Oluoch-Olunya, Garnette (2000) Contextualising post-independence Anglophone African writing: Ayi Kwei Armah and Ngugi Wa Thiong'o compared. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5341/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] CONTEXTUALISING POST -INDEPENDENCE ANGLOPHONE AFRI CAN WRITING: A YI KWEI ARMAH AND NGUGI WA THIONG' 0 COMPARED by Garnette Oluoch-Olunya © Garnette Oluoch-Olunya Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD Department of English Literature Faculty of Arts, University of Glasgow (September 2000) Supervised by: Professor Lalage Bown Dorothy A McMillan Table of Contents Introduction 1 Part I: Background to the Problem Chapter 1: Moving The Centre: History, Culture and Decolonisation 28 Chapter 2: 'All the Winds of the World': The Establishment of Education in Ghana 58 Chapter 3 'Go Ye Forth': The Miseducation of Ngugi 84 Part Two: Establishing a Literary Context Chapter 4: The Reception of Aye Kwei Armah's The Beautyjul Ones Are Not Yet Born 103 Chapter 5: Frantz Fanon: auteur subversif, penseur d'avenir 124 Part Three: Reading Ngugi and Armah Chapter 6: A(r)t War With the State: Ngugi's Petals of Blood 154 Chapter 7: Why Aren't We So Blest? 187 Chapter 8: 'Yet will I leave a remnant': The Impact of Settlement in Kenya 229 Chapter 9: Osiris Rising: Revisioning Past, Present and Future 258 Conclusion 306 BIBLIOGRAPHY 326 APPENDICES 352 Acknowledgements I may travel slowly, but 1 too will arrive Armah I want to thank the people who have supported me, and been a part of this work over the years. My Supervisors, Professor Lalage Bown and Ms Dorothy A. Mcmillan, two phenomenal women without whom this thesis would not have been written, and who have, over time and distance, kept the faith. I Thank You. Mr Robert McDonald, Clerk to the Faculty, for generously allowing me the time to complete the thesis; Angeline Barton, and Norma, for giving me the benefit of the doubt, and time, thank you! Dr. E. Moignard and Dr. Linda Martin, graduate advisors; P. Devlin in the Dept.; Richard Cronin, Chair of English, for much needed space. Professor Thurstan Shaw, for a generous interview; Waigwa Wachira, for arranging a chat with Nyambura wa Thiong' 0, and for translating and contextualising the performance of NgaahikaNdeenda;Nyambura wa Thiong'o for hospitality, and a sense of what engagement implies; Dr A. B. Zack-Williams, for Os iris Rising, providing a home at the Centre for African Studies, University of Central Lancashire, and much else; Ato Quayson, for the tutorials and inspiration; Frances Duffy, you are a gem! For keeping me centred, GUn Orgun, Marion Bedi, Robin and Graeme, Stuart Robertson, Chichi Aniagolu, Sithabile Mathe, Zoe Wicomb, thank you. In Kenya, Mathew Buyu and Arthur Luvai; Sophie Macharia, my mainstay, and for arranging for formal and informal discussion of my work at Kenyatta University; Kimani wa Njogu, for access to the American world of Ngugi; Gichora Mwangi, Emily Akuno, Senorina Wendo, Masinjila Masheti, Luther Opondo-Mbai, H. Indangasi, asanteni. My Glasgow families, Jacqueline Day, Jean Finnie, the Jacksons, Margaret, the Githanga's, Barbara Mhangami, Anne Mwirigi, Emily Cheserem, Athena Marche. And to Malebogo Kgalemang, for Kelvinhaugh Gate, and the spirit. In Dublin, Fionnouala and Michael Howard, Claire Pearson, Kathleen Weisman, Beatrice Okoth, Shereen Leahy, Jill and Alan Carr, The Fallows - go raibh maith agat. To all my family, for patience and support: my mother; my parents-in-law; 'Uncle' Claude, with all my heart; Beryl, Caroline, Cathy and Job Oduor-Owino; Eunice, Mary and Leah, who minded the children. For the encouraging words that kept hope alive, always, Nicky Nelson of ASAUKI Goldsmiths College. And Elijah W. Muriithi, for challenging discussion, and for being my family. Dedication To my children, Adhiambo and Onyango, who have endured the periods of separation better than I have, and who make the completion of this work a special joy! And for David, Shukran. fC CONTEXTUALISING POST -INDEPENDENCE ANGLOPHONE AFRICAN WRITING: A YI KWEI ARMAH AND NGUGI WA THIONG' 0 COMPARED by Garnette Oluoch-Olunya © Garnette Oluoch-Olunya Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD Department of English Literature Faculty of Arts, University of Glasgow (September 2000) Supervised by: Professor Lalage Bown Dorothy A McMillan Acknowledgements I may travel slowly, but I too will arrive Armah I want to thank the people who have supported me, and been a part of this work over the years. My Supervisors, Professor Lalage Bown and Ms Dorothy A. Mcmillan, two phenomenal women without whom this thesis would not have been written, and who have, over time and distance, kept the faith. I Thank You. Mr Robert McDonald, Clerk to the Faculty, for generously allowing me the time to complete the thesis; Angeline Barton, and Norma, for giving me the benefit of the doubt, and time, thank you! Dr. E. Moignard and Dr. Linda Martin, graduate advisors; P. Devlin in the Oept.; Richard Cronin, Chair of English, for much needed space. Professor Thurstan Shaw, for a generous interview; Waigwa Wachira, for arranging a chat with Nyambura wa Thiong'o, and for translating and contextualising the performance of Ngaahika Ndeenda; Nyambura wa Thiong' 0 for hospitality, and a sense of what engagement implies; Dr A. B. Zack-Williams, for Osiris Rising, providing a home at the Centre for African Studies, University of Central Lancashire, and much else; Ato Quayson, for the tutorials and inspiration; Frances Duffy, you are a gem! For keeping me centred, Gun Orgun, Marion Bedi, Robin and Graeme, Stuart Robertson, Chichi Aniagolu, Sithabile Mathe, Zoe Wicomb, thank you. In Kenya, Mathew Buyu and Arthur Luvai; Sophie Macharia, my mainstay, and for arranging for formal and informal discussion of my work at Kenyatta University; Kimani wa Njogu, for access to the American world of Ngugi; Gichora Mwangi, Emily Akuno, Senorina Wendo, Masinjila Masheti, Luther Opondo-Mbai, H. Indangasi, asanteni. My Glasgow families, Jacqueline Day, Jean Finnie, the Jacksons, Margaret, the Githanga's, Barbara Mhangami, Anne Mwirigi, Emily Cheserem, Athena Marche. And to Malebogo Kgalemang, for Kelvinhaugh Gate, and the spirit. In Dublin, Fionnouala and Michael Howard, Claire Pearson, Kathleen Weisman, Beatrice Okoth, Shereen Leahy, Jill and Alan Carr, The Fallows - go raibh maith agat. To all my family, for patience and support: my mother; my parents-in-law; 'Uncle' Claude, with all my heart; Beryl, Caroline, Cathy and Job Oduor-Owino; Eunice, Mary and Leah, who minded the children. For the encouraging words that kept hope alive, always, Nicky Nelson of ASAUKI Goldsmiths College. And Elijah W. Muriithi, for challenging discussion, and for being my family. Dedication To my children, Adhiambo and Onyango, who have endured the periods of separation better than I have, and who make the completion of this work a special joy! And for David, Shukran. ABSTRACT In the 'Introduction', I establish the basic parameters of the investigation, considering the problem of defining the nature and meaning of African Literature and its relationship to African Studies. The problem of African writing as marginalised and reactive, particularly when it is in the dominant English language, is discussed. A brief history of fictional writing in Africa is offered. Movements such as Negritude, Africanist arguments and nationalism are introduced as is the quest for a workable ideology. I show that the uses of the term Postcolonial, indeed the problems with the use of any post- term, are one of the clearest indicators of the tensions that continue to define the field. The version of Africa offered in western writing and communicated to Ngugi and Armah in the course of their schooling is discussed as is the way in which writing from inside the Continent must inevitably encounter the versions of Africa! and the African from outside the Continent. This is the background against which I attempt to situate the novels of Ngugi and Armah. My thesis is then concerned with establishing and integrating the contexts out of which African writing has developed. I aim to assess the different ways in which these contexts supply the narratives with their substance and rationale, and I suggest that the African novel must be read from multiple perspectives. Chapter 2 offers a brief historical background of Ghana and Kenya as British Colonies. The impact of the two world wars of this century is briefly assessed. The approach to independence for both countries is charted and the initial impact of post-independence leadership is touched upon. The second section of this chapter, however, deals with Kenyatta and Mau Mau and with Ngugi's response to both. Kenyatta's trial showcases the drama of settler administration and prefigures his equivocal position as a national leader. The specifically gendered issue of female circumcision and Kenyatta's attempt to mediate between traditionalists and 'reformists' is advanced. Chapter 3 concentrates on education in Ghana; specifically it charts the circumstances and issues which led up to the founding of Achimota College, where Armah was educated. 11 The importance of literacy to the colonial project is emphasised and the consequences for orality are remarked. The roles of Kwegyir Aggrey and the Governor, Sir Gordon Guggisberg, are estimated, as is the growth of nationalism in the Gold Coast.