Critical discussion on how John Ayetunde Bewaji shows, in his essay 'Ethics and Morality in the Yoruba Culture' (2004), that the Yoruba culture is an example of an African system of morality
Critically discuss how John Ayetunde Bewaji shows, in his essay 'Ethics and
Morality in the Yoruba Culture' (2004), that the Yoruba culture is an example
of an African system of morality
Introduction
Bewaji in his essay Ethics and Morality in Africa, asserts that morality and ethics in
Western and nonWestern societies have similar importance in that human social and
interpersonal behaviour is under the necessity of the adjustment of interests among
individuals for attaining the general well-being of the community. In this regard, the author
accounts for what makes African and non-African moral systems different.
This essay shall discuss these differences by critically analysing the Yoruba culture is an
example of an African system of morality. It will show that for Bewaji, African ethics or
morality focuses on human welfare rather than serving supernatural beings (God/gods).
Bewaji’s humanistic ethics
One of the aims of Bewaji’s essay is to debunk the common fallacies about African
morality in that (1) Moral obligations in African morality are social rather than individual
and (2) Morality in Africa has a religious foundation, which is based on the view that
Africans are religious in all things. In doing so, Bewaji makes two very important points in
relation to African morality. The first being, that the basis of morality in Africa is human
welfare, and not to earn reward from some divine or metaphysical being.
He further questions the notion, as propagated by John Mbiti, that “Africans are in all things
religious” (Bewaji 2004: 55). In Bewaji’s view, there is a relationship between religion and
morality in Africa, in that they both play a social cohesion role and also bring order in
society. The second point raised by Bewaji is that ethics permeates all spheres of life in
African societies., whereby the gods and ancestors are also expected to be ethical in their
conduct
Armed with these points, Bewaji cites Wiredu who maintains that ethics or morality in
Africa is humanistic, in that moral action and behaviour among Africans are not inspired by
some divine or supernatural being as is the case within Christian ethics. One does not do
good in order to please or fulfil the will of God or the gods. One does ‘good’ because it
promotes human welfare and it is acceptable to human society. In other words, actions
that promote human welfare or interest are good, while those that detract from human
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