Contribution of Odera Oruka’s philosophic sagacity concept to the development of traditional African wisdom

This paper critically examined the contribution of the concept of philosophic sagacity to the development of traditional African wisdom. Odera Oruka's work primarily centered on identifying and documenting the wisdom of individual sages within African communities, challenging the stereotype that African cultures lack philosophical traditions. The article analyzed the concept of Odera Oruka's philosophical sagacity in the context of Tharaka traditional wise sayings to understand its contribution to the development of traditional African wisdom.  There has been an over-emphasis on systematic Western philosophy that has continued to devalue traditional African wisdom which was not only a foundation of African philosophy but also the wisdom behind African traditional societal development. The study used rational-analytical philosophical approach. The study employed postcolonial theory to interrogate the enduring impacts of colonialism on cultures, societies, and intellectual traditions. The study was library-based, drawing resources from published and unpublished works, journals as well as digital sources.  The study found that philosophic sagacity has significantly contributed to the development of traditional African wisdom by bridging oral traditions and written philosophy, recognizing the philosophical depth of African wisdom, emphasizing communal knowledge, enriching global philosophical discourse, and inspiring contemporary African philosophers.