The Problem of Destiny in Akan and Yoruba Traditional Thoughts: A Comparative Analysis of the Works of Wiredu, Gyekye and Gbadegesin

Abstract

Many African scholars have expressed varied thoughts about the concept of a person, specifically about that which constitutes a person in African philosophy. These philosophers include Kwasi Wiredu, Kwame Gyekye and Segun Gbadegesin. What they have in common, though, is that their ideas on the concept of a person issue largely from the traditional philosophies of some West African peoples. Wiredu and Gyekye reflect on Akan conceptions while Gbadegesin carries out his discussions from the Yoruba cultural perspective. This paper examines the thoughts of these prominent philosophers, with a particular focus on the constitution of the person and the nature of his or her destiny.