Dr. Stephen Azubuike Oguji

Stephen Azubuike Oguji, Ph.D. is a professional philosopher, teacher, mentor, life coach, and strategic adviser. He is a research fellow (Ole Fellow) at Hong and Edna Kierkegaard Library, St Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, USA. He has been teaching philosophy and ancillary courses since 2008.

Stephen is member of the Editorial Board at TAFFD’s as Style Guide Editor. He is as well a Registered Member at the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Board of Trustees Member at Soren Kierkegaard International Academic Society of Nigeria (SKIASON), and Member of the Nigerian Philosophers Association.

Stephen is interested mostly in existentialism: the philosophy of the existing individual and his concerns right now and in Philosophy of Religion: the rational search for the meaning, origin, and destiny of religion. His eternal interest in existentialism is in the area of subjectivity; how to exist truly as a subject; as an individual with one’s own ethos, in a world run on social ethos.

For Stephen, life is philosophy and philosophy is life. In his numerous teaching engagements, he has tried to survey the many aspects of human reality that we should not forget. Since philosophy, for him is neither a doctrine, nor some simplistic scheme for orienting oneself in the world, but is a process, an eternal struggle between the rational world and reality, his philosophical engagements and questioning have always led him into an intense, critical dialogue keeping him open and ready to reverse or even abandon his previous positions.

His philosophical work has not been this or that answer to this or that question but rather a continuous breakthrough into a new dimension of philosophizing, with doors open for new discoveries.

Stephen earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 2013, a Master’s of Arts Degree in Philosophy in 2008, and his Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Philosophy in 2004, all from Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. He earned a Higher National Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Abuja in 2004 and his Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the National Teachers’ Institute Kaduna in 2010.

Stephen is from Igbo the South East, Nigeria. He studied philosophy and other courses within Nigeria, is married, and with children.

Stephen’s published works include:

• Why Igbos Need Kierkegaard in Taking Kierkegaard Personally.
• Women As Complementary, Not Weaker Sex in the Search for National Development in the Oracle of Wisdom Journal of Philosophy and Public Affairs, Vol 1, No 1, 2017.
• How Miracle Christianity Impedes African Development in Kaduna Journal of Historical Studies, Vol 9, Number 1, 2017, p. 268–282.
• Philosophical Reflections On Managing Sexual Energy 1 in Oracle of Wisdom: Journal of Philosophy and Public Affairs, Vol 2 No 1, 2018.
• John Hick’s Religious Pluralism: Implication for Religious Tolerance in Sapientia Journal of Philosophy, UniUyo, February, 2019, pp 199–210.

As well, Stephen regularly attends national and international conferences, including:

• African Philosophical and Intellectual Responses to the Development Crisis in Africa, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria, June 10–14, 2015.
• 6th Toyin Falola Annual International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora (TOFAC) held at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria, July 4–6, 2016. Presented Exploring The Foundations Of Heterosexuality As The Bases For Africans’ Stand Against Homosexuality.
• The Eighth International Kierkegaard Conference The Wisdom of Kierkegaard: What Existential Lessons have you Learned from Him? June 13–17, 2018 Hosted by the Hong Kierkegaard Library at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, USA. Presented Why Igbos Need Kierkegaard.
• The 2nd International Conference on Wisdom and Enlightenment with the theme Politics, Law, and Society at the Claretian Institute of Philosophy, Maryland Nekede, Owerri Imo State Nigeria, May 2–5, 2018. Presented Religion and Human Development: The Blessings, the Curses.
• Oracle of Wisdom International Conference on Society and Development at Tansian University Umunya Anambra State April 10, 2017. Presented Women As Complementary, Not Weaker Sex in the Search for National Development.

Read Innocent Asouzu’s Concept of Authentic Existence and its imperative in Contemporary Africa moderated by Stephen.

Visit his Homepage.