Kwasi Wiredu and beyong: the Text, Writing and Thought in Africa

Kwasi Wiredu is one of Africa’s foremost philosophers. His recent work on conceptual decolonisation has broadened the scope of philosophical discourse in Africa. Wiredu has developed the multidisciplinary dimension of the subject, linking up with related discursive practices in history, political science and literature. He has advocated a re-examination of current formulations, in order to subvert unsavoury aspects of tribal cultures, as well as the deconstruction of western epistemologies, found to be unnecessary in African philosophical practices. Kwasi Wiredu and Beyond monograph addresses some of the implications and limitations of Wiredu’s projects, arguing that Wiredu has not yet been able to grapple with the full consequences of his conceptual decolonisation. Osha suggests that due to the hybridity of postcoloniality, projects seeking to retrieve the precolonial heritage are likely to fall short, and identifies language as a major problem, not addressed by Wiredu’s thesis. To support his arguments, Osha draws on postcolonial theory as advanced by scholars such as Edward Said, Biodun Jeyifo and Abiola Irele.