Holistic Ontology, Social Capital and the Quest for Social Harmony in Africa

Abstract

Contra western ontology which is marked by an emphasis on the primacy of the individual and material, African ontological universe is not only deeply spiritual, but also valorises the unity and the interconnectedness of all beings. Consequent upon reflections on the all too well known, but sometimes disputed, difference between western and African ontological orientations, this paper demonstrates how African ontology provides a solid metaphysical/epistemological foundation for the creation of social capital and the promotion of social harmony on the continent. Paradoxically, however, social relation in Africa today is characterised by a deficit of social capital, mutual distrust and antagonism which often culminate in violent conflicts. The glaring disconnect between African holistic ontology which points in the direction of solidarity and social harmony, on the one hand, and social relations which has been fraught with antagonism and conflict, on the other, certainly stands in the need of explanation. The paper explains this disconnect in terms of two devastating effects of the colonial domination of Africa, namely, the erosion of the African worldview by the imposition of a foreign one, and the deliberate cultivation of parochial identities which is today manifested in the form of misguided ethno-nationalist sentiments within the artificially constructed states on the continent. The paper concludes by contending that the reclamation of the African spiritualistic ontology represents the viable way forward for Africa and Africans in their quest for sustainable development.