Atuolu Omalu

The publication of philosophy from African scholars is always welcome, and this volume, edited by Chimakonam, is no exception. The title of this collection, which is derived from part of an Igbo proverb, might be loosely translated as 'explicating to the wise.' This volume features 14 essays—all but 3 published here for the first time—by 13 scholars representing the approach of the emerging Calabar School of Philosophy (http://africanphilcongress.com/), which focuses on a 'dialogical engagement' between tradition and modernity, universalism and particularism, and Western and African culture. The essays cover a wide range of topics, from logic to hermeneutics and ethics to transliteration. Many of the traditional themes of African philosophy appear, but usually with a new twist emphasizing the role of contemporary sociopolitical realities and seeking a functional synthesis of the 'useful'—both characteristic of the Calabar approach . . . The collection is nevertheless a very good introduction to a new generation of African philosophers. * CHOICE *
By incorporating many sub-fields within philosophy overall the authors and editor are successful in compiling a complete book on contemporary written African philosophy. . . .[T]he volume’s contributors lay out the previous debates fully in their chapters, and each has a nuanced take on how to organize the previous debates. This book implies the emergence of more books on these topics, and hopefully to be included in the future of the field is the incorporation of more sub-genres. The authors leave you excited by their methodology, and wanting for continued studies along this path. * African Studies Quarterly *
This collection represents a radically new approach to African philosophy. Fresh ideas collide with fresh scholars to offer a much anticipated new direction. -- Jack Aigbodioh, deputy vice-chancellor (academic), Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma
This edited volume is a significant contribution to current questions on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of African philosophy. Deeply influenced by the Calabar School of Philosophy (Nigeria), the contributors engage a series of critical questions about epistemology, ontology, and hermeneutics, as well as universalism/particularism, as they survey the current state of the field. Broadly comparative and marked by innovative thinking, these essays by mostly younger scholars demonstrate the vitality of the formal study of the ‘love of wisdom’ in Africa, and provide a useful historiography of contemporary African philosophy. This book will also be of special interest to anyone concerned with understanding African thought and culture in the era of globalization. -- Douglas B. Chambers, PhD, University of Southern Mississippi