TITLE:
The Forgotten Psychology of African Elders and the Spiritual World
AUTHORS:
Henry Wasosa
KEYWORDS:
African Elders, Indigenous Psychology, Spiritual Authority, Blessings, Curses, Cultural Preservation, African Identity
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the often-overlooked psychological and cultural role of African community elders as spiritual authorities and custodians of communal well-being. In many African societies, elders are historically perceived as intermediaries between the living and the spiritual world, endowed with the ability to pronounce blessings or curses believed to directly affect individuals, families, and the land. This indigenous psychology rooted in collective consciousness, moral reciprocity, and metaphysical causality has gradually been eroded by Western education, urbanization, and changing religious orientations. Drawing from African philosophy, cultural psychology, and anthropology, the paper argues for the preservation of this cultural heritage as a vital component of African identity, unity and social development. It concludes by recommending integrative cultural policies and education systems that honor these traditions while engaging constructively with modernity.