Nnadiebube Journal of Education

Community consciousness is one of the distinctive characteristics of African cosmology. Africa is considered communalistic as opposed to the individualistic orientation of the West. This is because in Africa, while there is recognition of individual identity or personality, the community interests and identity supersede that of the individual. This community consciousness is what is largely known as African communalism. However, with the eclipse of the precolonial era and the dawn of the 21st century, the community consciousness typical of African communalism has drastically waned. It is in light of this that the paper argues that this community consciousness is still largely kept alive by the Igbo through the Kolanut and the ritual of its breaking. The kolanut is a belly button that connects the two worlds of the Igbo, the physical and the spiritual. This explains its esteemed place among the people: an embodiment of communitarian spirit, core values and beliefs of the people. It is the lifeline of community consciousness among the Igbo. Therefore, adopting a critical analytical method, this paper asks the following questions: What is African Communalism? How has African communalism fared in the 21st century? How does Kolanut and the ritual of its breaking in Igbo land keep aflame the fire of community consciousness in African communalism? This study relies on secondary literature such as books, online journal articles and the internet to answer the above questions.

Open Full Text (PDF)