Nnadiebube Journal of Philosophy

There are myriad of fundamental problems that are bedeviling the continent of Africa and these fundamental problems are colonialism, neocolonialism, imperialism or trade imbalances, the crisis of African identity, the hegemonic tendencies of globalization, poor national planning, hunger, diseases, abject poverty, poor leadership structure, massive corruption, infrastructural deficit, weak government institutions, poor judicial system, violation of human rights and dignity, gender inequality, high infant mortality, poor health care system, environmental degradation and poor per capita income, and low life expectancy. Leopold Senghor’s theoretical analysis and ideological template of Negritude encapsulates the critical importance of the family. Senghor’s postulation of Negritude presupposes that the family is the smallest unit of any society. Be that as it may, the theoretical reconstruction of Senghor’s Negritude is in consonance with Kwasi Wiredu’s context that the family is understood in terms of a non-Western sense of kinship and common ancestry lineage. The objective of this paper is that Senghor’s theoretical reconstruction of Negritude is a clarion call for African emancipation from the evils of colonialism, neocolonialism and imperialism. His ideological template reminds us the implications of Western biases and the evils of Eurocentricisn that has been bedeviling the African continent. This evil of Eurocentricism has created a negative implication on the quest for African development. There has been a great divide beween developed and developing countries and this has led to certain ideological orientations such as globalization. Senghor’s conceptual analysis and ideological templates of Negritude presupposes the philosophy of communitarian agreement, rational consensus, we-consciousness and shared common destiny. The conceptual clarification of African communalism reveals that in African communal setting the African person lives within his community and he is defined by a sense of belongingness. Senghor’s conceptual analysis and ideological templates of Negritude presupposes the philosophy of communitarian agreement, rational consensus, we-consciousness and shared common destiny. The conceptual clarification of African communalism reveals that in African communal setting the African person lives within his community and he is defined by a sense of belongingness. Worthy of note is that Senghor’s theoretical reconstruction has theoretical affinity with Kwasi Wiredu’s philosophical inquiry that the African is thus held in a form of an umbilical cord or cosmic network of communal fellowship. This binds him at same time with others. However, the the African person is fundamentally inspired by the family and the society. The family is the base and the smallest unit of every human society.

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