Lost in the haysack: A lecture on Mesembe Edet’s Women in the His-Story of Philosophy and the Imperative for a Her-Storical Perspective in Contemporary African pPhilosophy

The author uses the conversational method in this essay to examine Mesembe Edet’s work on “Women in the His-Story of Philosophy and the Imperative for a ‘Her-storical’ Perspective in Contemporary African Philosophy.” It scrutinizes the dangers of a singular, male-dominated narrative in the development of African philosophy. The author interrogates the dominance of a his-storical narrative that restricts the field’s progress, logical integrity, and consistency, as well as questioning whether there are few women in African philosophy who have produced philosophical works. The conversation transcends mere advocacy for fairness or gender epistemic equality, arguing that a her-storical perspective is fundamental for African philosophy’s coherence, future, and epistemic inclusiveness. While Edet critiques the exclusion of women's voices in African philosophical anthologies and compilations, this article suggests that his emphasis limits the necessity of a her-storical perspective to themes of empathy and equity. By engaging with Edet’s arguments and ideas, this article contends that a her-storical perspective is central to the consistency of African philosophical methodological claims and reasoning, rather than merely serving as an ethical or compensatory factor. The essay’s structure focuses on a close examination of Edet’s claims, a critical analysis of the politics of pronouns, and an evaluation of significant guiding questions that underscore the theoretical consequences of epistemic gender inclusivity in African philosophy.