ABSTRACT

At a time of global economic crisis and disillusionment with capitalism, Adodo offers refreshing and positive insight into a more integral way of business management, enterprise and community development as well as holistic healing in Africa. For over three decades, Africa was the recipient of billions of dollars in aid funds that were meant to catapult the continent from undeveloped to developed status. Yet the more the aid poured in, the poorer African countries became.

The devastating effect of western economic models in Africa that followed is well documented. Integral Community Enterprise in Africa exposes the limitations of existing theories, such as capitalism, socialism and communism, and shows how western theories were imposed on Africa. Such imposition of concepts and ideas is not only demeaning but also unsustainable, serving only the interest of the elite.

Father Anselm Adodo argues for the need to have a southern theory to serve as an alternative to western theories. The majority of African intellectuals and activists, while criticizing existing theories, often do not provide alternative theories to address the prevalent inadequacies entrenched in conventional social, political and economic systems. This revolutionary book aims to address this lapse and proposes the theory of communitalism as a more indigenous, sustainable and integral approach to tackling the social, political, economic and developmental challenges of today’s Africa. There is an African alternative to capitalism, socialism and communism – a surer path to sustainable development in and from Africa.

This is a book that is positioned at the very core of a much needed African Renaissance. A profoundly new approach to development in Africa, this is essential reading for anyone concerned with authentic development in Africa and in the world.

chapter |3 pages

Introduction

part I|15 pages

Introduction to the Integral Journey

chapter 1|13 pages

Overview of My Research Trajectory

part II|23 pages

Origination of Research

chapter 2|13 pages

My Subjective Inner Call

The Emotive Researcher

chapter 3|8 pages

My Objective Outer Challenge

How I Expressed My Inner Desire in Confronting Concrete Challenges in My Society

part III|43 pages

Context

chapter 4|22 pages

Uncovering Imbalances in My Context

A Description of Ewu Community, Paxherbal and St Benedict Monastery

chapter 5|19 pages

Unravelling Missing Depths

My Contextual Transformational Topography

part IV|33 pages

Co-creation

chapter 6|19 pages

Emancipatory Critique

Introduction to Feminism in an African Context

chapter 7|12 pages

Towards a True Pax Africana

Communitalism as an Approach to Health, Community and Enterprise in Ewu, Edo State, Nigeria

part V|23 pages

Contribution and Transformation

chapter 8|13 pages

Participatory Action Research in an African Context

The Case of Ewu Village, Edo State, Nigeria

chapter 9|8 pages

Cooperative Inquiry in an African Context

The Case of Paxherbal and ACIRD

part VI|21 pages

Distillation and Conclusion of the Integral Journey

chapter 10|19 pages

CARE-ing for Nigeria

Towards an Integral University in Africa