Nkrabea and Hyɛbrɛ in African Philosophy of Life
Edward Agboada 
& Michael Kwadwo Ntiamoah
Issue: Vol.5 No.3 Issue Article 1 pp.175-182
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2024531 | Published online 1st March, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The concepts of nkrabea and hyɛbrɛ in Africa’s philosophy of life present very distinctive nomenclature and epistemology of how it applies within the socioreligiocultural cosmology. As a challenge to normative definition, the epistemology of the African philosophical context engenders new nomenclatures that hitherto were rejected by the hegemonic frameworks of Western paradigmatic nomenclature. The African philosophy of life which is formed by a very distinct socioreligioculture and framed by fascination and experience of the supernatural does not fail to recognise the existence of vast dimensions and active spiritual cosmology. If there is anything conceived with such an aura of reverence, it is life, beyond biological classification and, experiences such as the ability to think, feel, or be aware of one’s existence. Life is “energy” (spiritual force) which provides every element its function or purpose and nkrabea and hyɛbrɛ are the function or purpose predetermined for every element. The objective of the study was to find out the meaning of nkrabea and hyɛbrɛ and how they apply to the African philosophy of life. The study used a qualitative research method. Data was gathered from journals, articles, and library materials. Ethical responsibilities defined a set of principles and protocols that guided the study. The study concluded that the concepts of nkrabea, and hyɛbrɛ are conceptualised within the African philosophy of life and present critical nomenclatures on the function, or purpose of life within the context of human destiny and inform new epistemology. Its belief provides a perspective that informs the idea that nothing is purposeless.
Keywords: Nkrabea, Hyɛbrɛ, Cosmology, Spirituality, Philosophy
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Edward Agboada is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana. is an Ordained Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Until recently he was a Senior Lecturer at the Ramseyer Training Centre, (Abetifi, Ghana) where he taught courses in World Religions, Islamic Studies, Christian-Muslim relations, interfaith dialogue, Cross-Cultural Missions, New Religious Movements, Homiletic (Practice of Preaching), and studies in African Traditional Religions.
Michael Kwadwo Ntiamoah is a Lecturer at the Department of Religion and Human Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. He has research interests in Comparative Religion, Religious Diversity in Ghana, Religion and Chieftaincy/ African Culture, Akan Indigenous Religion and Environment, African Indigenous Religion and Social Order.
Agboada, Edward & Michael Kwadwo Ntiamoah.“Nkrabea and Hyɛbrɛ in African Philosophy of Life.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.2 (2024): 175-182. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2024531
© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
