From Uche to Ako na Uche: A Framework for Growth, Reasoning, and Wisdom in Igbo Thought
Conference: The 23rd Annual International Conference of the Igbo Studies Association (ISA) (2026)
Presenter(s): Ogochukwu Egbe
Presentation Date: February 24, 2026 @ 22:31 PM
Abstract
Mindset, critical thinking, knowledge, and wisdom function as interconnected dimensions of human development central to Igbo intellectual traditions. In Igbo thought, mindset (uche) shapes how individuals interpret experience and pursue personal and communal growth, while critical thinking is reinforced through dialogic reasoning, proverb-based reflection, and communal deliberation. Knowledge (amamihe) gained through learning and lived experience becomes meaningful when applied with reflective discipline, culminating in wisdom (ako na uche), which guides ethical judgment rooted in context and foresight. This study employs a qualitative interpretive framework combining textual analysis of Igbo philosophical writings, ethnographic accounts, and indigenous proverbs with thematic synthesis from contemporary cognitive and educational research. Igbo epistemic concepts—uche, amamihe, ako na uche—serve as analytical lenses for examining developmental relationships among mindset, critical thinking, knowledge, and wisdom. Through comparative interpretation, the study identifies convergences between indigenous knowledge systems and modern theories of learning and reasoning. These interconnected elements form a developmental continuum that supports personal growth, ethical leadership, and cultural grounding, which align with the oso ndu agwu ike.
12 views