THE DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY OF EMMANUEL ONYECHERE OSIGWEANYIAM-OSIGWE, VOL. 2

THE DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHYOF

EMMANUEL ONYECHERE OSIGWE ANYIAM-OSIGWE

VOL 2

Enhancement of Socio-Political Existence and Order

Olusegun Oladipoand

Adebola B. Ekanola

Hope PublicationsIbadan, Nigeria

First Published 2009 byHope Publications Ltd.

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© Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan 2009

ISBN 978-8080-50-2

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Contributors

Dr. Christopher Agulanna, Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy,University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Dr. Victor S. Alumona, Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Dr. Olatunji A. Oyeshile, Senior Lecturer and Ag. Head, Department ofPhilosophy, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Prof. Jim I. Unah, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Dr. Isaac E. Ukpokolo, Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy,University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Dr. Adebola B. Ekanola, Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy,University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Prof. A.G.A. Bello, Lagos State University, Nigeria.

Dr. Amaechi Udefi, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan,Nigeria.

Dr. Francis Offor, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan,Nigeria.

Dr. Yunusa Kehinde Salami, Reader and Ag. Head, Department ofPhilosophy, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Dr. Bolatito Lanre-Abass, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Universityof Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abosede Ipadeola, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Universityof Ibadan, Nigeria.

Dr. O.B.C. Nwolise, Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science,University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Prof. Kolawole A. Olu-Owolabi, Department of Philosophy, University ofIbadan, Nigeria.

Dr. Chukwugozie Maduka, Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy andReligions, University of Benin, Nigeria.

’Tade Adegbindin, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Universityof Ibadan, Nigeria.

Dr. Adeshina Afolayan, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University ofIbadan.

Prof. Olusegun Oladipo, Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan.

Contents

Foreword ... ... ... ... ... ... ixPreface ... ... ... ... ... ... xiv

1. Foundations of Good Governance for SustainableDevelopment in Africa

Christopher Agulanna... ... ... ... 12. Reinventing Governance for Social Change and

DevelopmentVictor S. Alumona ... ... ... ... 17

3. Traditional Social Institutions and ContemporaryPolitical Life In Relation to OsigweAnyiam-Osigwe’s Thought

Olatunji A. Oyeshile ... ... ... ... 394 Ideals of Democracy

Issues, Assumptions, Illusions and PreconditionsJim I. Unah ... ... ... ... ... 51

5 Towards a Viable Political Culture for Africa:Echoes from Emmanuel Onyechere OsigweAnyaim-Osigwe

Isaac E. Ukpokolo ... ... ... ... 606. Good Governance in the Development Philosophy of

Anyiam-OsigweAdebola B. Ekanola ... ... ... ... 69

7. Emmanuel Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe on theIndividual, the State and World Order

A.G.A. Bello ... ... ... ... ... 838. The State and the Search for Political Stability in

Anyiam-Osigwe’s Development PhilosophyAmechi Udefi and Francis Offor ... ... 91

9. Anyiam-Osigwe on Citizenship and Questions of RightsYunusa Kehinde Salami ... ... ... 105

10. Representative Leadership and the Quest forPolitical Stability in Anyiam-Osigwe’sSocio-political thought.

Bolatito Lanre-Abass and Abosede Ipadeola ... 11811. Godfatherism and Nigerian Politics:

Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe in PerspectiveO.B.C. Nwolise ... ... ... ... 132

12. Constitutionalism and Political Order:Visions and Tensions in Anyiam-Osigwe’sQuest for a Philosophy of Socio-PoliticalOrder in Nigeria

Kolawole A. Olu-Owolabi ... ... ... 16613. The Principle of Checks and Balances in Nigerian

Constitutional OrderChukwugozie Maduka ... ... ... 183

14. Anyiam-Osigwe, the National Question and the Problem of Instability in Post-colonial Africa

‘Tade Adegbindin and Adeshina Afolayan ... 19815. A critique of the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Governance

Olusegun Oladipo ... ... ... ... 210

Index ... ... ... ... ...... ... ... ... 221

Foreword

The central theme of the second pillar of Anyiam-Osigwe’s HolisticApproach to Human Existence and Development, on which the papers inthis volume focus, is Socio-political Existence and Order. Whilst I amcertain that these papers have subjected Anyiam-Osigwe’s thoughts andsubmissions to thorough academic scrutiny, I feel compelled as an apostleto use this rare opportunity to briefly share some in-house perspectives onAnyiam-Osigwe’s postulations on the central theme of this volume.

In general, Anyiam-Osigwe’s treatises reflect an original thought patternthat is robust in philosophical focus and perspective. They focusontologically on a metaphysical concept that is universal. Beyond thephilosophical insight of his treatises, the depth, broadmindedness andabstract dimensions that his thoughts convey reinforce his assertion thatman is endowed with a subconscious abstract mind wherein resides theknowledge of all things. This establishes the veracity of his affirmation thatman’s capacity to intuit into that abstract mind endows him with knowledgefrom a higher octave of the ideal beyond the phenomena world or theworld of immediate perception.

Indeed, Anyiam-Osigwe’s views on a wide range of issues reveal amind that is not afraid of ideas. They reveal a mind willing to explorethought forms, concepts and ideas to the broadest stretch of contemplation,perception and imagination. They examplify a mind with the courage toventure into the wilderness of thought unencumbered by pre-conceptions,and endowed with an extraordinary capacity to piece together and organisevirgin or untested ideas, thoughts, concepts, and visions into a sequentialand logical pattern for rational discourse.

In his assertion that man is a manifestation of Divine Intelligence,Anyiam-Osigwe’s philosophy reconciles the universal cannons of existenceand the abstractions of an esoteric universe with the subjective perceptiblerealities of phenomena. In his ontology, he encapsulates the relationshipbetween the absolute and the subjective in a manner which indicates that

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all development in phenomena is within the content of the abstract oruniversal.

To this extent, his concept of A Holistic Approach to HumanExistence and Development presents philosophy with an ontology whichcomprehends the Divine Principal as the Primal Cause, and existence asinfinite. He opines that existence is immanent in the infinity of the ArchBeing. In that context, the primal cause from which all forms and all beingsderive is prior to and beyond space and time and at the same time manifestin it.

He therefore projects an ontological disputation in which phenomenanot only provide us with an insight into the transcendental but also positionsman as the immanent form of the Divine Principal, thereby offering us aparadigm by which we apprehend the absolute.

His ontology underscores a duality in which existence is temporal andethereal, transitory and absolute. Furthermore, his emphasis on the role ofthe family in child development underscores his apprehension of beingand reality in both objective and subjective comprehension. Man as aManifestation of Divinity is inherently endowed to nurture, will, commandand define the form and purpose of his society.

Against this backdrop, a starting point in evaluating Anyiam-Osigwe’sperspective on “Socio-Political Existence and Order” is his submissionthat a better world order begins with a better me. In his espousal on the“Esoteric Possibilities of Advancing Latent Human Capacities”, Anyiam-Osigwe asserts; “we must seek identity with truth in order to modify ourconsciousness and gain a high degree of enlightenment, which would enableus to serve humanity better”.

In his view, the fundamental crisis of the modern man is that hisknowledge base, in spite of its formidability, is devoid of spiritualunderpinning. Any knowledge that is not composed in deep spiritualrefinement is bound to negate the ordered course of universal harmonyand progress. He asserts that spirituality, which he defines as value-guidedconduct, is the primordial essence in which the human being is integratedin form and being. The spiritual integral is the moderating principle in man. Itis the standard by which man intuits into the alter ego of his cosmic identity.

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When man integrates into his pristine essence, the spiritual integral,which provides the moral underpinning, he generates the capacity tomoderate his various propensities, resulting in the subordination of lowerimpulses to higher ones, the moderation of his negative emotions and thepre-eminence of his positive emotions as the dominant traits.

In his view, the universe is a perfect universe. It is a mathematicaluniverse in which all is situated in an ordered and harmonious interaction.It is also a single whole. Yet it is essentially a socialising phenomenon. In itsionic spheres of unfolding, it reveals various galactic bodies, planets, andother things of this nature. In its manifestations, are the elements of air,water, earth, and fire. Yet all its components are ordered, goverened andcoordinated by a single force operating with a high degree of order andprecision. The governing laws of the universe are not man-made nor dothey need to be enforced by a law enforcement agency. They are inherentand self regulating.

Anyiam-Osigwe’s assertion that man is the centre of this awesomephenomenon gives an insight into the true identity of man and the immensityof his capacities. Perhaps, we need to draw inference from the biblicalstory of creation in which Adam is said to have named everything thatGod had created. This narrative supports Anyiam-Osigwe’s assertion thatman is the immanence of divinity. He is the centre of the universe and isseized in the perfection in which the universe unfolded at the dawn of time.

The insight this brings to us is that, what we call learning in the processof education is more of a process of unfolding inherent and yet latentknowledge. Anyiam-Osigwe argues that man is made perfect as theimmanence of divinity. The capacity to discern good and bad is intuitive inhis subconscious. Intuitiveness is the capacity of the phenomenal mind toapprehend the subconscious mind – the finer intellect in which theknowledge of all that is in being resides. In the view of Anyiam-Osigwe,man is innately sensitive to the moral ethos.

Is man, therefore, inherently good? Anyiam-Osigwe says yes. Is maninnately endowed with knowledge of good and bad? Anyiam-Osigwesays yes. Then how did man and his social environment come to so muchevil, so much malfunctioning or disorder, so much inequity and disequilibria?

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Anyiam-Osigwe posits that the fall of man, which is a presence in nearlyall religions, indicates that at a certain age and time man appears to havedeviated from the bounds of the laws that undergird the universe.

The Way ForwardThe discussion on socio-political existence and order, therefore, draws

from an analysis of man as a social animal. The human community beganto evolve with man’s understanding that he can only survive and thrivewithin a community matrix. In other words, the self is subsumed in theother. Man is, therefore, primarily by identity, a social animal. But thehuman community is a community of diverse interests, each seeking tofulfill itself. In most cases, there are conflicts of interest and these call forsome form of social engineering to minimise the social conflicts arisingtherefrom. This constitutes the basis for the political integral as a regulatingmodel to which all members of that social community should subscribe.

In all of this, Anyiam-Osigwe argues that the viable path to an orderedsocio-political existence lies in the following:

! The re-divination of man through the re-infusion of moral valuesinto the individual and the social order.

! The successful distillation of the group mind within the context ofthe larger society.

He explains that the moral integral is not some form of social conventionwhich man is compelled to embrace but is a phenomenon that is innate inman and primordial to human existence. Knowledge of good and bad isresident in man’s subconscious, which is the elevated form of thephenomenal mind. He argues that man does not have to learn the moralethos; he intuits into the subconscious mind to unfold from within himselfthat which is moral. Therefore, the glorious social order we desire neednot necessarily be dependent on stringent or restraining laws enforcedwith hammer-hard measures and legal mechanisms.

In postulating on the resolution of the contradictions in Africa and thehuman community at large, Anyiam-Osigwe calls for the re-divination ofman and society through the re-infusion of values into human consciousness.The human society, he says, must integrate backward towards reinventing

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the social order premised on the spiritualisation of the social psyche and arenewed sense of community. Spirituality, he reiterates, is value-guidedconduct. He identifies corruption as a virus that can only be eliminatedwhen spirituality is integrated into the societal fabric. For Anyiam-Osigwe,core values must constitute the basis for defining and evaluating concreteexistence. To that effect, he urges a cultivation of nobility of characteramong the citizenry that entrenches moral propriety and principledleadership in public and private life and promotes consensus. It is in thiscontext that he advocates value-guided conduct as a universal tenet andpropriety as a way of life for mankind.

An important dimension of Anyiam-Osigwe’s perspective on theeradication of corruption and the promotion of an ordered society is hisassertion that economic enhancement is a prerequisite in any effectivestrategy for the eradication of corruption or instituting order in society. Inhis view, spiritual development should be concomitant with legitimateeconomic progress and well being, just as legitimate economic progressand well being is a fundamental requirement for sustaining value-guidedconduct as a way of life.

Michael Anyiam-OsigweCoordinator- GeneralOsigwe Anyiam-Osigwe FoundationLagos, Nigeria

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Preface

This is the second in the series of works devoted to the examination ofthe ideas of Chief Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe (1921-1998). The first volume is on the first pillar of his Holistic Approach to Life,which concerns the importance of personal values, personal awarenessand self-mastery for national development. This volume on the second pillarfocuses on the enhancement of socio-political existence and order.

The papers are in line with the general focus of Anyiam-Osigwe’sdevelopment philosophy, which advocates a holistic approach to existenceand development as a means of promoting “efficient living” and enhancingsocial progress. They severally discuss the essential conditions for enhancingsocio-political stability and order. Consequently, they deal with socio-politicalconcepts, such as governance, democracy, the state, citizenship, leadershipand constitutionalism, among others. Also, they reiterate some of the keyconditions – at any rate, the salient ones – for achieving a viable and stablesocio-political order.

Finally, they raise some issues, which require consistent attention in anyserious effort to build wholesome national communities. These include issuesconcerning the appropriate foundation for good governance, the role of thestate in the search for political stability, the relationship between the individualand the social collective in a national community, and the relevance oftraditional institutions in the quest for an appropriate framework for mutualco-existence in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria.

It can, therefore, be said without exaggeration that this volume is aresource for the development of ideas on how to develop viable socio-political communities in Africa.

Once again, the editors – on behalf of the Department of Philosophy,University of Ibadan – deeply appreciate the opportunity provided by theOsigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation and the admirable family of the lateChief Anyiam-Osigwe to be coordinators of this important initiative.

Olusegun OladipoAdebola B. Ekanola

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Blurb

This is the second in the series of works devoted to the examination of theideas of Chief Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe (1921-1998).The papers are in line with the general focus of Anyiam-Osigwe’sdevelopment philosophy, which advocates a holistic approach to existenceand development as a means of promoting “efficient living” and enhancingsocial progress. They severally discuss the essential conditions for enhancingsocio-political stability and order.

It is hoped that this volume will serve as a stimulus for the generation ofinterest in, and the mutual interrogation of, the ideas of a man who madethe development of Africa a major life preoccupation and developed usefulinsights about it.

ISBN 978-8080-50-2