Yorùbá Philosophy: Critical Perspectives on Indigenous Concepts and Phenomena

The study and conceptualization of subjects and concepts across different disciplines in indigenous languages have been gaining significant traction in recent times. To expand academic curricula, challenge rigid disciplinary canons, and decolonize scholarship, scholars are increasingly appreciating the cruciality of examining ideas and concepts in languages that have long been excluded from knowledge generation and dissemination in academia.

In Yoruba, attempts have been made to integrate the language into various fields such as literature, history, linguistics, and religious studies. However, scholars are actively exploring the richness of Yoruba across other intellectual areas in the humanities and STEM disciplines. This colloquium will bring together leading experts from linguistics, history, philosophy, and peace studies to engage with Yoruba philosophy from diverse perspectives.

The participants will critically examine Yoruba culture, traditions, religious beliefs, ethical systems, epistemological frameworks, metaphysical concepts, political ideas, and other aspects of Yoruba intellectual heritage. Through these discussions, the colloquium aims to highlight the vibrancy and relevance of Yoruba as a language that contains sophisticated philosophical thought.  The one-day colloquium will be in two parts. Each session comprises four speakers, who will explore in detail the fundamentals and important issues in Yoruba philosophy from an interdisciplinary perspective.