Category: Africa

Does Africa Need a Religious Reformation?

December 23, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
While Africa is rapidly changing and progressing in many ways, Christian and Islamic fundamentalism hold the continent and its people back. Africa’s religious landscape is changing very rapidly, in various ways. These changes include the introduction of new religions and adjustments in the modes of worship as well as the personalities that are revered. Transformations […] Read more

Law, Religion and the Secularisation of Nigeria

October 4, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Secularism remains a taboo subject in Nigeria, with Christian and Muslim figures each dominating cultural and legal institutions in the country. The African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies recently organised a meeting to explore how law and religion related to human flourishing. Presenters shared insights on the intersections between the various faiths and laws […] Read more

Kenya’s Atheists Campaign For A Public Holiday – A Sign Of Kenya’s Secularization?

September 1, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Kenya’s atheist community has campaigned for a public holiday recognising non-believers. Is this a sign of increasing secularization within Kenya? Atheists in Kenya have proposed to their government to declare a national holiday for non-believers in the country. This request has made local and international headlines. It has sparked debates and discussions on the possibility […] Read more

Africa’s Achilles’ Heel: Superstition and the Imperative of Critical Inquiry

August 4, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Africa’s inability to move on from superstitious beliefs and toward critical inquiry is preventing the continent from keeping up with the rest of the world. A lot has been said and written about Africa and the continent’s inextricable bind to superstitions. Anthropologists have documented cases of unyielding magical manifestations and interpretations of reality. They have […] Read more

Being Non-Religious in Africa – Why Secular Countries Must Help

July 31, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Being known as a humanist or an atheist can mean social ostracisation at best, at worst, death in Africa. Secular liberal countries must do more for them. Being a non-religious person comes with many risks and challenges. In many nations across Africa and the world, those who identify openly as atheists or agnostics are unable […] Read more

Africa: Making the Case for a Sea Change in Thinking

May 11, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
To overcome African malaise, there must be a reexamination of existing institutions, and widespread adoption of critical, creative and productive modes of thinking. There is a problem in Africa and is a problem of the mind – a problem of how mental faculties are exercised. The issue is not that Africans do not think. They […] Read more

Confronting Superstition in Postcolonial Mozambique

February 26, 2018 | by | 1 Comments
In Mozambique, murders of albinos, bald men, and other superstition-fueled crimes are common. Where do these ritual killings come from? Recently, there have been reported incidents of harmful acts that are connected with traditional beliefs and practices across the region. For instance, some people attacked traders and fishermen for ‘tying the rain’. They alleged that […] Read more