No. 4., 2021

The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 2020

IAFOR Journal of Ethics, Religion & Philosophy, 2017

UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2020

Scientific Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, 2021

Book in Honour of Professor G. O. M. Tasie., 2020

Theology in Africa is forever in motion. Hence taking stock of theological issues and trends in t... more Theology in Africa is forever in motion. Hence taking stock of theological issues and trends in the growth and development of Christianity, as a human activity, involves much more than simply believing certain propositions about matters of fact, such as the reasons for the emergence of African indigenous churches, which has turned a lethal for self-exoneration amidst the much problems facing Nigeria and the African continent at large.
It is a historical fact that Africa was evangelized through colonial machinery. Hence, whether the European colonizers of Africa was motivated by greed or profit, as maintained by Marxists, or was the natural flowering of humanitarianism, philanthropy and evangelical piety as claimed by those who preach the gospel of the white man’s burden (Afigbo, 1975), or whether it came to do all, including colonialism, commerce, and Christianity, often referred to as the three C’s, it will be tantamount to poor historical thinking to erase the numerous and comprehensive achievements of the missionary enterprise because of human short-comings and failures.
It is not an over statement to say that Christianity has become the religion of civilization and development. However, even with the pervasive influence of Christianity in Nigeria, Nigerian Christians (both the educated and non-educated) have refused to put off the memory of colonialism and missionary enterprise in Nigeria. They have continue to hold to the image of Christianity in the western garb; they live in the shadow of past experience and ideologies imposed on them by western explanations, reasons and theories. Consequently, they have continued to shift blames as a way of exonerating themselves from the evil ravaging the African continent and Nigeria in particular.
As noted elsewhere, it is a known fact that both Christianity and colonialism denied Africans the right to religio-cultural development, self-expression and up a state of siege that is justified with theories about cultural assimilation (Deezia, 2017). The colonial enterprise provided a kind of structural and moral legitimacy to the missionary enterprise. Thus, there were great convergences in both projects, and the civilizing mission is identified as the most outstanding of these convergences.
There is no doubt also that the autocracy and high handedness of the missionaries continued in spite of the grievances of the local congregation. The sadness and dissatisfaction of the people meant nothing to the missionaries. It was in this view that Mitchell contends that:
What motivated the Aladura leaders and their followers was a desire to reform existing mission protestant Christianity and make it more relevant to the needs of the daily African life (Mitchell, 1966:85).

Journal of Religion and Culture, Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria., 2021

International Journal of Humanities and Social Studies. Vol. 8, Issue 6, pp 279-285, 2020

In G. O. Ozumba and Chris Akpan (eds). Ibuanyidandaism: Reflections and Conversations, Festschrift in Honour of Prof. Innocent Izuchukwu Asouzu, Calabar-Nigeria: University of Calabar Press., 2023

As an Ogoni philosophical ontology of personhood, Ziibalogzii connotes reciprocity, relativity, a... more As an Ogoni philosophical ontology of personhood, Ziibalogzii connotes reciprocity, relativity, and communal interconnectedness; it acclaims the positive power and potentialities of the human person and characterizes the fundamental link between humans and their environment in which communal responsibility sustains life. Ibuanyindanda is a complementarity ontology based on mutual ties. In African philosophy, these notions explicate the narrative notion of personhood. They present a perspective on personhood from a communitarian context, in which the individual is defined by his or her obligations and responsibilities to others. However, the relational conceptions of personhood from the African perspective are nearly non-existent in the discussions of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and, if they appear, they lack an exhaustive approach. Through the framework of Ziibalogzii and Ibuanyidanda philosophy, this study intends to provide what may be the first substantive understanding of-African personhood‖ and artificial intelligence. Using the descriptive method, the study reveals that, the more soulless, spiritless, ostensibly human-like automated thinking machines define and prescribe human conduct while relentlessly demeaning part of society-often those historically subjected to Western imperialism and modernity-the more urgent a human response becomes. The paper argues that, in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robots, the inhumanity of the logical reduction of personhood must be questioned and rejected in favor of more humane and relational alternatives. The urgent solutions must consider the reality of the interconnectedness of society, as well as the increased intertwining given by artificial intelligence, such as the models that collect individual actions and generalize them to unknown and future data subjects.

THEORIES OF RELIGION , 2023

THEORIES OF RELIGION: TOOLS TO UNDERSTANDING HUMAN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, PRACTICES AND PHILOSOPHY BY... more THEORIES OF RELIGION: TOOLS TO UNDERSTANDING HUMAN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, PRACTICES AND PHILOSOPHY BY Dr. Grace Lawrence-Hart & Burabari Sunday Deezia

W.O. Wotogbe-Weneka (FAR, JP), a Professor of African and Comparative Religion Wrote:

“The book THEORIES OF RELIGION: Tools to Understanding Human Religious Beliefs, Practices and Philosophy by Dr. Grace Lawrence-Hart and Burabari Sunday Deezia arriving at the academic Religious bookstands at this point in history is a greatest gift to academic study of Religion. This is because for anyone to properly study and understand religion both as an academic discipline and as an interested inquirer will require a thorough knowledge of the theories that have been propounded by scholars of diverse but related interest groups on the disciplines from the Humanities and Social Science and even Science background. This is therefore the elusive opportunity that has been provided by the availability of this book now at our disposal.

It is only a few scholars that bother to dabble into the research and publications on Theories of Religion, because it is no doubt a difficult task which only a few that are actually deeply interested in the study of religion qua religion such as the authors of this book. For this, I most sincerely commend the efforts of these budding scholars of religion as a discipline.

The contents, arrangement and outlay of the book is splendid as the authors outlined all the theories and the theorists of religion right from those of the evolutionary theorists to the contemporary and modern theorists, some of whose theories had been either discarded or reformulated to an emerging theories of contemporary realities. The joy of all these theories both classical and contemporary is the fact that religion as a phenomenon fundamentally focuses on human who are the only known, Homoreligiosus and who live in human societies as well as what this religious behaviors of their lives do for humans and the societies they found themselves. That is, why the authors of the book commenced with the evolution and creation theories of the same homo sapiens, whether they came out of a cosmic bang theory of Darwin or Biblical creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing) theory and some human mythologies of human origin. The book then links to Edward B. Tylors Theory of Religion as Animism, to James George Frazers Religion, starting as magic to F. Max Mullers Religion as nature worship, to Rudolf Ottos Religion as a numinous entity, to Mircea Eliade’s Religion as a manifestation of the belief, to Bronislaw Malinowskis Religion as the belief in society sacred, E.E. Evans Pritchard’s Religion as a Heart’s Construct, Clifford Geertz’s Religion as a cultural system, Karl Marx, Religion as human opium and illusion, Sigmund Freud’s Religion as infantile neurosis, Emile Durkheim’s Religion as a reflection of the society, William James’s Religion as a Mystical experience, Max Webers Religion as an economic system to A.W Whiteheads Religion as Solitariness, down to a more contemporary theories of Peter Berger, Rodney Stark and others.

These theorists and their theoretical postulation on religion, the religious and the religions system must be studied and understood without which, modern scholars of religion cannot understand why such theories they propounded undergird modern theoretical framework on which researchers on religion align their study or even to debunk the theories of those earlier theorists.

Further, this book is A MUST READ for every researcher on religions subject matter, undergraduate, especially post graduate students of our tertiary institutions and research institutes for a better and informed understanding of the phenomenon called religion; both for now and in the future.

I sincerely commend its readership to all and sundry, especially those of the academia. Please hurry to grab a copy for yourself and your friends.”

Adekunle Ajasin University Press, 2021

The people of the Niger Delta, especially from Benin Kingdom and the Itsekiri of Warri were the f... more The people of the Niger Delta, especially from Benin Kingdom and the Itsekiri of Warri were the first to make contact with Europe. So as early as the 1460s when the Portuguese came into Benin, a few persons, especially from royalty became lettered but this educational development and its benefits were interrupted for 400 years of lull due to the slave trade, and other factors. However, Christian religion and western scholarship came back to such places as Bonny, Nembe, and the Efik territories in the late 1700s and early 1800s (Igali, 2021:14).
In other words, it was the eighteenth century, when religious revivals in Europe appealed more to the masses that the trend of establishing oversea missions began in earnest. Especially after the abolition of the slavery in England and the mounting support for abolition of slave trade, European evangelicals focused serious attention on Africa as a place for repatriation and proselytization (Deezia, 2020:67). This European initiative emanated among whose cultures historically demeaned things African, and this had a decisive impact not only on Africans but also on ‘black-white’ perceptions and relations throughout the world.
Both the colonizers and western missionaries were largely negative about African culture, and Africans were alienated from the gospel dressed up in European garb. The ‘colonizers’ did not recognize that African culture had its own philosophy, and values that informed the lives of Africans, as it were, the missionaries’ approach to Christianize Africans was based on coercion. They required Africans to renounce everything related to their religious beliefs to be ‘proper’ Christians. Everything African, in their perspective, was evil, paganistic and heathen. The missionaries demonized most African beliefs and practices; worst still, Africans were deprived of leadership opportunities in Christianity. With an unquestionable belief in their own self-righteousness and the depravity of Africans, missionaries were determined to change indigenous institutions and behavior and thus saw themselves as Christian agents of civilization. This implied that Africans had to be taught different values, goals, and modes of behavior. Consequently, there was that quest for a theology cooked in the African pot, which takes into cognizance the African religious philosophy and cultural practices.
In the midst of all these, West Africa witnessed two revivals just before and during the First World War. William, Wade Harris who caused tremendous religious excitement all along the Gulf of Guinea in the 1910s, many who did not respond to the message of the Orthodox and European-centered churches flocked to this charismatic figure (Kalu, 1977:85). Coincidentally, a similar phenomenon occurred in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. A Charismatic, prophet figure Garrick Sokari Braide arose in Bakana. A white missionary, the Rev. R.P. Duphin of the Seventh Day Adventist is quoted to have described the event in a letter to the resident, Owerri province thus;
In the year 1915 the Lord poured His Spirit mightily upon Garrick Braide and Moses Hart, members of the Niger Delta Pastorate. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit and through these spirit-filled men as the visible agents, a fresh revival wave spread over the country, and many turned from idol to serve the living God. These revivalists adopted as the fundamental principles of their faith, confession, temperance, polygamy and faith healing (Kalu, 1977:89).

Consequently, in 1916, three prominent British newspapers featured the activities of an obscure man from Africa in their editorials, an act which generated much discussion across the media landscape. Discussion on this man is quoted to have appeared twice in London times with the heading: “A false prophet in Nigeria; Dangerous Pseudo-Christian movement” 22nd June, 1916; and three times in the Liverpool-based African Mall with the heading; “Mahdism in Nigeria” 30th June, 1916. One of the papers wrote;
News has been received from Nigeria regarding the rise and spread of a Pseudo-Christian movement among the Negro tribes in the southern part of the protectorate. The movement is described as (being of) a dangerous character and inimical to the government. At the head of the movement is a negro, a false teacher who having a knowledge of the Bible, has proclaimed himself Elijah II, and claims among other miraculous gifts, to be able to raise the dead and retail his bath water as an infallible panacea for all ills… The government, which is a kind of Negro Mahdism, has affected trade and threatens government authority and Christian influence while the fanatics have made a holocaust of a great number of juju (ills) articles, including valuable ivory (London Times; 22nd June, 1916:48).
At this point, a few questions beg for answer, who was Garrick Braide and what made him command so much attention? What was responsible for the growth of the movement in a milieu dominated by a traditional African worldview? How did the movement alter religious landscape? And what are the legacies of Garrick Braide?
Since the demise of Garrick Sokari Braide in 1918, a lot has been written about him. While P.A. Talbot sees him as a seditious agitator what is today embarked by many, and better known as the Niger Delta course, Harold Turner describes the Garrick Braide revival as the first Pentecostal movement in Nigeria because of the prominence of healing and prophesies (Turner, 1979:100). According to J.D.Y. Peel, Braide was the earliest of the great West African prophets, preceding William, Wade Harris by about a year (Peel, 1996:90). Other notable scholars such as the revered first professor of Church History in West Africa, Professor G.O.M. Tasie, Ogbu Kalu and Wellington O. Wotogbe-Weneka, all acknowledge Garrick Braide as a religious reformer. However, the volume of work on William, Wade Harris has tended to eclipse the importance of the revivals associated with the Aladura movements in Western Nigeria. This has driven Braide into obscurity, yet as noted above, Garrick Braide was the first to capture the attention of the media, both at home in West Africa and in Britain. It is against this backdrop that this chapter did not only probes deep into the life, ministries and revival movement, of Garrick Braide but also presents a brief compendium of Garrick Braid’s contributions to the evangelization of Nigeria and the church history, and provides useful materials for church historians and biographers of Garrick Braide, who has registered his foot prints indelibly in the annals of Nigerian history and publicized Nigeria on the world map.

Peal Publishers International Ltd, 2022

Dot7 Concept, 2021

Introduction Religion is an issue of intense concern for every religious and reflective person, ... more Introduction

Religion is an issue of intense concern for every religious and reflective person, as it addresses, and offers answer to the most fundamental question of human existence. This age-old concern of humankind with religious questions, which antedated the earliest beginning of philosophy, has led various thinkers to inquire into the meaning of the claims made by different religious traditions; the evidence upon which these claims are based; the standards that can be employed in evaluating their merits and whether these claims can be made part of a general theory (Popkin and Stroll, 2007), about the assumptions of the existence of a metaphysical reality called “God,” man, and the universe. Consequently, questions and doubt about knowledge and truth in religious traditions have become a characteristic of modern times.
In other words, there is a natural and historical affinity between religion and philosophy. From the very beginning of philosophical analysis, philosophy makes religion the subject and objects of cognition (Hegel, 1970). This implies that the content, the need and the interest of philosophy represent something which it has in common with religion. Hegel further posits that the object of religion and that of philosophy is eternal truth in its objective dimension and that philosophy should not be seen as the wisdom of the world, but knowledge of what is. In similar view, Karl Jasper asserts that both religion and philosophy co-exist in the myths and cosmologies, and that philosophy was the birth in the cloak of theology (Jaspers, 1967).
On the contrary, the relationship between religion and philosophy has not always been cordial, and as such characterized by tension, antagonism and suspicion. Despite the periodic announcement by religious denigrators and secularist thinkers that humanity has finally come of age and no longer has any use for religion (Wotogbe-Weneka, 2012), most human beings are still vitally concerned with such fundamental questions of human existence, such as; does God exist? And what is the evidence for God’s existence? If God is supreme and all good why does he allow evil and human suffering? What happened to the soul after death? These and other questions imposed by the great religious traditions of the world are grounded in some of the deepest human desire, hopes and fears. Besides, these questions are philosophical in nature, and the philosopher will not be content to let such question go unexamined.
Again, religious believers sometimes have viewed philosophers as unsympathetic critics who try to undermine religious faith. To the believer, the philosopher may appear as a presumptuous champion of human reason who rejects divine wisdom (Evans and Manis, 2009). Conversely, philosophers sometimes have viewed religious believers as benighted defenders of superstition and blind obedience to authority. While these kinds of conflict have certainly occurred, and though tensions between philosophy and religion remain, the questions that come to mind includes; What is religion and philosophy? What is the relationship between religion and philosophy? What are some of those central themes in religion and philosophy? How do we reconcile faith with reason? These questions fascinate everyone, and lie at the heart of philosophy of religion.
In exploring the relationship between religion and philosophy, this chapter did not only unearth the clashes between religion and philosophy but also found areas of convergence. It focuses on the metaphysical, logic, and epistemic problems-proving the existence of God, the problem of evil, immortality of the soul, faith and reason as well as religious language-within religious traditions, theistically conceived. Using the comparative method, the study discovered that both religion and philosophy are normative in nature and serves as an important facets of modern life, that attempt to describe reality from two perspectives, and thus complementary to each other.

Book Chapter, 2021

The history of the Christian Church is often a record of swerving and diverging theologies, philo... more The history of the Christian Church is often a record of swerving and diverging theologies, philosophies and methodologies. This is because of the differing viewpoints, convictions and strategies adopted by the early Christian in the new-found faith in Christ, thus, marking Christianity with incredible theological and doctrinal diversities.

As Christians unfold the good news of salvation, they were confronted by formidable obstacles, including a hostile pagan society, rival religious groups, and sporadic persecutions by the civil authorities (Clouse, Pierard, and Yamauchi, 2002). In spite of these barriers, their faith encountered the challenge of divisive heresies. In other words while defending itself against external attacks and insidious heresies, the Christian Church also engaged in defining its beliefs regarding the scriptures, the nature of Christ, and the godhead. Christians had to clarify their relationship to Judaism and its sacred writings (Clouse, etal, 2002), as well as the enlisted Greek Philosophy and Latin rhetoric in the theological task. This chapter therefore, is not only poised to examine the influence of Greek philosophy on doctrinal controversies in the early church, but also examine the birth of ecumenism has helped the church in Nigeria, to achieve the goal of unity.