African Humanists
Students may choose any of the humanists listed below to research. Afterward, they should write a 1-page essay and email it to HumanistMutualAid@gmail.com. In the essay, please highlight the three most important ideas or contributions of the humanist and share your own reflections, thoughts, and reactions to their views. You can write about as many of the humanists as you wish.
Tai Solarin (Nigeria) - An educator and atheist humanist who founded Mayflower School. He abolished religious instruction and removed prayers from his school, challenging religious authority and advancing secular education in Nigeria.
Jacques André Rousseau (South Africa) - A secular academic and skeptic who founded the Free Society Institute and champions the Brights movement. He promotes critical thinking, ethics, and secularism through his academic and media outreach.
Kacem El Ghazzali (Morocco) - A rare atheist activist in North Africa, he publicly declared his atheism in 2010 and has faced death threats. He advocates for freedom of expression and sexual freedom as a vocal humanist in a largely religious society.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Somalia–Netherlands/USA) - Though she later converted to Christianity in 2023, she was for many years a prominent African-born atheist, writer, and feminist. Author of Infidel and other works, she was a major figure in the New Atheism movement, advocating for women's rights and free speech.
Alice Bahumi Mogwe (Botswana) - A human rights lawyer and secular advocate, she founded the Botswana Centre for Human Rights (Ditshwanelo). She works on civil liberties, death penalty abolition, and rights for marginalized groups, and was elected president of the International Federation for Human Rights.
Wole Soyinka – Nigerian novelist openly identified as an atheist and secular humanist. In multiple interviews, he has rejected belief in a deity, criticized organized religion, and promoted humanist ethics.
Mubarak Bala (Nigeria) - Former president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Bala was imprisoned for blasphemy in 2022—with a 24-year sentence. He was released in late 2024 and relocated to Germany for a humanist fellowship. He’s a prominent advocate for freedom of belief in a highly religious environment.
Leo Igwe (Nigeria) - A secular humanist and human rights campaigner known for challenging witchcraft accusations and defending the rights of atheists. He founded the Ex-cellence Project to support ex-clergy who’ve left religion, and has received international recognition for his humanist advocacy.
Roslyn Mould (Ghana) The first African woman elected to the board of Humanists International and later the vice president. Former president of the Humanist Association of Ghana and coordinator of the West African Humanists Network, she also spoke out against Ghana’s anti-LGBT bill.