Bayo Akomolafe is a Nigerian psychologist, author, and philosopher who offers decolonial perspectives on mental health, spirituality, and environmental activism. Trained in Western psychology but rooted in Yoruba cosmology, he proposes “post-activist” approaches that examine assumptions about agency and social change.
Akomolafe’s philosophy emphasizes “slowing down” and “composting” - allowing old systems and identities to decompose so that new possibilities can emerge. Through The Emergence Network, he facilitates conversations about decolonizing research, education, and activism. His work examines how indigenous African philosophies can contribute to environmental movements while maintaining cultural sovereignty.
His writing explores how Western psychology pathologizes experiences that other cultures recognize as spiritual or ecological sensitivity. He proposes that what Western medicine terms mental illness may sometimes represent responses to societal conditions. His work connects healing and social transformation.
Key Concepts
- Post-Activism: Examining Western models of social change to allow emergence of new possibilities
- Decolonial Psychology: Indigenous alternatives to Western mental health paradigms
- Slowing Down: Creating space for transformation by pausing
- Composting: Allowing old systems to decompose for new growth
Essential Works
- “These Wilds Beyond Our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home” (North Atlantic Books, 2017) - ISBN 978-1-62317-079-7
- “We Will Tell Our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak” (The Emergence Network)
Quotes from Bayo Akomolafe
Further Reading
Biographical Sources
Key Books
- These Wilds Beyond Our Fences (North Atlantic Books, 2017) - ISBN 978-1-62317-079-7
Related Resources
- The Emergence Network courses and workshops
- Essays on decolonial psychology