PERSONHOOD IN AFRICA AND HINDU THOUGHTS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to compare the idea of personhood in African and Hindu thought systems. The notion of personhood is a very controversial concept, which is best clarified within the space of a particular culture. As such, it is difficult, if not impossible, to have a universal conception of personhood across all cultures. This is mainly premised on the argument that different cultures are rooted in different ontologies and metaphysics that shape and influence their belief systems, values, and norms. In Africa, for instance, Yorùbá in particular, the concept of personhood determines the ontological status, belongingness, and identity of an individual in a community. This paper not only considers the structural components of a person, it also examines the normative conceptions of a person from an African perspective. Likewise, a Hindu does not recognize a person as a mere material. As such, its understanding of personhood goes beyond the corporeal entity to an ethico-spiritual personality. This is why a sense of divinity and spirituality is attributed to all human beings in Hindu thought. This paper critically analyses the idea of personhood in African and Hindu thought systems. In spite of the criticisms identified, the research finds that the attainment of personhood is stringent within the Yorùbá and Hindu tradition. As such, the paper posits that to be distinguished from animals, one cannot but aspire to attain the level of personhood that is beyond the ordinary level of human beings.