SAPIENTIA Journal of Philosophy

Social and Political Philosophy is a second-order study in philosophy. It is a broad area of study that involves the examination and evaluation of all aspect of social life. It reflects on the nature of human community and government, and the relations between the collective and the individual. The objective of this paper was to examine Awolowo’s antidote to social and political vices using his notion of mental magnitude as a guide. Awolowo is of the view that the applicability of socialism in any social system is dependent on the mental attitude of the individuals of that society that is translatable into economic, political, moral and scientific change. The analytic method was used. The notion of mental magnitude is not just a contribution to knowledge but a major contribution to social and political philosophy because of the universality of its principles in tackling the many vices associated with politics. The paper agrees with Awolowo’s notion of mental magnitude and advocates the adoption of this theory by societies where the political space is riddled with corruption and moral bankruptcy.

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