The name Madu-Ndela comes from the ciLuba-Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a dialectical variant of the ancient Egyptian phrase md.w-nTr (medu-netcher), which is commonly defined as "God's words" or "the words of God."

The language of God is the language of nature: its laws, its coming in and out of being, and its wholistic relationships. The ancient Egyptians called their writing script sS-md.w-nTr (sesh-medu-nether) "the writings of the words of God" and these 'hieroglyphs' are composed of images that depict objects and concepts found in nature.

It was the study of nature that provided the ancient Egyptians with the insight to understand phenomenal relationships and how to design their society by using nature as a model, measure, and mentor. It is on this grounding that the culture ultimately emerged. This framework for cultural development can be found among related African populations to the Egyptians.

It is the primary mission of Madu-Ndela Press to provide publications that explore these historical, cultural, and linguistic relationships between African people (continental and in the Diaspora) through the voices of African-Centered scholars.