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Ìwà: The Process-Relational Dimension to African Metaphysics

This book approaches the subject of African metaphysics historically as it connects Ancient Egypt to Yorùbá. It provides a history of African metaphysics from ancient Egypt or Kemet down to John Boakye Danquah and Placide Tempels in the 20th century and then Innocent Asouzu, Ada Agada, and Aribiah David Attoe, in the 21st century. As it surpasses the deductions of these previous works, it moves further to showcase African originality and approaches to studying reality, whilst resisting the temptation to deduce conclusions from Western philosophy. It is the first book in the history of African philosophy to use a process-relational approach to interrogate African metaphysics. It also serves to harmonize and engage prominent African scholars who have written on the subject of African metaphysics.

The general scope of this book centers on engaging the history of distortion and misunderstanding of African metaphysics by providing a relevant and reliable process-relational background as well as an alternative trivalent logic system. Unless African metaphysical theories are understood from this perspective, they will remain powerless to overcome these misrepresentations. It appeals to students and researchers internationally actively working in the fields of African philosophy, Intercultural African studies as well as process studies.

About the Author

Emmanuel Ofuasia

Dr. Emmanuel Ofuasia is Decoloniality Research Group Associate at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He specializes in: Process Ontology, African Philosophy of Religion, African Logic, Ifá Studies, and Animal Rights. He is the most published Nigerian on the subject of Process Ontology and has received research grants from organizations and institutions such as the Birmingham Centre for Philosophy of Religion in conjunction with the John Templeton Foundation and Culture and Animal Foundation (CAF). Dr. Ofuasia’s work has appeared in numerous journals, including Process Studies, and his first monograph, Ìwà: The Process-Relational Dimension to African Metaphysics, was published by Springer Cham in 2024.