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Given the numerous instances of crisis of citizenship and state belonging which disproportionately obtain in African states in comparison with other continents of the world it becomes urgent to provide positions that address the problem. This works sets out to do this by engaging the problem of rights in Africa and looking at how it affects quality citizenship. This is because the primary goal of the state is to protect rights and properties. The work will do this by engaging the nature of rights administered in the African states. It will provide a theoretical account of how a wrong idea of rights constitutes part of the problem and why the quality of rights administered in African states should be held to be the source of the problem. It will then proceed to address the problem by formulating a theory of rights anchored on an African worldview which harbours the potential to address the problem. The theory will defend the view that rights can only be found cogent and worthy to compel loyalty to its demands if it is rooted in the values and ideals of people and that an idea of rights that is endogenous to African people will be more cogent, valuable and reliable to citizenship ethics in Africa and compel loyalty to the African state. The work applies the methods of expository analysis and intuitive deduction to arrive at its positons and postulations.
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References
Ake, C. (1987). The African context of human rights. Africa Today, 34(1/2), 5–12. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4186405
Appadurai, A. (1993). Patriotism and its futures. Public Culture, 5(3), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1215/08992363-5-3-411
Bujo, B. (2001). Foundations of an African ethic: Beyond the universal claims of Western morality. Herder & Herder.
Bujo, B. (2009). Is there a specific African ethic? Towards a discussion with Western thought. In M. F. Murove (Ed.), African Ethics: An Anthology for Comparative and Applied Ethics (pp. 113–128). University of Kwazulu-Natal Press.
Bujo, B. (2010). Le Christianisme Africain et sa théologie. Revue Des Sciences Religieuses, 84(2), 159–174. https://doi.org/10.4000/rsr.342
Cobbah, J. A. M. (1987). African values and the human rights debate: An African perspective. Human Rights Quarterly, 9(3), 309–331. https://doi.org/10.2307/761878
Coetzee, P. H., & Roux, A. P. J. (Eds.). (2003). The african philosophy reader (2nd edition). Routledge.
EI-Obaid, E.-O. A., & Appiagyei-Atua, K. (1996). Human rights in Africa -A new perspective on linking the past to the present. McGill Law Journal, 41(4), 819–854. https://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/wp-content/uploads/pdf/2190101-41.ElObaid.pdf
Ekeh, P. P. (1975). Colonialism and the two publics in Africa: A theoretical statement. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 17(1), 91–112. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0010417500007659
Ekeh, P. P. (2000). Colonialism and the development of citizenship in Africa: A study of ideologies of legitimation. In O. Otite (Ed.), Themes in African social and political thought. Fourth Dimension Publishing Co.
Englund, H. (2002a). Ethnography after globalism: Migration and emplacement in Malawi. American Ethnologist, 29(2), 261–286. https://doi.org/10.1525/ae.2002.29.2.261
Englund, H. (2002b). The village in the city, the city in the village: Migrants in Lilongwe. Journal of Southern African Studies, 28(1), 137–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070120117015
Englund, H. (2006). Prisoners of freedom: Human rights and the African poor. University of California Press.
Englund, H. (2011). Human rights and African airwaves: Mediating equality on the Chichewa radio. Indiana University Press.
Gettell, R. G. (2019). History of political thought. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429270550
Gyekye, K. (1987). An essay on African philosophical thought: The Akan conceptual scheme. Temple University Press.
Gyekye, K. (1996). African cultural values: An introduction. Sankofa Pub Co.
Gyekye, K. (1997). Tradition and modernity: Philosophical reflections on the African experience. Oxford University Press.
Ihonvbere, J. O. (Ed.). (1989). The political economy of crisis and underdevelopment in Africa: Selected works of Claude Ake. JAD Publishers.
Ikuenobe, P. (2006). Philosophical perspectives on communalism and morality in African traditions. Lexington Books.
Mamdani, M. (2018). Citizen and subject: Contemporary Africa and the legacy of late colonialism (New edition). Princeton University Press.
Mazrui, A. A. (2019). Africa’s international relations: The diplomacy of dependency and change. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429051630
Mbembe, A. (2001). On the postcolony (1st edition). University of California Press.
Mbiti, J. S. (1990). African religions & philosophy. Heinemann.
Menkiti, I. (1979). Person and community in African traditional thought. In R. Wright (Ed.), African philosophy: An introduction. University Press of America.
Menkiti, I. (2017). Community, communism, communitarianism: An African intervention. In A. Afolayan & T. Falola (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of African Philosophy (pp. 461–473). Palgrave Macmillan US. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59291-0_30
Metz, T. (2007). Toward an African moral theory. Journal of Political Philosophy, 15(3), 321–341. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9760.2007.00280.x
Metz, T. (2011). Human rights: African perspectives. In D. K. Chatterjee (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Justice (pp. 501–505). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9160-5_691
Metz, T. (2014). African values, human rights and group rights: A philosophical foundation for the Banjul charter. In O. Onazi (Ed.), African Legal Theory and Contemporary Problems (Vol. 29, pp. 131–151). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7537-4_7
Mkhize, N. (2008). Ubuntu and harmony: An African approach to morality and ethics. In R. Nicolson (Ed.), Persons in Community: African Ethics in a Global Culture. University of Kwazulu-Natal Press.
Nze, C. B. (1989). Aspects of African communalism. Veritas Press.
Nzongola-Ntalaja, G. (2008). Political violence and post-conflict reconstruction and development in Africa [Lecture]. Billy Dudley Memorial Lecure, University of Abuja, Nigeria.
Okere, T. (2004). Crisis of governance in Africa: The root of the problem. In J. O. Oguejiofor (Ed.), Philosophy, democracy and responsible governance in Africa. Delta Pub.
Olusegun, O. (2009). Philosophy and social reconstruction in Africa. Hope Publications.
Onah, G. I. (2005, April 3). The meaning of peace in African traditional religion and culture [HTM]. Afrika World. http://www.afrikaworld.net/afrel/goddionah.htm
Onwubiko, O. A. (1991). African thought, religion, and culture. O.A. Onwubiko.
Ugwuanyi, L. O. (2011). Advancing environmental ethics through the African world-view. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2(4), 107–114. https://www.richtmann.org/journal/index.php/mjss/article/view/10888
Ugwuanyi, L. O. (2014). The question of happiness in African philosophy. South African Journal of Philosophy, 33(4), 513–522. https://doi.org/10.1080/02580136.2014.976755
Ujomudike, P. O. (2016). Ubuntu ethics. In H. ten Have (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics (pp. 2869–2881). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09483-0_428
Wai, D. M. (1979). Human rights in Sub-Saharan Africa. In A. Pollis & P. Schwab (Eds.), Human rights: Cultural and ideological perspectives. Praeger.
Wiredu, K. (1980). Philosophy and an African culture. Cambridge University Press.
Wiredu, K. (1996). Cultural universals and particulars: An African perspective. Indiana University Press.
Wiredu, K. (2002). The moral foundations of an African culture. In P. H. Coetzee & A. P. J. Roux (Eds.), Philosophy from Africa: A text with readings (p. 287). Oxford University Press.
References
Ake, C. (1987). The African context of human rights. Africa Today, 34(1/2), 5–12. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4186405
Appadurai, A. (1993). Patriotism and its futures. Public Culture, 5(3), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1215/08992363-5-3-411
Bujo, B. (2001). Foundations of an African ethic: Beyond the universal claims of Western morality. Herder & Herder.
Bujo, B. (2009). Is there a specific African ethic? Towards a discussion with Western thought. In M. F. Murove (Ed.), African Ethics: An Anthology for Comparative and Applied Ethics (pp. 113–128). University of Kwazulu-Natal Press.
Bujo, B. (2010). Le Christianisme Africain et sa théologie. Revue Des Sciences Religieuses, 84(2), 159–174. https://doi.org/10.4000/rsr.342
Cobbah, J. A. M. (1987). African values and the human rights debate: An African perspective. Human Rights Quarterly, 9(3), 309–331. https://doi.org/10.2307/761878
Coetzee, P. H., & Roux, A. P. J. (Eds.). (2003). The african philosophy reader (2nd edition). Routledge.
EI-Obaid, E.-O. A., & Appiagyei-Atua, K. (1996). Human rights in Africa -A new perspective on linking the past to the present. McGill Law Journal, 41(4), 819–854. https://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/wp-content/uploads/pdf/2190101-41.ElObaid.pdf
Ekeh, P. P. (1975). Colonialism and the two publics in Africa: A theoretical statement. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 17(1), 91–112. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0010417500007659
Ekeh, P. P. (2000). Colonialism and the development of citizenship in Africa: A study of ideologies of legitimation. In O. Otite (Ed.), Themes in African social and political thought. Fourth Dimension Publishing Co.
Englund, H. (2002a). Ethnography after globalism: Migration and emplacement in Malawi. American Ethnologist, 29(2), 261–286. https://doi.org/10.1525/ae.2002.29.2.261
Englund, H. (2002b). The village in the city, the city in the village: Migrants in Lilongwe. Journal of Southern African Studies, 28(1), 137–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070120117015
Englund, H. (2006). Prisoners of freedom: Human rights and the African poor. University of California Press.
Englund, H. (2011). Human rights and African airwaves: Mediating equality on the Chichewa radio. Indiana University Press.
Gettell, R. G. (2019). History of political thought. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429270550
Gyekye, K. (1987). An essay on African philosophical thought: The Akan conceptual scheme. Temple University Press.
Gyekye, K. (1996). African cultural values: An introduction. Sankofa Pub Co.
Gyekye, K. (1997). Tradition and modernity: Philosophical reflections on the African experience. Oxford University Press.
Ihonvbere, J. O. (Ed.). (1989). The political economy of crisis and underdevelopment in Africa: Selected works of Claude Ake. JAD Publishers.
Ikuenobe, P. (2006). Philosophical perspectives on communalism and morality in African traditions. Lexington Books.
Mamdani, M. (2018). Citizen and subject: Contemporary Africa and the legacy of late colonialism (New edition). Princeton University Press.
Mazrui, A. A. (2019). Africa’s international relations: The diplomacy of dependency and change. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429051630
Mbembe, A. (2001). On the postcolony (1st edition). University of California Press.
Mbiti, J. S. (1990). African religions & philosophy. Heinemann.
Menkiti, I. (1979). Person and community in African traditional thought. In R. Wright (Ed.), African philosophy: An introduction. University Press of America.
Menkiti, I. (2017). Community, communism, communitarianism: An African intervention. In A. Afolayan & T. Falola (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of African Philosophy (pp. 461–473). Palgrave Macmillan US. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59291-0_30
Metz, T. (2007). Toward an African moral theory. Journal of Political Philosophy, 15(3), 321–341. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9760.2007.00280.x
Metz, T. (2011). Human rights: African perspectives. In D. K. Chatterjee (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Justice (pp. 501–505). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9160-5_691
Metz, T. (2014). African values, human rights and group rights: A philosophical foundation for the Banjul charter. In O. Onazi (Ed.), African Legal Theory and Contemporary Problems (Vol. 29, pp. 131–151). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7537-4_7
Mkhize, N. (2008). Ubuntu and harmony: An African approach to morality and ethics. In R. Nicolson (Ed.), Persons in Community: African Ethics in a Global Culture. University of Kwazulu-Natal Press.
Nze, C. B. (1989). Aspects of African communalism. Veritas Press.
Nzongola-Ntalaja, G. (2008). Political violence and post-conflict reconstruction and development in Africa [Lecture]. Billy Dudley Memorial Lecure, University of Abuja, Nigeria.
Okere, T. (2004). Crisis of governance in Africa: The root of the problem. In J. O. Oguejiofor (Ed.), Philosophy, democracy and responsible governance in Africa. Delta Pub.
Olusegun, O. (2009). Philosophy and social reconstruction in Africa. Hope Publications.
Onah, G. I. (2005, April 3). The meaning of peace in African traditional religion and culture [HTM]. Afrika World. http://www.afrikaworld.net/afrel/goddionah.htm
Onwubiko, O. A. (1991). African thought, religion, and culture. O.A. Onwubiko.
Ugwuanyi, L. O. (2011). Advancing environmental ethics through the African world-view. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2(4), 107–114. https://www.richtmann.org/journal/index.php/mjss/article/view/10888
Ugwuanyi, L. O. (2014). The question of happiness in African philosophy. South African Journal of Philosophy, 33(4), 513–522. https://doi.org/10.1080/02580136.2014.976755
Ujomudike, P. O. (2016). Ubuntu ethics. In H. ten Have (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics (pp. 2869–2881). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09483-0_428
Wai, D. M. (1979). Human rights in Sub-Saharan Africa. In A. Pollis & P. Schwab (Eds.), Human rights: Cultural and ideological perspectives. Praeger.
Wiredu, K. (1980). Philosophy and an African culture. Cambridge University Press.
Wiredu, K. (1996). Cultural universals and particulars: An African perspective. Indiana University Press.
Wiredu, K. (2002). The moral foundations of an African culture. In P. H. Coetzee & A. P. J. Roux (Eds.), Philosophy from Africa: A text with readings (p. 287). Oxford University Press.