The Forest in African Traditional Thought and Practice: An Ecophilosophical Discourse

Mark Omorovie Ikeke

Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/ojpp.2013.32052                

Abstract

In traditional African thought which is still prevalent in many places in Africa, despite the onslaught of globalization and the attendant consequences of colonialism, the forest is held and revered to be a sacred entity and in most cases the habitation of supra-human forces. Apart from clearing for cultivation and human residence, the forest was generally preserved and protected from endangerment. Today, in most places especially in urban Africathis is no longer the case. A colonialist ideology that commoditises the forest has taken root and some no longer see anything wrong in wanton destruction of forest land and degradation of forests. This work uses a critical method to interpret the African concept of the forest, propose reclaiming aspects of the African concept of the forest. The work finds and concludes that there are viable gems in the African heritage that can help to combat climate change and the environmental crisis.

Keywords

Africa; Forest; Traditional Thoughts; Ecophilosophy; Environmental Crisis

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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