Ọ̀rúnmìlà and the Yorùbá Intellectual Tradition: Words and Language vis-à-vis Western Modernity

Bello, Saheed Adesumbo

Abstract

The essay offers a decolonial reading of the thought of Ọ̀rúnmìlà, the ancient legendary Yorùbá African messenger and interpreter of the spiritual tradition of Ifá with the aim to address the problem of hegemonic languages (such as English and French) and epistemic bias that have affected the Yorùbá intellectual tradition. The essay argues that reflection on the deep history of Yorùbá and the applied philosophy of Ọ̀rúnmìlà can better clarify the problem of language and epistemic injustices that European modernity has generated in modern Africa. The essay therefore explores what could be described as the interaction of nature-culture in the Yorùbá African intellectual tradition that continues to be silenced and distorted by imposed hegemonic languages and cultures. Through a new reading of the thought of Ọ̀rúnmìlà within the context of Ifá, the essay highlights how the problem of language and epistemic injustices disrupts the continuity of inherited African philosophical and historical traditions in modern times. Ultimately, such reading aims at revealing the contribution of the Yorùbá intellectual tradition to the global philosophical and historical discourse.

Citation

Bello, S. A. (2023). Ọ̀rúnmìlà and the Yorùbá Intellectual Tradition: Words and Language vis-à-vis Western Modernity. Culture and dialogue, 11(1), 85-103. https://doi.org/10.1163/24683949-12340129

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 15, 2023
• Publication Date: Jun 21, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jul 29, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 29, 2023
• Journal: Culture and Dialogue
• Print ISSN: 2222-3282
• Electronic ISSN: 2468-3949
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 85-103
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/24683949-12340129
• Keywords: Africa, History, Ifá, Language, Modernity, Orality, Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Philosophy, and Religion
• Publisher URL: https://brill.com/view/journals/cad/11/1/article-p85_5.xml