Abstract
This dissertation aims to address the pressing question of how to achieve epistemic decolonization, particularly within the context of African thought and knowledge systems. Drawing on the insight of Kwasi Wiredu, I support a conceptual decolonization-based framework proposed by Kwasi Wiredu as an essential approach to achieving this goal with the essential use of indigenous African languages. The fundamental impact of colonialism on African ideas, including language, concepts, and worldviews, underlines the need for epistemic decolonization. Conceptual decolonization, as advocated by Kwasi Wiredu, entails disentangling oneself from ineffective colonial inheritances, thus offering a promising route towards epistemic liberation. This dissertation argues that the effectiveness of epistemic decolonization is founded upon the adoption of indigenous languages, aligning with Kwasi Wiredu’s proposition. By prioritizing language as an essential element for reclaiming indigenous knowledge and promoting alternative conceptual frameworks rooted in African experiences, conceptual decolonization becomes a key strategy in the more significant effort to achieve epistemic decolonization. Considering a careful analysis of these theoretical foundations, this dissertation contributes to the ongoing discourse on decolonizing knowledge systems and emphasizes the importance of refreshing language and ideas by reshaping the epistemic frameworks.