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Africanness Redefined: What It Really Means to Be African
Africanness Redefined: What It Really Means to Be African
Sputnik Africa
“I am because you are” is the central idea behind Ubuntu. The philosophy is explored alongside Afrocentrism, Afrocentricity, colonialism and decoloniality... 12.11.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-11-12T17:29+0100
2026-11-12T17:29+0100
2026-11-12T17:29+0100
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Africanness Redefined: What It Really Means to Be African
Sputnik Africa
“I am because you are” is the central idea behind Ubuntu. The philosophy is explored alongside Afrocentrism, Afrocentricity, colonialism and decoloniality, with a focus on African identity, indigenous knowledge and shared humanity.
Colonialism transformed Africa's cultural, social and intellectual landscape, leaving lasting influences on indigenous languages, belief systems, education and perceptions of African identity. Beyond political independence, the continent continues to grapple with the effects of colonial thinking, particularly in how African history, knowledge and traditions are understood and valued. Indigenous philosophies and communal traditions offer perspectives on shared responsibility, collective well-being and the importance of community in human development. The preservation of these traditions also depends on the transmission of ancestral knowledge across generations, with women playing a central role in safeguarding cultural heritage. These questions extend beyond cultural identity to education, historical representation and continental integration, including the freedom of Africans to move, trade and cooperate across national borders. At their core is the challenge of building a modern Africa that draws on its own intellectual traditions, cultural foundations and historical experiences.On African Currents, Maazi Dibia (Uchechukwu Obiajulu Sakar), a Nigerian cultural advocate and founder of the Maazi Dibia Cultural Foundation, examines the struggle to reclaim African identity and indigenous heritage from colonial influences. He highlights Ubuntu, a philosophy centred on shared humanity and communal responsibility, as a unifying African value. He also argues that decolonization requires Africans to challenge colonial mindsets that undermine indigenous knowledge, languages, cultural traditions and African intellectual heritage in favor of Western standards.For the full perspective and further insights from our guest, tune in to this episode of African Currents, a podcast by Sputnik Africa.Don’t miss an episode — beyond our website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents.
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Africanness Redefined: What It Really Means to Be African
“I am because you are” is the central idea behind Ubuntu. The philosophy is explored alongside Afrocentrism, Afrocentricity, colonialism and decoloniality, with a focus on African identity, indigenous knowledge and shared humanity.
Colonialism transformed Africa's cultural, social and intellectual landscape, leaving lasting influences on indigenous languages, belief systems, education and perceptions of African identity. Beyond political independence, the continent continues to grapple with the effects of colonial thinking, particularly in how African history, knowledge and traditions are understood and valued. Indigenous philosophies and communal traditions offer perspectives on shared responsibility, collective well-being and the importance of community in human development. The preservation of these traditions also depends on the transmission of ancestral knowledge across generations, with women playing a central role in safeguarding cultural heritage. These questions extend beyond cultural identity to education, historical representation and continental integration, including the freedom of Africans to move, trade and cooperate across national borders. At their core is the challenge of building a modern Africa that draws on its own intellectual traditions, cultural foundations and historical experiences.
On African Currents, Maazi Dibia (Uchechukwu Obiajulu Sakar), a Nigerian cultural advocate and founder of the Maazi Dibia Cultural Foundation, examines the struggle to reclaim African identity and indigenous heritage from colonial influences. He highlights Ubuntu, a philosophy centred on shared humanity and communal responsibility, as a unifying African value. He also argues that decolonization requires Africans to challenge colonial mindsets that undermine indigenous knowledge, languages, cultural traditions and African intellectual heritage in favor of Western standards.
"Most times I hear the Europeans saying that they civilized Africa. You can't civilize a civilization that have known civilization even before 50,000 years of your existence. So, you can't civilize the origin of civilization. Rather, you brought colonization, identity, and annihilation. You [colonizers] eradicated that which is indigenous to the Africans. You [colonizers] expunged that which is our root, our identity, our language, our food, our spiritual system is imposed on alien culture, custom, tradition, ethics, moral and values upon us. That is identity annihilation. So to be African means to evolve with the 21st century without forgeting your root, without erasing the things that makes you African. And what makes you African includes language, ethics, morals, spirituality, not religion, tradition, customs. These are sacrosanct. These are the embodiment of what makes you an African [...]. Africanness per se is simple in semantics, but in philosophy, in the actual sense, it is deeper than mere Africanness. Is there a core value that binds all Africans together? Yes! The most popular core value that binds our Africa together is Ubuntu," Maazi Dibia expressed.
For the full perspective and further insights from our guest, tune in to this episode of African Currents, a podcast by Sputnik Africa.
Don’t miss an episode — beyond our website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents. 
