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Questions about human dignity, power, suffering and the meaning of life took centre stage at the University of Botswana (UB) as scholars and students engaged with contemporary African philosophy and its relevance to the realities facing the continent.

The engagement formed part of a symposium on The Meaning of Life and the Value of Human Life: Perspectives from African Philosophy of Religion, held on the 25th of September 2026 at the UB Conference and Cultural Facilities.

Keynote speaker, Dr Aribiah David Attoe, Senior Lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand and author of The Question of Life’s Meaning: An African Perspective, challenged participants to consider whether the conditions experienced by many Black Africans could undermine the meaning and value attached to human life.

Drawing on philosopher Thaddeus Metz, Dr Attoe explored the concept of “anti-meaning”, identifying futility, powerlessness, social death and alienation as conditions that can diminish human flourishing. He cited colonial displacement, the treatment of African migrants and the international response to the 1994 Rwandan genocide among examples illustrating his argument.

Dr Attoe also questioned whether African philosophical ideas such as Ubuntu and Steve Biko's Black Consciousness could achieve liberation without power. “Without power, the hope for liberation is just wishful thinking,” he argued.

The argument generated a lively discussion among academics and students, who challenged participants to consider other sources of meaning found in African life especially family, community, culture, faith and language. Dr Attoe acknowledged the limitations of his work in addressing the experiences of Black African women and cautioned against treating suffering as something that should simply be celebrated as resilience.

“Suffering is not a victory,” he said. The symposium also highlighted UB's growing emphasis on intellectual exchange and research collaboration. Welcoming participants, Head of the School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Professor France Maphosa, said universities must create spaces for critical reflection, dialogue and the exchange of ideas.

He expressed hope that Dr Attoe's engagement with UB would develop into a long-term relationship between the two institutions, supporting the University's drive towards becoming a more research-intensive institution.

Organiser, Dr Doreen Sesiro, said African philosophical traditions such as Ubuntu and Botho offered hopeful conceptions of human life but were continually tested by poverty, inequality and youth unemployment. She challenged participants to consider whether dignity could survive when social realities contradicted these ideals.

The discussion was moderated by Dr Abel Tabalaka, with renowned Botswana philosopher, Professor Joseph Gaie, among those acknowledged at the event.

Closing the symposium, Chairperson of the Department of Philosophy, Theology and Historical Studies, Dr Rose Gabaitse, said the value of scholarship lies partly in its ability to challenge established thinking. “Scholarship is about being provoked to think,” she said, before inviting Dr Attoe to return to UB for further engagement.