Thinking Local and Globalising Cultural Ideology towards Decolonising Literary Theories

Abstract

This paper examines what constitutes indigenous ideas, thoughts, values and ethics that drive a peoples’ consciousness, propel dynamic actions and developments, and worldview thus culminating in a globalized cultural ideology. Sequel to this, it forms the bases for evaluation of their perspectives, in music, literature and the humanities. Attempts at early forms of decolonization by experts are reviewed in philosophy, sociology and literature towards decolonization and having an African identity. Among the African literary writers whose works are established on indigenous thoughts include; Chinua Achebe, Ayi Kwei Armah, Sefi Attah (novelists); Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, Kobina Sekyi (playwrights); and poets such as Christopher Okigbo and Niyi Osundare among others. African indigenous ideologies such as Obafemi Awolowo’s Mental Magnitude, Leopard Cedar Senghor’s communism, ajogbe and ajobi and Omoluabi among the Yoruba, Julius Nyerere’s Ujamaa among others were examined. The paper concludes that more of our cultural values, ethics and beliefs should be the bases of our postulations in the humanities in order to take Africa from all vestiges of colonization.