Tradition-Modernity: From Oppositional to Dialectical Paradigm for the Development of Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This article highlights the tradition-modernity debate from the perspective of Sub-Sahara Africa’s integral development. This debate has divided African scholars. For some, African tradition is the best way to integral development. For others, however, tradition is an obstacle to Africa’s development. Hence, modernity appears to them as the sine qua non-condition for African development. From our viewpoint, it seems wise to move beyond the oppositional paradigm of tradition and modernity to a dialectical paradigm for the integral development of Sub-Saharan Africa.