AFRICAN EPISTEMOLOGY: UNPACKING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS AND THEIR VALIDITY

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive critical examination of the foundations, structures, and validity of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). Employing a philosophical and conceptual analysis methodology, it interrogates the socio-epistemic foundations of IKS through a decolonial lens, drawing extensively from both historical and contemporary African scholarship. The study finds that these systems, cultivated through deeply communal experiences, rigorously disciplined oral transmission, and morally-grounded structures, possess sophisticated internal standards of justification that are frequently rendered invisible or invalid by the hegemonic application of Eurocentric epistemological criteria. Engaging with a robust body of philosophical, sociological, and environmental scholarship, including significant contributions from Nigerian academics, the discussion traverses complex themes such as the socio-epistemic role of testimony, the dynamic intelligence of indigenous ecological practices, the restorative logic of conflict resolution, and the enduring, damaging legacies of epistemic injustice. The analysis contends that the validity of IKS is most accurately and fairly assessed not through a forced conformity to Western scientific models, but through demonstrated internal coherence, sustained pragmatic success, and a contextually-aware rationality. The article concludes by advocating for a robust epistemic pluralism and outlines critical, actionable pathways for future research, emphasizing the urgent role of African scholarship in digital preservation, pedagogical integration, and transformative interdisciplinary dialogue that can reshape global knowledge production.