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Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religion
403
IGBO COMMUNALISM: AN APPRAISAL OF ASOUZU’S
IBUANYIDANDA PHILOSOPHY
Innocent Chukwudolue Egwutuorah
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Philosophy, Imo State University,
Owerri, Nigeria.
1. Introduction
The individual is not self sufficient but has many needs which he
cannot supply to himself. Hence, human beings agreed to submit
voluntarily to a system and were bound to live in unison and
solidarity. Through deep experiences as creatures, human beings
realized their insufficiency and dependency. They discovered that
they need each other to live a contented life. These experiences of
life gave recourse to the idea of complementarity as a measure to
survive the challenges posed by other vicissitudes of life. Inter
dependency, inter-relationship, collectivism and mutual co-
existence form the basis for Igbo life pattern as expressed in
Ibuanyidanda; an aspect of Igbo- communalism.
Igbo communalism is expressed in living together and sharing
responsibilities. The traditional Igbo society has a great asset in its
practice of a mode of life called communalism. This used to be the
bedrock and the result of the wonderful relationship prevalent in
the Igbo- African community as well as the purpose of the
existence of the Igbo community in particular and of the Africans
in general. In the light of the above and in recognition of the
ontological and trajectory relationship of living together and
sharing responsibilities, Asouzu developed the Ibuanyidanda
philosophy as an authentic traditional Igbo life pattern which has
survived till today. “The concept Ibuanyidanda is drawn from the
Igbo language and has as its nearest English equivalent the idea
complementarity in the sense of njikọka (togetherness is greatest)
Igwe bụ ike (strength in togetherness).”1 J. O. Chimakonam in his
Vol. 2 No. 1 January – June, 2013
404
etymological grand-standing has argued that the Igbo concept
nmekọka better interprets complementarity than njikọka. Njikọka
he went on, better interprets a closely related theory integrativity
or integrative humanism associated with G. O. Ozumba2.
The central issue here is the ontological explanation for the
acceptance and practice of communalism as Ibuanyidanda by Igbo
communities. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to highlight
aspects of Igbo communitarian outlook. In other words, an attempt
will be made to evaluate the purport of communalism within the
context of Ibuanyidanda, its sense and meanings as well as its
influence on different aspects of Igbo life. The idea of
Ibuanyidanda as an aspect of Igbo communalism developed as a
result of the fact that man is a social being who necessarily lives in
the company of other human beings. “The Igbo sees this social
collaboration as a natural legacy which ought to be lived,
recognized at all times and therefore developed and preserved as a
treasure”3 developing and preserving communalism as a treasure
within the context of Ibuanyidanda which implies that authentic
Igbo communalism is not racial or tribal rather, it is realized within
the umunna (kindred) and (Ogbe) village levels. Communalism
implies group spirit. The concept “Ibuanyidanda” was expounded
by I. I. Asouzu to clear a ground and draw a demarcation in the
misconception of communalism. Thus he says;
In most contemporary African countries, what is
understood as communalism, when carefully
considered are diverse brands of tribal social
arrangements designed to protect private and group
interest against all forms of outside intrusion.4
The proper understanding of original practice of communalism in
the pre-colonial African world is what we intent to buttress using
the theory of ibuanyidanda.
Vol. 2 No. 1 January – June, 2013
412
4. Limitations to Ibuanyidanda Vis-à-vis Modernity
The present individualistic life style of the Igbo is a deviant life. It
is a perverted life brought about by the relegation to the
background of the Igbo belief system. Today, the Igbo are no
longer united by the same work. Neither is harmony still a part of
their work atmosphere. In trying to bring back this traditional Igbo
spirit, Asouzu has proposed the Ibuanyidanda philosophy; which in
the literal sense means: no load is insurmountable for danda which
implies complementarity or community spirit.
The advancement in education, science and technology has made
many of our people to ostracize themselves from their
communities and there by kill the community spirit. The entire
Igbo world has relapsed into chaos and disorder arising from
individualism. The sense of unity, oneness, dependency,
interdependency, and mutual co-existence has been eroded.
Commenting on the depreciation of the authentic Igbo values as
contained in the Ibuanyidanda concept, Ekwuru writes:
As the situation stands now, one does not need the
expert analysis of a social scientist nor the rigorous
sample survey of an ethnoscientist or cultural
anthropologist to size up the situation of Igbo
societal malaise. For one who wants to be
downright traditional in his analysis of the situation,
the present period is seething with such kinds of
events that evoke the proverbial sense of
abnormality. Most of the present occurrences defy
any reasonable explanation as they go contrary to
every traditional canon of sense and sensibility18
The complementary community spirit that characterized the
traditional Igbo society is today questionable due to the break
through in world civilization as contributed by science and
technology. The intimate face-to-face personal and humane
relationship, interdependency, dependency, co-existence and co-
responsibility that marked the community spirit is today opposed
Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religion
413
by the technocratic society in which members of the modern Igbo
community work out of tempo with nature and tries to meet up
with the tempo of the science (machine). Consequently,
depersonalizing, and individualizing the people and introducing
Ibu-nyiri-danda. (Load unable to be surmounted by danda). The
oil bean tree (Ukpaka) and the Egu (a species of centipede) is
analogous to the Modern Igbo community. The oil bean seed
before maturity is bonded and united but after maturity they scatter
and disperse across the bush. The Egu on the other hand holds
strongly on a tree branch while young and becomes weak at
maturity.
Prior to colonialism, Ibuanyidanda as an authentic existential
philosophy was practicable among the Igbo. In the post colonial
era, the attendant proliferation of churches, materialism,
modernization and other sources have put great questions to
Ibuanyidanda as a complementary philosophy of existence.
5. Conclusion
Notwithstanding the effects of civilization on the modern society,
one notices that Asouzu’s attempt to identify Ibuanyidanda with
Igbo communalism is a fruitful effort, apt and interesting. He
contends that Ibuanyidanda is inevitable and will be very useful in
understanding Igbo communalism. Ibuanyidanda as a concept
accepts traditional socialism and recalls the humanitarianism and
egalitarianism of the traditional Igbo society. It accepts
libertarianism ingrained in some of the ideologies of the western
societies.
Furthermore, its success as a uniting ideology of not only the Igbo,
but also of all Africans, suggest the possibility of its success as a
salvaging social philosophy. Ibuanyidanda as a philosophical
concept must be embraced and lived by all Igbo communities
because, in it lies the future of Igbo development and through it,
authentic existence is realized.
Vol. 2 No. 1 January – June, 2013
414
References
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Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religion
415
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