RELATIONAL PERSONHOOD IN GABRIEL MARCEL AND IGBO COMMUNALISM: A PHILOSOPHICAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

This paper undertakes a philosophical appraisal of the concept of relational personhood as articulated in Gabriel Marcel’s existential personalism and the traditional Igbo worldview of communalism. Gabriel Marcel emphasizes the human person as a mystery, not a problem, and defines personhood through presence, fidelity, availability, and especially through interpersonal relationships. Similarly, the Igbo sense of communalism conceives the individual not as an isolated entity but as a being whose identity and fulfillment are inextricably tied to the community. This study explores the convergences between Marcel’s relational ontology and the Igbo communitarian ethos, highlighting how both traditions affirm the centrality of relationship, solidarity, and transcendence in defining the human person. Through a comparative analysis, it examines how both perspectives offer valuable correctives to modern individualistic and materialist conceptions of the self. This paper further suggests that integrating Marcelian and Igbo insights can enrich contemporary discussions on personhood, ethics, and social responsibility, especially in multicultural and postcolonial contexts. Ultimately, the study affirms that authentic personhood flourishes not in isolation or separation, but through meaningful participation and togetherness in relationships grounded in love, respect, and mutual recognition.