Abstract
The paper assesses African cultural philosophies for the purpose of reconciling them with the cardinal foci of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The reconciliation is to ascertain the feasibility of the implementation of the SDG goals in Africa with specific emphasis on Southwest Nigeria. The research is anchored on the Progressivist Theory which favors transformational development in society. Such transformation is anticipated in SDG as conceived by the United Nations. However, there are several cultural beliefs, aboriginal conceptions and practices in Southwest Nigeria which could be seen as counter-productive to the realization of certain SDG goals. For example, such cultural philosophies or traditional practices include the belief that adura ni i gba, agbara ko (what makes a person rich is not hard work but prayers). This negates SDG Goals 8 and 10 on economic growth. Another philosophy is obe ti baale ile kii je , iyale ile kii se (a wife must not prepare a delicacy that her husband does not eat). This hurts SDG Goal 5 - Gender Equality, and its implementation in Southwest Nigeria by 2030 as it overrides the will and preferences of the women folks in a process of guiding patriarchal ego and wellbeing. These impeding cultural philosophies are age-long and this situation necessitates an inevitable extension of the 2030 target date for the implementation of SDG goals, globally. This is to allow attitude change among the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria through government campaign.