When early attempts to codify the rudiments of the African concept of reality were made, the dominant and mainstream metaphysical framework of substance was invited and employed as standard. On the one hand, there were European early missionaries, sociologists, ethnographers who doubted the African ability to think of reality and divinity, hence proclaimed that their mission was to assist the Africans. Placide Tempels stands tallest here. On the other hand, one cannot wish away those Africans who have been deeply steeped in substance metaphysics, but do not hesitate to use this as the metaphysical gauge for making sense of the African reality. Three of these Africans are invited for critical assessment, while the chapter proceeds to conclude that aside the inappropriate use of substance-based framework for African metaphysics, the impact, as well as the admission of the limited or inadequate classical bivalent logic for curating thoughts within the African place, has been underestimated as another culprit that contributes to distortion of African thought systems.