https://lnr.unilag.edu.ng/ <p><em>Lagos Notes and Records</em> <em>(LNR)</em> is an annual interdisciplinary journal of the humanities published by the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Nigeria. It is devoted to the publication of well-researched articles in all the subjects in the Arts, Social Sciences, and Law. In addition to original articles, the journal also publishes review articles, brief accounts of work in progress, as well as notes and comments on issues arising out of recent publications.&nbsp;</p> Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos en-US Lagos Notes and Records 0075-7640 https://lnr.unilag.edu.ng/article/view/3138 <p>The assertion that “I” am because “We are” is the cornerstone of Africa’s relational ontology, grounded in the phenomenological spirit. The purport of this relational ontology is that, because of a We, we have an I. In other words, the individual's life is meaningful only within the context of the community. If there is an I because of a We, what value should we place on the destiny of communities? The community is central to the individual's life and survival. But communities are collectivities of individuals with diverse orientations, perceptions and attitudes. So, there are diverse identities in communities seeking participation and inclusion. This strikes at the core of the problem of identity and difference, and of reconciling the one and the many. How can communities shape the lives of individuals with diverse temperaments and orientations to help them actualise their potential for the greater good of all? By mediating the tension between individuals, on the one hand, and the tension between individuals and the community, on the other hand. Phenomenology can help achieve both. It is how to achieve this task to mellow down the bellicose temperament of mankind inebriated by the metaphysical spirit of superior-holier-than-thou attitude, dogmatism, intolerance, and fundamentalism that I set out to explore in this lecture.</p> LNR Editorial Team Copyright (c) 2026 Lagos Notes and Records 2026-05-21 2026-05-21 3 1 i ii https://lnr.unilag.edu.ng/article/view/3140 <p>The assertion that “I” am because “We are” is the cornerstone of Africa’s relational ontology, grounded in the phenomenological spirit. The purport of this relational ontology is that, because of a We, we have an I. In other words, the individual's life is meaningful only within the context of the community. If there is an I because of a We, what value should we place on the destiny of communities? The community is central to the individual's life and survival. But communities are collectivities of individuals with diverse orientations, perceptions and attitudes. So, there are diverse identities in communities seeking participation and inclusion. This strikes at the core of the problem of identity and difference, and of reconciling the one and the many. How can communities shape the lives of individuals with diverse temperaments and orientations to help them actualise their potential for the greater good of all? By mediating the tension between individuals, on the one hand, and the tension between individuals and the community, on the other hand. Phenomenology can help achieve both. It is how to achieve this task to mellow down the bellicose temperament of mankind inebriated by the metaphysical spirit of superior-holier-than-thou attitude, dogmatism, intolerance, and fundamentalism that I set out to explore in this lecture.</p> Jim Ujenwa Unah Copyright (c) 2026 Lagos Notes and Records 2026-05-21 2026-05-21 3 1 1 47