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Abstract:
The paper examines reincarnation and ancestral world in Yoruba metaphysics. Succinctly, the paper set out to argue philosophically that reincarnation is unjustifiable especially when the Yoruba people believe in the concept of "ancestral world" at the same time. The paper, therefore, in its widest import, is concerned with the metaphysical concept of the Yoruba in "reincarnation" in juxtaposition with the "ancestral world" as it (ancestral world) exists in the hierarchy of forces (beings) in African philosophy. But it looms so large on the philosophic horizon that the Yoru?ba? of the south west Nigeria believe in the concept of reincarnation and ancestral world despite the apparent contradictions that are involved in holding the two concepts simultaneously. For this purpose, it is the central contention of the paper that it seems philosophically absurd and contradictory to believe in reincarnation and ancestral world simultaneously. The question arises: How can the Yoruba of the South West Nigeria philosophically, or metaphysically, justify their belief in reincarnation, while at the same time recognizing the personal individual existence in the spiritual world of the ancestors who are believed to have reincarnated? However the significance of conducting this research is to highlight the conceptual inconsistencies and contradictions inherent in holding the Yoruba belief both in re-incarnation and ancestral world.

Keywords: re-incarnation, ancestral world, ancestors, death, life.

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