African Literature &the UniversitiesAuthor(s): Irmelin HossmannSource: Africa Today, Vol. 10, No. 7, To School with Love: The Story of a Ugandan Schoolboy(Sep., 1963), pp. 13-15Published by: Indiana University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4184446 .

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African Literature & the Universities IRMELIN HOSSMANN books . . .

T HE DAKAR AND FREETOWN confer- ences, devoted to the Africaniza-

tion of literary education in universi- ties south of the Sahara, will mark a vital stage in the intellectual life of the young African states.

It is almost inconceivable that, even today, a Senegalese or Nigerian stu- dent should be obliged to devote most of his time to a study of Madame de Stael's letters and Keats's poetry, when there already exists a tradi- tional and modern African literature whose complexity and richness grow with every passing day. It is no less unfortunate for the future of Africa that her intellectual elite should be so ill-informed about her own litera- ture. However, the blame for this failure should probably be laid upon the present orientation of secondary and university education. In one large library in Dakar, Camara Laye's "Enfant Noir" (Black Child) had been consigned to the detective story section!

The inference is that a sharp change of direction is imperative if the whole course of African higher education is to be affected.

This unldoubtedlly difficult feat was achieved at both Dakar and Freetown. A double task confronted those who took part in the conferences. It in- volved, in the first place, defining the concept of African literature aud presenting the university professo-s in attendance with a generally accept- able view of it, and, secondly, work- ing out the practical conditionis under which this literature should be intro- dluced into uniiversity pr;ogriamiis.

Dakar was the rendezvous selected by represenitatives from the majority of the universitics of tropical Aflica, by professors from the Universities of Grenoble and Poitiers, by French- writing African novelists such as Lamine Diakhate, Birago Diop, Sheikh Hamidou Kane, Sembene Ousmane, Ousmane Soce Diop, Ibrahima Sou- rang (all from Senegal), Camara Laye (Guinea), Thomas Melone (Camerun), Nazi Boni (Upper Vol- ta), Tchicaya U'Tamsi (Congo), and

Ezekiel Mphahlele (South Africa) who writes in English, and by cele- brated critics such as Armand Gui- bert (Paris), Ulli Beier (Ibadan), Gerald Moore (Makerere), and Jahn- heinz Jahn (Germany).

In the course of the opening session Professor Roger Mercier of the Fa- culty of Literature, Dakar, gave a historical and analytical survey of African literature written in French. He began by drawing the attention of his audience to the true object of the gathering. "We are here," he said, "to study not a branch of French literature, but an African literature nourished by the saps and juices of N6gritude," and, developing his theme, he defined Negritude as "the sum to- tal of the cultural assets of the Afri- can world. Not the assets of the past, but authentic culture. It is this spirit of Negro-African civilization which, rooted in the black soil and heart, strains toward the world of mind and matter in an attempt to comprehend, unify, and express it." He wenit on: "We have been censured for having chosen French as a medium of Negro- African expression. My answer is that we never made a choice but that, had it been incumbent on us to do so, we might well have chosen French -not through sentiment but, I sub- mit, through reason . . . I say that it is a language of communication par excellence . . . a gracious, distinguish- ed language, a language of beauty, clarity, and precision." The poet La- minie Diakhate, Senegalese Minister of Information, also delivered a plea in favor of N6gritude, laying particu- lar stress on the African poet's char- acteristic r eceptivity to his environ- mnent and his urge to translate it into rhythm and imagery. As for Profes- sor L. V. Thomas of Dakar Univer- sity, he credited the concept of N6g- ritude with a quality of rehabilitation where the past was concerned and, for the future, a dynamic content which defied precise definition.

All the writers present were at one in recognizing the importance of the part which N6gritude had played in

the past by allowing African intel- lectuals to gain awareness of their personality, but differences arose when they came to define the role of Nd6gritude in current literature. Sheikh Hamidou Kane declared that "If we are to go on using the term Negritude we must know what we are doing. To say that Negritude is sen- sibility is to mistake the wish for its fulfilment and, more than that, to sever ourselves from the solidarity of others." Ezekiel Mphahlele criticized N6gritude's tendency to set itself up as an aesthetic code, and charged it with presenting an idealized picture of Africa.

The second day was devoted to an analysis of the subject matter of Afri- can prose. There ensued a review of humor, sorrow, loneliness, and love in the principal AfLrican writers. Mad- ame Battestini (Dakar) examined the subject of sorrow in the works of Sheikh Hamidou Kane, Olympe Bhely-Quenum, and Camara Laye, while Professor Fouet (Saint-Louis du Senegal) dealt with love or, rath- er, the absence of love in the African novel. Madame Gor6 (Grenoble) com- pared "L'Aventure Ambigue" by Sheikh Hamidou Kane with Islamic and European mysticism, while M. Battestini concentrated mainly on hu- mor in Ferdinand Oyono.

On the third day the subject turn- ed to poetry. Gerald Moore of Ma- kerere College (Kampala) delivered a brilliant paper in French on sur- realist influence in the Congolese poetry of Tchicaya U'Tamsi. Armand Guibert conducted an authoritative review covering 25 years of African poetry. "The timie is urndoubtedly at hand," he declared, "when it will ap- pCar' only as a component, not as a shock asset whose historical and dia- lectical role has spent itself-

A little apart but within reach of the age, like a heart in reserve

-to quote Cesaire, the chosen focus of African resurgence." As for Jahn- heinz Jahn, he endeavored to discern the typically African elements-rhy- thm and imagery-in African poetry composed in European languages.

SEPTEMBER 1963 13

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On the final day, the delegates at last tackled the problems raised by the introduction of African literature into university programs. They adopt- ed certain recommendations submit- ted to them by four working commit- tees set up at the start of the con- ference. It was decided to establish a study group devoted to neo-African literaure (C.E.L.N.A.), based provi- sionally at Lovanium (L6opoldville) University and placed under the su- pervision of Professor P. Bol. This will function as an information center and coordinating body concerned with everything to do with current re- search into African literature. It will publish an inter-university bul- letin three times a year and bring out volumes of selected texts and spe- cialized studies. Above all, it will edit the important bibliography compiled by Jahnheinz Jahn in the course of his research. The conference likewise recommended that studies of African writing be integrated into existing curricula before specialized pro- grams are created. Finally, it sanc- tioned the teaching of African liter- ature at the commencement of secon- dary education.

The second conference took place at Freetown in the University College of Sierra Leone, the oldest center of higher education in West Africa and one whose destinies are presided over by that great African Dr. Davidson Nicol, who is a physician, writer, and administrator. Overlooking one of the most beautiful bays in the world, Fourah Bay College played host to principals responsible for depart- ments of literature in English-speak- ing African universities, lecturers from Leeds and Durham Universities, African writers in English like Wil- liam Conton, Sarif Easmon, and Eld- red Jon'es (Sierra Leone), David Ru- badiri (Nyasaland), Joseph Kariuki (Kenya), George Awoonor-Williams (Ghana), Ezekiel Mphahlele, and, representing African literature writ- ten in French, Camara Laye.

With the change of venue from Dakar to Freetown, the atmosphere of the conference changed too, and fiery exchanges gave way to ex- changes of ideas and discussions con- ducted over cups of tea.

Only the first day was devoted to a review of African literature written in English. The delegates wisely con- fined themselves to a minimum defi- nition of African literature, summa- rized as follows: "Any work should be regarded as Aferican literature whose content is treated with au-

thenticity and whose experiences, un- dergone in Africa, are reported in their entirety."

Proceeding from this basis, Ezekiel Mphahlele expressed the opinion that African literature written in English is not an independent species but sim- ply an integral part of English liter- ature. Furthermore, he cited the ma- jor difference that exists between works written in West Africa and those that come into being in South Africa. While the former are- charac- terized by a certain detachment and deal principally with societies in the throes of cultural conflict, the latter are based on a protest "having the taste of blood, of heat, of sweat . . . works torn- between rejection and in- tegration." Mphahlele also praised English-speaking African writers for using pidgin English, Creole, and South African dialects, and for trans- posing the rhythm and syntax of African languages in their use of the English tongue.

Gerald Moore sketched a picture of Anglo-African poetry. According to him, an African writer cannot write in English and simultaneously preserve the linguistic structure of a vernacular language. Even though the African writer should, on the con- trary, respect the true spirit of Eng- lish, he can still give evidence of vir- tuosity and a spirit of innovation within the framework of that lan- guage. To illustrate his point, Moore showed how far English poetic tradi- tion exercises its restraints even on writers as gifted as Gabriel Okara and Christopher Okigbo of Nigeria. In Moore's view, however, writers for the stage are confronted by an even more difficult task because they have to take into account not only the foreign tongue - English - in which they are expressing themselves but also the African public whom they are addressing. Moore considers that only the Nigerian writers Wole Soyinka and J. P. Clark have achiev- ed any appreciable results in this field.

The second phase of the conference saw severe criticism levelled at the present system of "instruction in Eng- lish literature. It was proposed not only to integrate African literature into it but to modernize the study of English authors whose style is offen- sive to African sensibilities. All pres- ent were unanimous in asserting that the main thing is to awaken a taste for reading in the student, and that this awakening necessarily entails access to works which are both easy

and mentally stimulating. It was re- gretted, on the other hand, that the study of English literature in Afri- can universities does not go hand in hand with the study of the English language itself, a fact that means that an African student can pick up a diplomia in English literature wtth- out- fully mastering the language. Ever since the majority of African states became independent, centers of higher education in British Africa- with the exception of Fourah Bay College, which is still linked by spe- cial ties with Durham and Leeds- have been free to choose their own courses. Thanks to the power of in- ertia, however, university staffs have continued to give coujrses just as they did in the past. In their defense, it should be acknowledged that they have lacked both adequate informa- tion and equipment suitable to the present needs of Africa. For this rea- son, the conference sanctioned the publication of monographs and an- thologies providing something more than a sketchy look at the leading African writers. University staffs were encouraged to acquaint them- selves with the most recent examples of published African writing by studying literary supplements in the weekly press and specialized reviews such as Black Orpheus (Ibadan) and Trans ition (Kampala).

At the close of the conference the delegates' endeavors were summarized in a series of constructive resolu- tions. It was proposed:

(i) to integrate African works written in English or translated from French into the teaching of English literature in Africa;

(ii) to encourage scientific re- search in the field of African litera- ture;

(iii) to found an association de- voted to the interests of African writ- ing in the English language-this to be a joint venture on the part of all universities south of the Sahara. The home of this new association is to be at Fourah Bay College. A permanent secretariat headed by Professor Creighton will publish a bulletin of interuniversity information three times a year. It will also provide a link between the various centers of higher education in Africa and en- courage the translation into English of oral vernacular poetry and works written by French-speaking Africans. The association will be represented at each university by a permnanent correspondent and will facilitate, as far as possible, the exchange of tra-

14 AFRICA TODAY

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velling professors whose task will be to give courses in African- literature;

(iv) to ask the Institute of Afri- can Studies at the University of Iba- dan to undertake the publication of bibliographic notes to provide mem- bei s of the association with news of the most recent literary and critical publications dealing with Africa.

Revolutionary both in spirit and in practical results, the Dakar and Free- town conferences will, we are sure, succeed in integreting African litera- ture into higher education. This is an important stage in the process of awakening Africa to her own culture.

IRMELIN HOSSMANN is on the Staff of the Munich monthly, "Neues Af- rika."

More University Cooperation L. A. DU PLESSIS

THE WEST AFRICAN INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITY: PAPERS AND DISCUS- SIONS OF AN INTERNATIONAL SEMI- NAR ON INTER-UNIVERSITY CO-OPERA- TON IN WEST AFRICA, HELD IN FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE, 11-16 DE- CEMBER 1961. Published for the Congress for Cultural Freedom by Ibadan University Press, Nigeria, 1962, 356 pp.

West Africa has several excellent universities and. colleges, whose ties with European and American univer- sities are stronger than their ties with one another. The seminar met to promote inter-university cooperation within West Africa, and covered a wide field in discussing such coopera- tion in relation to general university problems.

One problem is the maintenance of the present high academic standards in the face of pressing demands for administrative and techMical person- nel. The older European and Ame.ri- can universities established them- selves as centers of learning in the days when politicians used soldiers rather than experts to pursue their policies, but the modern African uni- versities are emerging in the age of the educated expert. One speaker sug- gested that the West African univer- sities should cooperate in maintaining high standards in their degrees, while providing non-degree courses to meet pressing manpower needs.

Common academic standards would facilitate the exchange of staff and

students throughout the region, and one. of the formal recommendations adopted on the last day of the semi- nar was that such exchange should take place. This would not only stimu- late scholarship, but also promote in- ternational cooperation. Some speak- ers expressed the hope that the coun- tries of West Africa- would cooperate to the extent of dividing the academic task before them, so that selected countries would provide specialized faculties like those of medicine or forestry for students from all over the region. Scarce resources of money and staff would thus be conserved, but national aspirations may prove to be a formidable obstacle.

Although no session was devoted wholly to African Studies, this topic was repeatedly discussed, and it formed the subject of a formal rec- ommendation. The meaning of the term is still nebulous-to some it conveys the idea of anthropology, to others it means the recent history and current affairs of Africa. All speak- ers agreed that the subject matter of courses at African universities should be Africanized; most had arts courses such as history and languages in mind, but one suggested that the medical course at Ibadan should be better adapted to African needs.

One problem that cuts across all others is the. division of, West- Africa into English-speaking and French- speaking parts. There is not only a language barrier, but also differences between the Britisb and French uni- versity systems. The seminar recom- mended that the universities work to- wards making proficiency in the sec- ond European language a requirement for entering a university. This may be too ambitious, for, as the Rector of the University of Dakar remarked, most students in Europe are not pro- ficient in a second language.

A session was devoted to the re- cruiting of expatriate staff, of whom large umbers will be needed in the next decade or two. It will be difficult to, obtain these people, owing to the demand all over the world for uni- versity teachers.

The discussions on extra-mural ed- ucation showed what a hard choice of priorities faces African educators- should time and money be spent on literacy classes or general education for adults, when large numbers of children do not go to school ? The seminar's recommendation was that the universities should indeed run extra-mural courses for adults.

Letters

Czechs Protest Editorial

Dear Sir: As to the article "Arms and the

South African," printed in AFRICA TODAY, June 1963, on page 3, I wish to call your attention to the press re- lease issued by the Czechoslovak Mis- sion to the United Nations on July 2, which is enclosed herewith.

I hope that you will pay the same attention to it as you did to the biased article in London Observer, on which you have based the claim about "du- plicity" of Czechoslovak position for the UN's General Assembly resolu- tions concerning South Africa.

Public Relations Officer of the Permanent Mission of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic

The. pertinent paragraphs of the press release referred to above fol- low.

Recent reports in the Press that Czechoslovakia has allegedly delivered weapons to the Republic of South Africa are. entirely false. The Czecho- slovak Government resolutely con- demns the policy of apartheid, has never granted any assistance to the South African Government, nor has it sold it military weapons or equip- ment.

Prior to the adoption of the General Assembly resolutions of 6 December 1962 on sanctions against the Repub- lic of South. Africa individual citizens of that country bought a negligible amount of hunting arms and air- rifles. After the adoption of the reso- lution even deliveries of those sport arms were immediately halted and will not be restored.

In answer to a similar letter from the Press Attache of the Czechoslovak Embassy in London, the Observer stated:

Mr. F. Seber, sole representative in the Cape Province for Bren Arms Limited, who are the sole representa- tives for Brno Rifles (Czechoslo- vakia), said in Cape Town last week that no orders from South Africa for Czechoslovatk arms have been can- celled; that supplies are still arriving, and that Czechoslovak arms arse freely available in ships now in South Af-

SEPTEMBER 1963 -1^5

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