CRITIQUE OF IGBO AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY OF EXPEDIENCY

Abstract

Having been preponderantly incarcerated by the empirical immediacy and influence by the philosophy of expediency orchestrated by the colonialist empiricism and utilitarianism, Igbo African feels satisfied in anchoring his fate on the result-oriented principles, denigrating the erstwhile conviction that God’s time is the best. Today the contemporary Igbo African is meant to live in the now and its peculiarities, he has lost the patience and the value attached to longanimity in waiting for a best turn of events tomorrow. So for him, it is now or never, unjust or unprincipled, the best happens when he gains access, with urgency. The moribundity that is attached to the plan of getting the best, provided it takes some time, has precipitated to his acceptance of the mundane philosophy of ebeano, egwueji and akanchawa which are trado-Igbo African theories on which he targets his justifications. On this backdrop this paper intends to x-ray the new, dominant and all pervading Igbo African Philosophy of expediency (speed, haste and urgency) using the hermeneutical method to explain the neologisms which are ‘ab ovo’ mentioned as systems of thought that will help him philosophize soberly and accurately. As new theories in Igbo linguistic philosophy, this paper intends to critique the new Igbo African approach to Philosophy of expediency and provide an interpretative scheme which will chart a new map for further development in these areas.