THE PARADOX OF BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS IN SOUTH AFRICA (GLEANING ISSUES FROM STEVE BIKO)

The question of African identity from various philosophical or ideological perspectives has been interestingly playing a role that appears to negate the psyche of the African personality. This negation paradoxically has been unconsciously exhumed by the flare for Black Consciousness. Steve Biko’s Philosophy of Black Consciousness though exposed the contradictions inherent in the position held by the “Liberals” in South Africa, but he failed to resolve the core matter of African Identity. We argue that the notion of Black Consciousness instead of promoting neutrality of human nature and African identity, it created and built into the psyche of the people and current generation a vengeful disposition which contradicts identity of the core African.