Cite this article as: Aminu T. & Ogbu J. (2025). Historiography and Literature in Decoloniality: An Elixir for Epistemological Re-Orientation in Nigeria. Zamfara International Journal of Humanities, 4(1), 1-14. www.doi.org/10.36349/zamijoh.2025.v04i01.001.
HISTORIOGRAPHY
AND LITERATURE IN DECOLONIALITY: AN ELIXIR FOR EPISTEMOLOGICAL RE-ORIENTATION
IN NIGERIA
By
Taofiki
Aminu, Ph.D
Department
of History and International Studies, Federal University Gusau
Jonathan
Ogbu
Department
of English and Literature, Federal University Gusau
Abstract:
This study is an
interdisciplinary exploration of the synergy of historiography and literature
in decoloniality, as an elixir for epistemological re-orientation in Nigeria.
The precision for interconnectedness hinged on decoloniality of Eurocentric
erroneous impressions exemplified in varied historical epistemologies by some
scholars like; Trevor Ropers, Lord Milverton, and A.P Thornton, among others.
The colonialist portends that, Nigeria has no history, nor civilisation of
their own, and what abound is the history of colonial existence and enterprise
in Africa. For instance, David Hume asserted that, while the pageant of history
swept by, Africans still remained stagnant, barbaric, and are far millions of
kilometres away behind civilisation; and that anything remarkably done in
Africa, it is neither the Hamitic nor the Semitic. Between 1948 and 1962, the
emergence of Universities in Nigeria births the proactiveness of
historiographers and intellectuals like; Kenneth O. Dike, Saburi Biobaku, Bala
Usman, Mahdi Adamu and others to offer resilience for epistemological
re-orientation. Similarly, novelists, poets, and playwrights in reconstruction
of holistic historiography of Nigeria’s past used literature; from Chinua
Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ to Wole Soyinka’s ‘Death and the King’s Horseman’.
Significantly, the fusion of historiography and literature amplified
marginalized voices, challenged oppressive systems, and advocated for positive
change through epistemological re-orientation. Again, it equally spawned a
transformative elixir for repositioning of public consciousness, foster
empathy, and ignites advocacy movements. Methodologically, the study adopted
the synthesis of provenance of historical cum literature studies in data
elicitation, and employed qualitative historical and context analysis and
interpretations.
Keywords:
Historiography, Literature, Decoloniality, Epistemology, Nigeria
Introduction
The duo, historiography and literature are distinct
disciplines that closely relates to historical studies and fundamentally meant
to recount the antiquity, or to interprets phenomenal events. Practically,
historiography is the art of writing and interpreting history, it offers lens
through critical assessment of the narratives that have been constructed over
time (Swai, 2022; and Shiekh, 2007). Again, literature is an artistic endeavour
with profound capacity to reflects and challenge societal norms, serves as a
mirror and a beacon, guiding through the murky waters of social issues and
human experiences. Invariably, the synergy of historiography and
literature have long assisted in moulding and reshaping human understandings of
what Schraeder (2002) designates as African mosaic societies with variegated
cultures and cultural heritage, viable nature of economy and political
dynamism. These are deciphered through the nuance understandings of historical
events that transpired many centuries ago. Howbeit, this paper is an interdisciplinary exploration of the synergy of
historiography and literature in decoloniality, essentially as an elixir for
epistemological re-orientation in Nigeria. Nigeria is a multiplicity of
nations, perpetually rich in cultural diversity and historical complexity, it
presents a unique canvas where the past is not merely a chronological record,
but a dynamic narrative that continues to influence the present and future.
Relating to the foregoing, Edward Hallet Carr (1962) expressively bolstered
that history is a continuous process of interaction between the historian and
his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past. It is
therefore interesting to construe that cultural historians have delved more and
more into prehistory, that is, human existence before writing made verbalised
records possible (David, 1982). In the context of Nigeria, the rich
tapestry of narratives is intertwined, basically to explores the potent synergy
that emerges with convergence of two realms disciplines. The intellectual
synthesization of historiography and literature unlocks and unravel powerful
elixirs that transcends mere academic discourse, but a catalyst for
epistemological reorientation in Nigeria.
Notwithstanding, the
cogent precision for examination of the interconnectedness of historiography
and literature hinges on decoloniality of Eurocentric erroneous impressions
exemplified in varied historical epistemologies by some scholars, like; Trevor
Ropers, Lord Milverton, and A.P Thornton, among others (Aminu, Bello, and Musa,
2022). The colonialists portend that, Nigeria (Africa) has no history, nor
civilisation of their own, and what abound is the history of colonial existence
and enterprise in Africa. Another colonial apologist David Hume further
asserted that, while the pageant of history swept by, Africans still remained
stagnant, barbaric, and are far millions of kilometres away behind
civilisation; and that anything remarkably done in Africa, it is neither the
Hamitic nor the Semitic. These intellectual bereavements in Nigeria
historiographical values poised for historical rejoinders fathom in rapid
reconstruction of historical past, not only in history, but equally paved way
for literary study such as folklore, fictional and legendry to creep into the
early 20th century.
Between 1948 and 1962, the
emergence of Universities in Nigeria births the proactiveness of
historiographers and intellectuals like; Kenneth O. Dike, Saburi Biobaku, Bala
Usman (Yandaki and Abubakar, 2018), Mahdi Adamu and others offered resilience
for epistemological re-orientation. The development and transformation formed
the indelible marks of honour and glory that debunked the poignant erroneous
impressions by supplanting it with comprehensive knowledge of history and
literature that aided the sieving of the real grains, and ultimately threw away
the chaffs. However, some of these intellectual expressions still subsists in
action as well as in academic practices which call for an in-depth recourse for
epistemological reorientation using the historiography and literature as a
resounding platform. Suggestively, the fusion of historiography and literature
amplified marginalized voices, challenged oppressive systems, and advocated for
positive change through epistemological re-orientation. Again, it equally spawned
a transformative elixir for repositioning of public consciousness, foster
empathy, and ignites advocacy movements. By and
large, the phenomenal study spawned the expeditions for understanding the
complex tapestry of Nigeria’s pasts, and quintessentially for construing the
contemporary epistemology within the purview of historiography and literature
as two pivotal strands. From the prism, in essentiality, this study delves into
the zeniths of historiographical analysis and literary expression, examining
their individual and collective roles in shaping societal narratives and
driving positive change. It is expected that in the short-run the study would
reflect in Nigeria body politics for good governance, genuine intellectual
gains and action towards reproducing a renew cultural hope for repositioning
and advancement against overbearing romance with colonial vestiges.
Understanding
Conceptual Underpinnings: Decoloniality, and Epistemology Reorientation
Conceptually, decoloniality is
best construe within the purview of decolonisation, as an action that calls for
change or radical transformation of an idea that is heinous to human peaceful
existence. Though, the term decoloniality (decolonisation) could be construed
as exemplified by Fanon (1961: p.1), in quite a simply manner, it is a
substitution of one “species” of mankind by another. The substitution is
unconditional, absolute, total, and seamless. It portrays the rise of a new
nation, the establishment of a new State, its diplomatic relations and its
economic and political orientation. What is singularly important is that it
starts from the very first day with the basic claims of the colonised for
change. This change is extraordinarily important because it is desired,
clamoured for, and demanded to improving on human condition. The need for this
change exists in a raw, repressed, and reckless state in the lives and
consciousness of colonised men and women. But the eventuality of such a change
is also experienced as a terrifying future in the consciousness of another
“species” of men and women, the colons, the colonists (Fanon, p. 1). In a more
expressive style, decolonization is sets out to change the order of the World,
and a clearly agenda for total disorder. But it cannot be accomplished by the
wave of a magic wand, a natural cataclysm, or a gentleman's agreement. In
actual fact, decolonization is an historical process as well as an encounter
between two congenitally antagonistic forces that in fact owe, firstly,
confrontation was coloured by violence and their cohabitation-or rather the
exploitation of the colonized by the colonizer-continued at the point of the
bayonet and under cannon fire (Fanon). The colonists and the colonized are old
acquaintances, and it is the colonist who fabricated and continues to fabricate
the colonized subject. Most significantly, as far as this paper is concerned,
decoloniality is an expunction of varied dreadful colonials’ radical
ideological mentalities and sentiments inject into Nigeria history through
prolonged European and Western imperialistic dominations. These inequalities
are discernibly manifested in post-colonial Nigeria intellectual practice in
the realm of historical endeavours, and with its haunting impacts revealed in
all human ambiences.
Historiography and
Literature Amidst Imperialized Mentalities in Nigeria
Historiography in
Nigeria has been profoundly shaped by colonial narratives, which often
marginalized indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, nevertheless,
literary studies took the same paradigm but not as profound as in history. This
is because the British colonial historiographical imperialized mentalities in
Nigeria were predominantly Eurocentric, characterised by imposition of Western
historical methodologies and perspectives, antithetical to autochthons
system. For instance, Falola (2022) extolled that these colonial
administrators, missionaries, and ethnographers documented Nigerian history
through a lens that often-depicted indigenous cultures as primitive and static.
This approach not only distorted historical realities and epistemology, but
also served to justify the British colonial domination as underscored by Swai
(2018: p. 27), emphasizing that under colonialism, Africans could not be the
producers of ideas, but rather awaits European discoveries to make life and
recorded it.
The foregoing colonial excoriation on historiographers have been
paying dearly for committing an original sin-that poised for the inability to
having decided to choose history as a discipline, and as a way of life.
Undisputedly, the whole movement against history and historians seems to be
connected to the chicaneries of cultural imperialism. According to Yandaki
(2018) historians in this clime are surrounded and hedged by imperialized
mentalities which undermined and emasculated the ability to respond to colonial
epistemology. Expressively, this was the type of thoughts and utterances people
make such that certain basic ignorance is depicted and the thoughts heavily
opinionated with a bias in rejecting Nigeria (your) culture, religion,
education, and other indigenous systems. Summarily, all these are put aside in
favour of foreign social, economic and
cultural values at the expense of Nigeria-Afrocentric ideations which the
people were conversant with. These heinous ideologues remain the major unsolved
mystery inhibiting the Afrocentric epistemology.
Throughout the 20th century, this colonial cultural
invasion become unleashed, and towards the beginning of the new millennium, the
cultural imperialism became as it were, parsimoniously reached the peak of
colonialism and neo-colonialism. In fact, as an aesthetic continuum, the first
twenty years of the new century brought with its globalization, which in the
contemporary period the peak of cultural, economic and intellectual imperialism
by the West. These imperialized mentalities gained ascendency of cultural
imperialism that promoted commercialization of knowledge, invariably
epistemology. The ideations
became highly entrenched profoundly to the extent that Eskor Toyo (cited in
Yandaki, 2018, p. 7) of blessed memory that some Universities themselves
transformed into commercial
Universities. This is where studies became commoditization and commodification
in the comfort zones in Business Studies, Management, Accountancy, Political
studies, Computer studies among others. This is fundamentally done at the detriment
of historical studies by discomforting its potential values especially in the
production of the much-needed epistemological orientation. History as a study
was not properly emplaced or allowed to take its appropriate place of knowledge
dissemination as abound materials were distorted histories of Africa vis-à-vis
Nigeria. These were as exemplified in series of submissions by Trevor Ropers, Lord Milverton, David Hume, and A. P. Thornton, among
others (Aminu., Bello., and Musa, 2022). The unbroken cords from European colonial imperialized
mentalities tremendously exacerbated the strength of genuine historical
scholarship dissemination and documentation as there were preponderant leanings
to Western ideologies.
Again, the
imperialized mentalities often situate in counterposed
against the disastrous loss of national ethos and interests in the study of
history. On the contrary, if there is strong presence of national interest in
discipline like history, then epistemological orientation will have their
headway. But, where national interest is exterminated in Nigeria, then
patriotic subjects have no room, and that is why over three decades of
trajectories, history as a study has witnessed the worst government and public
patronage in terms of epistemological orientation. Yandaki (2018, p. 7)
affirmed that due to crass materialism and promotion of business studies and
allied courses, (as such courses are always patronized by bankers, chairmen of
Local Governments, secretaries, sometimes senior custom officers, immigration
and police officers, politicians, civil service Directors and Deputy Directors)
such courses blossomed due to sophisticated corruption.
With strong disinterests, this huge monumental movement soon
decreed that history should be removed or yanked from primary and secondary
schools' syllabuses. Hence, the conclusion these characters have made is that,
history unlike the 'social sciences' and the 'sciences' has nothing to
contribute to national economy. And on individual level, a trained historian or
historiographer would have no job contingent on the belief that he or she is
not a 'professional'. Nonetheless, professionals such as medical doctors,
pharmacists, computer scientists, etc can be 'on their own'. Albeit, Yandaki
(2018) avowed that how parasitic and dangerous quacks are these professions can
be vis-à-vis to the larger society is never mentioned. Consequently, this
perception thus culminated to the belittling and under-rating of historical
scholarship, history discipline as well as historians.
In bolstering supports and assertion of imperialized mentalities,
Sir Harry Johnston regarded “Africa as ‘born slaves’, possesses of great
physical strength, docility, cheerfulness of disposition and can above all toil
hard under the hot sun and in the unhealthy climates of the torrid zone” (Swai,
2018, p. 26). Thus, too, Lord Leverhulme of Lever Brothers at a dinner held by
the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce declared to its members in 1924 that as
“immature and underdeveloped, African children were excellent materials for
labour in the tropics, and that since they lacked the organizing ability, and
characteristics of the white man, they could benefit a good deal if they were
made to acquiesce to the white man’s burden” (Swai, 2018, p. 26). This is
radically a clear manifestation of what Nigerians and their historians found
themselves amidst imperialized mentalities of the British and Western
colonialists. This foregoing unprecedented exegesis called for decoloniality of
imperialized mentalities towards achieving the feat for epistemological
reorientation in Nigeria as the concern of the subsequent section.
Historiography and
Literature in Decoloniality and Epistemological Re-Orientation Approaches in
Nigeria
This segment explores the decoloniality approaches to
historiography and literature in Nigeria, it aims at laying facticity for
reorientation of epistemological framework towards a more inclusive and
representative understanding of Nigerian history. The crystallization of
historiography and literature offer the expected elixir for epistemological
reorientation, and can never be oversimplified in contemporary intellectual
discourse and historical documentation. It has the esoteric forces that depicts
the moral justification for reorientation through understanding of didactic
indigenous history using historiographical and literary interpretations. In
decoloniality, the duo seeks out to dismantle the lingering colonial constructs
and structures within historiography by challenging the epistemic imperialistic
foundations laid from the 19th century by British colonial
administration in Nigeria. Though, some element of it still subsists on a large
scale in the post-colonial era as neocolonialism, or invariably globalisation,
hence the clarion calls for decoloniality as follows.
Reclamation of Indigenous Narratives Through History and
Literary Studies: The reclaiming of indigenous
narratives of great antiquity is a process very crucial in fostering of a more
accurate, genuine and holistic understandings of Nigeria’s past for historical
reconstruction and reorientation for epistemological values. Most apposite,
Falola (2022) identifies decoloniality approaches of Nigerian historiography
through the strands of strategies involving the prioritizing of oral histories,
folklore, and other indigenous sources of historical knowledge. Though, these
indices cannot be exonerated from literary studies, as literary works such as
poems, prose, unseen prose and drama are not outrightly fictions or fictitious.
They contain good element of historical truism embedded to justifies the
element of originality depicting the past, present and the future. Relatively,
Jazbhay (2019) emphasizes the importance of reclaiming indigenous knowledge
systems and narratives that were suppressed or ignored by British colonial
historians. Some series of discourses are found and located in numbers of
literary prima facie of writings of Chinua Achebe (1958) Things Fall Apart;
Wole Soyinka (1967), The Lion and the Jewel; and response in the
contemporary era included the writing by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2006),
Half of a Yellow Sun; among others. The historians uses the
historiographical vantage to construct narratives that reflects the live
experiences and perspectives of Nigerians past and present communities in
juxposition for epistemological reorientation. The decolonial approaches to
historiography in Nigeria are essential for achieving epistemological
re-orientation through plethora of historical and literary engagements.
Attention of people and students in various levels of institutions of learnings
(primary, post-primary and tertiary) could be directed didactically to
accelerate historical and literary understandings for intellectual and
epistemic reorientation. This progression will not only enrich the understandings
of Nigerian historiography and literature, but endow with potential value and
capacity to contributes to the broader project of decolonizing knowledge
production integrated by the colonialists.
Critiquing Colonial Sources and Orality: A critical examination of colonial documents and records is
essential. This includes identifying biases, omissions, and misrepresentations
within these sources and contextualizing them within the broader framework of
colonial power dynamics. For instance, David
Hume affirmed that, while “the pageant of history swept by, Africans still
remained stagnant, barbaric, and are far millions of kilometres away behind
civilisation; and that anything remarkably done in Africa, it is neither the
Hamitic nor the Semitic”. The critiquing of the submission of
Eurocentric writers like; Lord Milverton, Trevor Roper, and A. P Thornton, among others (Aminu., Bello., and Musa, 2022) has
objectively been debunked through numbers of rejoinders in the past, and as
well continues in the contemporary period. Abound epistemologies for outright
reorientations are situated in numbers of writings by griots of history
starting from 1956 by Kenneth O. Dike, Saburi Biobaku, J.FA. Ajayi, Yusuf Bala
Usman, Mahdi Adamu, and in the contemporary by late Aminu Isyaku Yandaki,
Hamza, M. Maishanu, and Toyin Falola among others. In fact, their
epistemological analysis has created a sound base for historical scholarship
for continuing reorientation through readings, teachings, conferences,
symposium, and academic fora injected in response to global issues. Their
intellectual activities as an aesthetic continuum of demonstration posited the
epistemic vigour orchestrated and directed for moral historical reorientation
against Eurocentric postulations and constructs which has been the provenance
of contemporary confrontational attitude and instabilities in Nigeria.
Integration of Interdisciplinary Methodologies: The integration and interdisciplinary methodologies of historiography
and literary ideas could be adopted to spawn viable methodologies from
anthropology, archaeology, and cultural studies to provide a more nuance
comprehension of Nigerian history. This interdisciplinary approach allows for
the incorporation of diverse perspectives and sources of knowledge in distinct
realms of studies in reconstruction of a whole phenomenon. This is because no
discipline could thrive in insulation, there must be didactic intellectual
action that will be inputted to drives home the fact of history and literature
to evolve genuine information. Though, historiography
and literature are likened to Siame and are vital components in the quest for
writing and discourse of epistemological re-orientation in Nigeria. It should
be noted that the dominant Western epistemological paradigm has long dictated
the narrative of Nigerian history and literature, marginalizing indigenous
perspectives (Mudimbe, 1988). However, responses to this misinterpretation have
been deep rooted in integration and interdisciplinary methodologies which
birthed the past epistemological reorientation. This called for a critical
examination of Nigerian historiography and literature with dependent ability to
facilitate a decolonial turn. By this assertion, Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1986)
contended that literary studies in the post-colonial period allows for the
reclamation of indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices through
corrections of abnormalities inherent in colonial writings. However, the
employing of decolonial approaches by scholars and writers in Nigeria will
present humongous objectives to create a more inclusive and equitable literary
landscape, one that reflects the diversity and complexity of Nigerian
experiences (Quayson, 2014). This will involve not only a paradigm shift in the
typologies of stories that are told in literature, but will certainly assists
the nurturing of uncommon and exceptional transformation for historical
reconstruction. And this will however devoid imperialized mentalities, but a
preponderant of African moral fact will be respectively inoculated for
epistemic reorientation.
Local Community Engagements and Orthodox Oral Epistemology: From antiquity, history is noted to be domiciled in
eponymous homes of varied communities, villages and hamlets, as well as among
the pageant historians transmitted from older to new generations. The
unprecedented roles of local traditional community engagement in using orthodox
oral source in debriefing and elicitation of facts and realities built the
present epistemology. The tinge of collaborating with local communities and
orthodox oral datum inspired strong historiographical processes that ensures
voices and experiences for adequate representation for production of sound base
for historical epistemic reorientation. This participatory approach helps to
democratize historical knowledge production and management. Achebe (1958)
identified some case studies in the Things Fall Apart and Arrow of
God to illustrate the application of decolonial approaches to Nigerian
historiography. The studies raised the forces for rejuvenation of Nigerian
history as dominant narratives and representations of Nigerian identity in
acceleration of epistemological reorientation against imperialized mentalities.
This intellectual ambience discredited the ways in which those stories are told
in literature (apart from fiction) as well as chronicles of people and towns
piercing through the privilege of utilising local community indigenous
languages, narrative structures, and modes of expression (Soyinka, 1975).
More so, Kwanashie and Abba (2018, p. 147) expatiated that
in Nigerian traditional societies, preservation and transmission of knowledge
about the past was recognised as important aspect for the development of
society, and in particular for promoting communal self-consciousness and sense
of identity. In real sense of decoloniality, colonial studies on African
societies vis-à-vis Nigeria needs out-and-out truncation and emasculation by
supplanting them with didactic Nigerian historical and literary scholarship
using communities’ re-engagement and orality for genuiness of studies. This
constitutes the sieving of historical and literary condiments displayed, and
adoption of expedient actions by overhauling antiquated studies through
reification of Nigeria indigenous epistemologies for proper and gainful
reorientation.
Intersectionality of Schools of History and Literary
Studies: Distinct from orthodox method of
learning and teaching of history in various Nigerian institutions, there should
be intersection of the utilisation of formal schools of history for practical
knowledge dissemination. Inversely, in this perspective, trajectory of
acquisition of history are equally domiciliated in formal colonial and
post-colonial institutions of learning through a designated curricular. For
instance, in southern flank of Nigeria, the formative stage of Ibadan School of
History came into prominence in the 1950s when Department of History was
established in the University College of West Africa in 1948. It reached its
apogee in 1956 by responding voraciously to imperialized voices and
mentalities, through which eminent historians, like Michael Crowder, Kenneth O.
Dike, Saburi Biobaku and J.F.A Ajayi among others sent series of rejoinders
(Yandaki and Abubakar, 2018). In northern Nigeria, the spate of responses to
colonial intellectual misrepresentations ushered in the emergence of Department
of History spearheaded by Abdullahi Smith in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in
1962 as a satellite campus of University of Ibadan. Their activities were
acutely fundamental at the forefront of decoloniality, aptly for extension of
the frontier of historiography and epistemological re-orientations.
Incontrovertibly, eminent figures among the historical icons and sages included
Abdullahi Smith, Michael Crowder, and Jacob, F.A Ajayi and others. They assiduously
precluded the European colonial epistemology oddities and heinous to human
image, social existence, perception, and belief system. Instructively, by the
second-half of the 20th century, the intellectuality responses and
approaches were geared toward decoloniality of Western misconceptions on
Africans (Nigeria) history, and thus became obvious in varied tertiary
institutions in accelerating human consciousness and understandings.
Relentlessly, the facilitation of epistemological reorientation culminated in
the establishment second generation Universities as an offshoot of extant
institutions for continue intellectual exercise on historiography. In reality,
the Department of History was respectively established in University of
Nigeria, Nsukka in 1960 and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University)
in 1962 with pristine curriculum equally saddled for recalibration of epistemic
reaffirmation of epistemology against colonial expositional insensitivities,
among others.
Auspiciously, in Nigeria, the schools of thoughts emerged in
the mid-20th century sought to challenge colonial historiography by
emphasizing on African intellectual agencies and perspectives. Scholars
like Kenneth O. Dike and J.F.A Ajayi played pivotal roles in this movement
(Falola 2022) by establishing the Historical Society of Nigeria in 1956 with
the rapidity to extinguish colonial epistemic exploitations. In the
contemporary period, the likes of Professors Toyin Falola, Dahiru Yahaya,
George A. Kwanashie, and Alkasum Abba proactively ensures the marketisation of
African history in correction of European and West intellectual inequalities
and imbalances. Besides, some notable examples of decoloniality in literature,
especially in Nigeria were directed towards reposition of epistemological
reorientation including writings of Chinua Achebe (1958), Wole Soyinka (1967),
and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2006). They challenged the overriding narratives
depicting Nigerian uniqueness in epistemic reorientation. This undoubtedly
promoted Nigerian historiographical studies towards epistemological
reorientation by repudiation of colonial obnoxious thoughts that portend the
denigration of Nigerians braveness, even in their inestimable contributions to
the advancement of Europe and the West.
Rise of Indigenous Languages in History and Literary
Studies: The standardization of Yoruba and Igbo
languages orthographic words in 1897 by Samuel Ajayi Crowder, as well as Hausa
language culture facilitated the rapid responses of epistemological
reorientation. This aspect of epistemic orientation resulted in retention of
considerable indigenous knowledge through writings to brokers control of
education in Nigeria. For instance, the rise of indigenous language history and
literature birthed the emergence of protuberant numbers of studies,
fundamentally in 1937, Abubakar Imam authored the Magana Jarice; and
Daniel O. Faguwa, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale in 1938, among others.
With advancement in modern studies, there are surge in writings offered in Igbo
and Yoruba languages, notably; Igbo Language and Culture was authored by
Ejerun in 2001; and Owomoyela in 2001 titled Yoruba Language and Culture.
In advancement of decoloniality in Nigeria, these historical and literary works
gained currency and ascendancy by morphing ideas that deflates Eurocentric
intellectual ideologies. In addition, this rise in indigenous language
literatures even in print media, like Iwe Irohin Yoruba in 1859 founded
by Henry Townsend- a Christian missionary and Gaskiya Tafi Kwabo in 1939
respectively demonstrated their prowess. Effectively, the outcomes resulted in
systemic spread of the indigenous newspapers that aided Nigerians in pouring
out their venoms against British uncanny colonial dominations in all human
endeavours. In decoloniality, they ultimately approved the teaching and
studying of autochthonous languages for epistemological advancement. This
became a centrifugal force that marked a significant shift towards
decoloniality in Nigerian historiographical effulgence among scholars and
end-beneficiaries of literature and media newspapers. Encouragingly, the
accentuation of domestication of indigenous languages in history and literary
studies prepared the resilience and potential capability to create a renew hope
in repositioning of Nigeria historiography towards epistemological
reorientation.
Orality in Histories and Literary Studies in Decoloniality: Since antiquity, orality has been the only genre through
which ideas were commuted and disseminated by heart, either as songs or the
relaying of traditional historical antecedents to the nascent and generations
unborn. It is usually in form of traditional history by which information are
collected, commuted and disseminate in songs form through the mouth (Aminu and
Ibrahim, 2024). This phenomenon opened pristine strategy and phase for
historiography, using orality in history and literary studies for decoloniality
of epistemological reorientation. Valuably, it thus protects history from the
abysses of intellectual bankruptcy introduced by British colonialist as well as
the West for exploitation of the credulities of Nigerians. For instance, in
Africa Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's treatise created the logical stance instrumental to
decoloniality of literature, titled Decolonizing the Mind and messages
were profusely sent beyond Nigeria national borders. Similarly, Chinweizu,
Onwuchekwa Jemie, and Ihechukwu Madubuike's in 1980 authored Toward the
Decolonization of African Literature was indeed a foundational text in
Africa, especially in Nigeria. The studies treatise responded to
Western-dominated literary criticisms by averting them through critical bold of
clarion call to action for African writers and scholars to reclaim their cultural
heritage(s). This informed the challenges orchestrated to absolve Nigerians
from colonialist and neocolonialist disgusting narratives.
Obviously, the use of oral traditions to document the
history or chronicles of the Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa among other people provided
valuable visions into their social, political, religious, and cultural
developments. In essentiality, these narratives offer a counterpoint to the
often-reductive accounts found in colonial records through strong objective
excoriation evident in numbers of studies and policy actions. In mitigation of
colonial extremities, the British colonial analogical inductive reasonings that
tilted historical cum literary studies into denigration were equally averted by
exploring the oral validity. In reality, the early part of the 20th
and 21st centuries intellectual discourse and information
documentation ushered the matrixes revolution in the typologies of rejoinders
genuinely for reconstruction and authentication of orality for
historiographical epistemic reorientation.
Reclamation and Revalidation of Indigenous Cultures: The stride for epistemological reorientation through
reclamation and revalidation of autochthonous culture is apt, and should be
sacrosanct. This possesses the potential for intellectual dynamism to erase the
colonialist’s postulated assumptions on Nigeria history as indicated by Trevor
Roper and Lord Milverton on African civilisation. For instance, in reiteration,
David Hume extrapolated that, while
‘the pageant of history swept by, Africans still remained stagnant, barbaric,
and are far millions of kilometres away behind civilisation; and that anything
remarkably done in Africa, it is neither by the Hamitic nor the Semitics’.
Often controversial, Lord Milverton portends that ‘Nigeria has no history, nor
civilisation of their own, and what abound is the history of colonial existence
and enterprise in Africa’ (Aminu, Bello, and Musa, 2022). The
synthesized outcomes of the construct resulted in ravenous rejoinders from
Nigerian historiographers’ reclamation and revalidation of history using
primeval religious perspectives from Glorious Qu’ran, and ecumenical
application as well as Arabic sources. These sources adduced undeniable facts
and actions that assisted in stemming the tides of colonial polemics extrapolations,
and thus directly promoted epistemic reorientation that discredited the
backwardness Nigeria in the realms of civilisation.
Arising from the foregoing, the intersectionality of
history and literary studies in decoloniality in Nigeria gained significant
attention and tractions in the recent time. This is contingent on increasing
intellectual consciousness of scholars and writers that challenge the legitimacy
of dominant Western epistemologies. Though fundamental reclamation and
revalidation of indigenous perspectives, (Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2018) cultural
exhibitions and tourism plays their tolls. Most significantly, decoloniality
approaches to literature in Nigeria involve a critical examination of the ways
in which colonialism has sharpened the country's literary landscape (Mignolo,
2011) against indigenous culture. The lethality and incivility of colonial
knowledge culture raises the Nigerians intellectual conscious effort to poised
for epistemological reorientation. This contingent on effervescent listening to
marginalize voices and experiences through reclamation and revalidation of
indigenous cultural civility of Nigerians.
Notwithstanding, the strenuous
reclamation and revalidation of Nigerian heterogenous cultures produced, and
still manifested its’ ingenuity by divesting of the increasing propensity of
pseudo colonial knowledge culture into the dustbin of annihilation. Ambitiously,
the encapsulation of these could be achieved through critical supplantation
with transformative knowledge management moulded to assuage good human
character in Nigeria plural societies. However, decoloniality project of reclamation and revalidation could be
integrated and institutionalized in academic curricular with genuine framework
to dismantle the structural knowledge production bereaved in colonial
assertions. This will ensconce great enthusiasm for Nigerians to historically
enjoys the privilege and as well scoffing the overriding colonial speculations
to the advantages Nigerians over Western culture and civilisation campaigns.
In truism, Falola (2002)
emphasised that Nigerian historiography has begun to shift extraneously towards
a more inclusive and decolonial approach by incorporating indigenous cultural
historical perspectives and sources for epistemological reorientation. The
archetypal shift is crucial in revisioning of Nigeria heterogenous
epistemologies towards a more nuance comprehension of the country's complex
history and cultural heritage. In
apposition, the amplification of Nigerians marginalized voices will help wistfully
the inoculation of imperialized mentalities into outright oblivion. This will
tend to stimulate African historical and literary writers to draw upon
their own cultural experiences and traditions for revalidation. Similarly,
literary expositions from the quintessential of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall
Apart (1958), and Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman
(1975) has created serious indelible marks for reclamation and revalidation of
indigenous culture. For instance, the former offers powerful counter-narrative
to British colonialist representations of Nigerian culture, while the later
critiques the imposition of Western values on indigenous cultural practices. On
the average, the intellectual strides demonstrated and directed in the context
of their literary submissions really promoted the prolific cultural epistemic
reorientation require by Nigerians.
Institutionalization of Objective Criticism of Western
Historical and Literary Canons: The
intersectionality of historiography and literature have illustrated its trends,
and have not relented in institutionalization and redirection of Western
historical and literary canons through the genre of epistemological
reorientation. The decoloniality tactic of the phenomena in Nigeria is not
merely a rejection of British colonial legacies, but an objective criticism for
reaffirmation of indigenous epistemologies. Through inexhaustible works,
Nigerian writers had continued to criticizes and challenge the legality of the
British colonial canons, offering new strategies of construing and engaging
with global World tenets. These historical and literary objectivities are
consciously enthused to improving on socio-political and ethical movements
crucial for epistemological re-orientation. This is highly necessary
for a true and genuine decolonization of Nigerian society in gaining formidable
feat through an enviable sagacity. For
instance, some Nigeria historian sages like of Toyin Falola, Alkasum Abba,
Aminu, I. Yandaki, Abdulateef Femi Usman, and Raimi Olaoye have emphasized the
importance of indigenous canons in historiographical reconstruction. The
instance is the institutionalization of objective reality that has assisted
enormously in criticizing the dominance of Western archival records highly
overwhelmed with biasness. In bolstering their expositions, Carr (1962, p. 30)
extenuate that the ‘dual function of history is to enable man understand the
society of the past and to increase the mastery over the society of the
present’. In this, the Nigeria scholars' polemic stance adopted for
intersectionality of historiography and literary mechanisms aided the
exorcising of archaic Western canons, and hence provides fertile ground for
epistemological re-orientation.
Intellectual Perceptions and Application of Theoretical
Constructs for History and Literary Expositions: In comprehension of historiography for epistemological
reorientation, human perceptions for clarity of complex phenomena have been
adopted for use of theoretical postulations counting of the past. In the late
20th and early 21st centuries, theoretical constructs among historians for
interpretation of complex phenomenon remain a tapestry to fathom a simplify
solution, fundamentally for expansion of understanding of history. In its multidisciplinary use of theories, the study of history
and literature gains ascendancy in provision of ideas questioning reasons for
Eurocentric assertions on Africa States. The attempt corrected some imbalances
and misconceived ideas, fundamentally, it extended the frontiers of
historiographical investigations, objectively. It countered and decolonized to
some propensity the British colonial intellectual derogatory perceptions and
postulations, for onward epistemological reorientation.
Connecting from the above prism, it is worthy to note that
intellectual perceptions require deep-seated paradigm shift from Eurocentric to
Afrocentric solutions using theoretical perspectives in history and literary
analysis. Potentially, these could be achieved through numbers of objective
intellectual symposiums, conferences, seminars and fieldworks that will
disseminate the truism of intellectual perceptions as to absolve from
imperialized mentalities. In advocation of the fact, Y.B Usman (1977) maintained
that a perception of historical development is a conception about how humanity
and society has come to be what it is now, is something every person has to
have whether they are conscious and explicit about it or not. In
epistemological reorientation, the central function of history in developing
countries such as Nigeria is that of discovering the pattern of motion of
societies. The discovery is achieved by collection and critical analysis of
facts about the past, and interpreting them to discover pristine pattern of
meanings. It is this meaning that is put into society by deciding whether to
continue to follow that pattern or to change the course of pattern.
In the colonial era for instance, the British colonialist
with a sense of history, used history to bolster imperialism, - it denied
Africa its past. On the other hand, Africanist historians used history to
justify their struggle and mobilize for it. This is voraciously intellectual
attacks on colonial imperialized idiosyncrasy that continues to address, and
polemically stalked through seminars, conferences and symposiums presentation
culminating in drafting of communiques that assisted in reconstruction of series
of academic curricular for good policy statements and epistemological
reorientation. It is in this context that the extrapolation of Biobaku (1986,
p. 3) could be contends for us in Africa, the objective of this historical
process of imagining the past experience, the present and remembering the
future, must be the restoration of the dignity of man.
Intrinsic
Prospects for Epistemological Reorientation
The interface of historiography
and literature for decoloniality has the potential to offer intrinsic prospects
for epistemological reorientation by shift from dominant Western knowledge
systems to more inclusive and culturally relevant frameworks. This re-orientation
would in the short and long-runs facilitates the recognition and validation of
indigenous knowledge systems, promotion of a more tinge understanding of
Nigerian culture, history, and identity. More also, the relay policy statements for prospects in epistemic reorientation lies heavily in humongous
integration of African philosophies and thoughts’ systems, such as Ubuntu and
Afrikania (Ramose, 2002; Asante, 2007). These philosophies stresses on
communalism, interconnectedness, and holistic understanding as alternatives to
Western individualism and reductionism. Though, with the didactic incorporation
of these perspectives, Nigerian scholars will have the aptitude to develop an
unfetter of more context-specific and culturally relevant epistemology for
outright reorientation backgrounds.
Other prospect would intrinsically
hover in recognition of indigenous languages as vital components of
epistemological reorientation (Mazrui, 2005), as language plays a crucial role
in shaping knowledge systems and cultural practices. By and large, the promotion
of the adoption and use of indigenous languages in academic and intellectual
discourse would proliferates Nigerian scholars to reclaim and revitalize their
cultural heritage, facilitate more authentic and inclusive understanding of
Nigerian epistemology. Furthermore, the incorporation of oral traditions and
storytelling into epistemological reorientation frameworks has the propensity
to offers significant prospects for comprehension of history. Besides, the use
of indigenous orality must have provided the valuable insights into Nigerian
history, culture, and knowledge systems as alternative to Western textual
civilizations. Similarly, the integration of oral traditions into academic
discourse, application of theoretical constructs for Nigerian scholars will
pose the potentialities for comprehensive and inclusive epistemological
understandings of their cultural heritage. Finally, the integration of historiography and
literature would in short-run have enormous potentialities to condense Nigerian
scholars and writers to develop a more thoughtful comprehension of their past,
present, and future. Thus, the facilitation of decoloniality has the dynamism
for reclamation of indigenous knowledge systems, cultural practices and
essentially the extraction of good aspects of colonial knowledge for
utilisation. Ultimately, the contributions of epistemological reorientation
must have ensconced to unfetter the blight of imperialized minds for more
nuance and inclusive understanding of Nigerian identity, culture, and history,
if not in holistic, but to a certain appreciable degree.
Conclusion
This study has intellectually explored the intersectionality of historiography and literature towards epistemological reorientation in Nigeria with emphasis for decoloniality of imperialized mentalities. It is through a critical examination of dominant Western knowledge systems and incorporation of indigenous standpoints, that the reclamation and revitalization of Nigerian cultural heritage could be achieved and unencumbered. Thus, the intrinsic prospects for epistemology reorientation included the integration of African philosophies, indigenous languages, and oral traditions to offer a pathway for more inclusive and culturally relevant comprehension of Nigerian identity, culture, and history. This could radically bolster the reclamation of indigenous narratives, objective critiquing of colonial sources, employing interdisciplinary methodologies, and engagement with local communities. With this, the historians can reconstruct a more inclusive and representative account of Nigeria’s past by unfettering colonial mentalities. The study also creates an outlook on how decolonial future is essential for recognition of the power dynamics at play in dismantling the dominant Western epistemological orientations, heinously for advancement of Nigeria civilisation. This creates space for marginalized voices, challenge dominant narratives, and foster deeper understandings of Nigerian past and present experiences, to articulate for the future. Quintessentially, this study postulate that decolonization in Nigeria is not only necessary, but is also sacrosanct in embracing the complexities and diversities of Nigerian culture and history as an epistemological reorientation. It is the hope of this study that future researchers should continue to explore the applications of decolonial epistemology in various fields, including history, education,literature, and cultural studies among others. This will assist community leaders, members, and government in consideration of the practical importance, especially the incorporation of enumerated points towards epistemological reorientation.
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