The Perspective of Oral Literature and African Culture in Benin Kingdom as Portrayed by Different Authors in Some Selected Books
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study includes;
- Examining critical the oral tradition and the historical background of the Edo People.
- Identifying the role of oral literature in the development of the society and in Benin in particular.
- Examining critically the communities of origin.
- Examining the commitment of oral tradition to community cooperation and development.
- Examining critically the commitment of oral tradition into solving communal disputes and bringing out the norms in the society.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, we are going to look at the main parts of oral literature and African culture as it concerns the Binis and opinions of researchers, educators and other knowledgeable persons in the field of oral literature and African culture. These area under discussion will be examined under various sub-headings to make for easy reading and comprehension.
CONCEPT OF AFRICAN ORAL LITERATURE
When the European came to colonize African they had a supposition that African had no literature and so named it the “Dark Continent”. The reason for the supposition was simply that of ignorance, their desire to denigrate. Other cultures which they were not familiar with ANDZEJEWSKY comments on such supposition on the absence of literature in some societies. With characteristics nicitidy. No society in Africa or anywhere else has been discovered to lack literature through research. The myth of society without any literature, either oral or written is a relic of the nomalistic attitude towards non-literate society and Africa itself which still persist. As Obiechina (1922) observed each tradition has its own peculiar rities bit every human society including those with a long stnadaing ,literature and tradition, have gone through an oral phase and retain a residue of the oral quality of its early artistry (Andzejewski, Pilaszewich and Tylochedst 33) it is note worthy that even western societies that claim to be highly technologised had their artistic oral tradition. Oral tradition is part and parcel of every culture and race all the races always give their children warning and instruction through oral means.
COMPONENT OF ORAL LITERATURE
Oral literature may be in prose or verse. The prose is often mythological or historical and include tales of the trickster character. Story tellers in Africa sometimes use call and response techniques to tell their stories. Poetry often sung, includes narrative epic, occupational verse, ritual verse, praise poems to rulers and other prominent people. Praise singers, sometimes know as “riots” tell their stories with music. Also recited, often sung, are love songs, work songs, children songs, proverbs, epigrams and riddles. Some of the highlighted points will be briefly discussed.
PROVERBS
Emile Durkheim and E. N. Obiechina (1987) see proverbs as collective representation of people way of life, proverbs actually come from the womb of tradition, reflecting the intellect and wisdom of the people and their various thematic and stylistic constituents are derived from all layers we described as the philosophical and socio-cultural values system of the people. They point to the individual, domestic and collective life patterns of the society from which they are derived in other words, from peoples cosmological and social environment.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
In this study, the researcher had drawn and designed some tools and procedure through which the aims and objectives of the project could be attained. The aim of this project is to make the society know Africa literature and that of the Benin Kingdom in particular and how it has contributed to our social cultural and educational life. This chapter is concerned with the research procedure comprising the following section, the population, sampling procedure, instrumentation and method of data analysis.
POPULATION
The total of four orators works constitute the focus of the study drawn from all available work on oral literature and African culture and also, works on the Benin oral Cultural and literature was also looked into for a more comprehensive research work. They were randomly selected from those orators work as it relates to African oral Literature and culture and that of the Benin in particular.
CHAPTER FOUR
The main focus of this chapter will be on research questions and it will be in the following headings;
Research Question 1: What was the nature of oral literature in the pre-colonial and post colonial eras in most African countries.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
SUMMARY
Oral literature in this context includes stories, histories, myths, drama, riddles, songs, proverbs, and other form of expression which were frequently employed to educate and entertain the Africans especially the binis in the pre-literature days. Although, most Nigerian know and could recount part of their genealogy and local native history, only a few oral artists had skill to treat the lengthy oral literature, oral literature forms the integral part of any of the culture of any group of people. Before printing was invented, communities sought to preserve their identity and culture as a group by handing it down oralty from generation to another. It was only orally that the elders in the communities could continue to transmit to the young ones the customs, beliefs and indeed norms of the race. In particular they have been types of oral tradition. This oral tradition has come to take specific forms and had often become identified with certain localities situations and fore ceremonies.
Many forms are easily identified and some are more important than other, some like incantation and passwo45d are used only on special occasions and have only a limited currency. Oral literature is still very much practiced although it has tolerated and still tolerates some metamorphosis. The chief of those consist of the frequent translation through which oral literature reaches Africa as a whole and the outside world. Western influence began affecting Nigeria literature as early as the eighteen century A. D. when Arabic ideas and culture were introduced to Africa. The Benin as elsewhere in Africa are so rich in culture and values. This is the reason some people called Bini a center of culture. Human beings have always been strengthened when they have not read the bible, history books, novels, or short stories and before such literacy forms were devised, they had entertained themselves, instructed younger generations and kept their records with the many faceted takes. It is to be reiterated that all culture have oral tradition, so the Bini have their own oral tradition. The Igue festival, Ekosa dance the Oba coronation etc can still be seen today as oral tradition among the Benin. As a part of arts, Oba sponsored the creation of some Benin Most famous art work and artist in the African Kingdom of Benin case bronze plaques that documented key figures and events in the kingdoms history.
CONCLUSION
Based on the literature and findings, one could conclude that African are very much rich in tradition and culture as a result of the evidence presented above through findings and analysis of data, and the Bini’s proves to be very rich in traditional and culture.
RECOMMENDATIONS
As a result of the literature review and the result of the findings from the analysis data, the researcher made the recommendations that;
- Oral literature should be taught at the different school level in Nigeria.
- The learners should be exposed to the historical development of their place of origin
- The mother tongues should be taught as a compulsory subject at the different school levels.
- Books that teaches the tradition and cultures values on a group of people or the Africa people should be within the reach of everyone who are interested.
- Government should be moiré involved in the promotion of culture and tradition of its people.
REFERENCES
- Ben-Amos, Paula Girshick (2011). The art of Benin revised edition British museum press.
- Bonderenko Dual (2005). The homourchic state Bini Kingdom of the 13th -19th centuries. Social revolution and history 2005. Vol. 4, No. 2, pp 18-88
- Dasylva, Anderson (2001). Classification paradigm in African oral narrative. Ibadan, Nigeria: Cultural studies group, University of Ibadan
- Isidore Okpewho (1992). Africa oral literature university of Ibadan Press.
- Nosakhare Isekhure (2010). From birth to death a Benin cultural voyage.
- Osadolor, Osarhieme (2001). Africa’s glorious legacy. Time life lost civilization series
- Oyeken Owomoyela, (1998). A history of twentieth century, African literatures. Lincoln and London University of Nebraska Press.
