Abstract

In South Western Nigeria, housing is referred to as ‘ile’ which is the very core, a symbol of human existence and status in the community (Baker, 1959). The Yoruba proverb “ile la wo ka to somo loruko”, which by translation suggests that, “after given birth to a child, you will look at your house before you give the baby a name”. In contrast, the cultural meaning of this proverb is to appreciate your lived experience which has a symbolic representation of a house before you name a child. This shows a strong ontological preference and a pregnant meaning which needs a systematic inquiry to understand. This paper attempts to relocate African philosophy as an important element for the delivery of a new cultural dimension to housing.