ABSTRACT

This project work deals with a critical evaluation of Africanism in relation to theme and techniques of Amos Tutuola’s novel – THE PALMWINE DRINKARD. This study tends to examine the important of African culture and promotion of its cultural heritage which was bastardized by the colonial masters during colonization. In the course of this essay, chapter one will deals with introduction, background of the study, purpose of the study, scope and limitation, justification, methodology and authorial background. Chapter two forms the literature reviewed about past scholars’ view on Africanism, the concept of Africanism as theme, the concept of Africanism as techniques. Chapter three focuses on analysis of the novel- the palm-wine Drinkard. Chapter four encompasses summary, findings and conclusion to the whole essay. In our finding, we are able to discovered. That “Africanism especially the aspect of African culture in Tutuola’s texts enable the readers to appreciate and value their own traditions. That Africanism as a concept is capable of generating its own body of literature and attracts criticism to itself. That through the concept of Africanism, the efficacy of African culture has been proved using Tutuola’s text, the    palmwine Drinkard. Also, that the writing of the palmwine drinkard has been greatly influences by oral tradition.Furthermore, it is discovered that Tutuola through the palmwine drinkard has proved that African writer are not writing in vacuum, but concentrate on Africa background

TABLE OF CONTENTS   Abstract CHAPTER ONE  

INTRODUCTION  

1.1 The Meaning of Mythology          

1.2 African Belief System and Myth          

1.3 The Yoruba Perception of Myth          

1.4 The Purpose and Significance of Study      

1.5 Aims and Objectives            

1.6 Methodology                

1.7 Scope of Study               

1.8 Playwrights Autobiography         

CHAPTER TWO  

LITERATURE REVIEW  

2.1 Nature of Myth               

2.2 The Influence of Mythology on African Creative  

Writers                  

2.3 Essence and Function of Mythology in the African  

Society                  

CHAPTER THREE

ELEMENTS OF MYTH IN AMOS TUTUOLA  

THE PALM-WINE DRINKARD         

  CHAPTER FOUR  

TRADITIONAL AFRICAN SOCIETAL OVERVIEWS  

AND CONCLUSION             

  BIBLIOGRAPHY            

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION “Pan-African” unity is important in African identity politics, because the African ancestry of Afro-American community cannot be derived from an identifiable African people. Therefore, it has become necessary to minimize the differences between the various peoples of African favour of a generalized “African” heritage.   1.1 Background of the study The word “Africanism” connotes pan-Africanism. Pan-Africanism represents the aggregation and the projection of historical, cultural, spiritual, artistic, scientific and philosophical legacies of Africans from past times to the present. Pan-Africanism as an ethical system traces its origin. From ancient times and promotes values that are product of the African civilization and the struggles against slavery, racism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. However, Pan-Africanism is usually seen as a product of the European slave trade. Enslaved Africans of diverse origins and their descendants found themselves embedded in a system of exploitation where their African origin becomes a sign of their service status. Pan-Africanism set aside cultural differences, asserting the principality of these shared experiences to foster solidarity and resistance to exploitation. Alongside a large number of slave insurrections, by the end of the eighteenth century political movement developed across the Americas Europe and African which sought to weld these disparate movements into a network of solidarity putting an end to these oppressions. In London, the sons of Africa were political group addressed by quotona Ottobah Lugoano in the 1791 edition of his book thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery. The group addressed meetings and organized letter-writing campaigns, published campaigning material and visited parliament. They wrote to figures such as Granvile sharp, William Pitt and other members of the white abolition movement, as well as king George III and the prince of Wales, the future George IV. Modern Pan-Africanism began around the beginning of the twentieth century. The African Association latter renamed the Pan-African Association, was organized by Henry Sylvester – Williams around 1887, and their first conference was held in 1900.   1.2 Purpose of study The purpose of this study can be seen from different perspectives. First and foremost, to see how Amos Tutuola has promoted the richness of African culture. He wants Africans to cast a favourable look at their indigenous traditions, unique cultural heritage forgetting the culture impose on them during the colonial period, secondly, the study is desirable at discussing how Africanism has been used as theme and techniques in Tutuola’s the palmwine drinkard in order to convey his message to his readers.   1.3 The Significance of the Study This research work is significant in the literary world where it adds to the body of knowledge and making known some hidden riches of the book The Palmwine Drinkard. This work will convey why Tutuola wrote in such of manner with imaginary pictures of places which are often told in Yoruba myth. In this generation where culture and ethnics are not well regarded, this work shall carve out our culture of Africanism and enlighten all to value our culture.   1.4 Justification Many researchers have worked on Amos Tutuola’s the Palmwine Drinkard discussing different issues such as Ajayi A. (2002) “Language and style in Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-wine Drunkard” brought out to appreciate the asteriated use of language in the book and also Baiyerohi, P. (2008) “Folklore in Amos Tutuola’s “The palm-wine Drinkard” to diverse perspectives of folklore but for the purpose of this work, we shall be using “Africanism” to analyze themes and techniques in The palmwine drinkard by Amos Tutuola.

From the foregoing, more researches have been made by scholars and students of English to analytically criticize Tutuola’s The Palm-wine Drinkard but for the authenticity of this work, we shall be exploring the richness of African culture messaged by Tutuola which from our