Topical Issues and Current African Literature

Abstract

Literature is concerned with man’s social world, his adaptation to it and his desire to improve it. Literature is a social institution, which uses Language as its medium. Literature represents life and to a large extent, a social reality. An ideal literature therefore reflects the happenings in its society. Therefore, the topical in every society is a veritable muse for African writers, as they are able to swoop in on the news making nature of the current events for their thematic preoccupation. Every period in time in human society has its topical issues that can be and are addressed through literature. Topical issues reflect the economy, politics, religion, inventions, behavioural changes and practices, cultural shifts, changes in tradition, revolutions and so on of its society. African writers have a deepening susceptibility for social and political commitment as their texts depict socio-political events in their societies. Markedly, African writers have put out works that have become part of the larger universal literary space; a weapon for re-establishing the true African personality, and an effective slingshot against colonialism and post-colonialism situations. This paper will attempt an assessment of the relevance of topical issues in African writings and how African writers have harnessed the resources of topical occurrences to address pertinent issues of their society. Attention will be paid to selected poems of Niyi Osundare, Jude Dibia’s Walking with Shadows and Isidore Diala’s The Truce, to show how African writings benefit from the topical in their society. The preoccupation of this paper is hinged on a combination of the sociological and postcolonial theory of literature. It will highlight how events in society impact literature, also how topical issues in African society are consequent of interaction between African leaderships and followership as postcolonial realities. Thus, African writers effectively harness the topical in the society, utilizing every aspect, pros and cons included, to produce interesting, insightful and captivating works for their audience as well as asking and answering relevant questions for the progress of society.