Is Mutuality Possible? An African Response

Abstract

This article begins by defining mutuality as a two-way exchange that is open to give and to receive. It looks at the structural injustice that Africa and Africans have received from the legacy of the slave trade, colonialism, and neo-colonialism, and argues that missionaries in their colonial context misinterpreted and misrepresented African cultures and traditional religions. The author discusses present-day social and cultural realities and the negation of social justice and human rights caused by both external and internal forces. She concludes by offering suggestions for cultivating mutual respect for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, class, or age.