The ontology of destiny and freedom among the Igbo-African: a discourse in existential metaphysics

Abstract

From an existential and metaphysical standpoint, the African world is dualised into the physical and metaphysical world. This is bald-faced in the dynamics of the relationship that characterizes the African worldview. In praxis, the metaphysical world is seen to be higher in the scheme of things because, it is from it that the impersonal beings/forces operate and superintend on the physical world of man. It is based on this that the twin issue of destiny and freedom is topical and recurrent in Igbo-African metaphysics. The concern is whether man can be free in the physical world, which seems to be a manifestation of the will/wishes and/or the whims and caprices of the beings/forces in the metaphysical world. It is consequent upon this that this paper undertook an existential analysis of these contending issues of freedom and destiny within the Igbo-African context. From the analysis, it was palpable that, though there can be manipulations from the metaphysical world which can bring about luck (good or ill), the Igbo-African is expected to make effort to excel and work responsibly with his chi; because, a man can have a good or bad luck but his/her practical effort is still expedient.