Chidi Okonkwo, "Decolonization Agnostics in Postcolonial Fiction" (Book Note)

 

In "

Decolonization Agonistics," Okonkwo challenges the prevailing trend of assimilating literatures created by ex-colonized peoples for social, political, and psychological remediation. He rejects the stance taken by postcolonial cultural and literary theorists against the historicity of colonial effects, pointing to the inherent liberties within poststructuralist frameworks that allow for shifting positionality. Okonkwo highlights how poststructuralism, aligned with constructionism, permits social actors to continually construct and reconstruct social reality, rendering meanings arbitrary and necessitating updates to align with contemporary exigencies.

 

Okonkwo notes that postmodernism, in rejecting traditional historical analysis approaches, views causality and structure with skepticism. To counter the influence of this theoretical disposition, Okonkwo proposes a reexamination and redefinition of decolonization literatures, utilizing the works of formerly colonized peoples as the basis for his alternative critique in "Decolonization Agonistics."

 

In selecting the literatures of Anglophone Africa, Polynesia, and the West Indies, Okonkwo focuses on regions that shared a colonial experience under a common imperial power—the British. The period of analysis spans from the late 1940s to the early 1990s, considering the acquisition of the art of writing concurrent with colonization. The decision is grounded in the shared colonial history and the proclivity of postcolonial theorists to subordinate decolonization literatures. Okonkwo argues that exploring the clash between indigenous (primarily oral) forms of "esthetic representation" and their exogenous (inherited) counterparts can pave the way for a broader interest in the comparative analysis of such literatures.

 

In the initial chapter of "Decolonization Agonistics," Okonkwo delves into the identity crisis within postcolonial discourse. He contends that the term "postcolonial" in literary discourse is inaccurately influenced by "postmodernist theories of knowledge and culture." Despite the intentions expressed by proponents—integration of marginalized literatures and empowerment of marginalized peoples—the resultant approach, according to Okonkwo, replaces the fundamental principles of decolonization literatures with a "universalist, homogenizing discourse." This, in turn, situates the experiences and priorities of ex-colonized peoples within the "strategic priorities" of the West.

 

Okonkwo expresses skepticism toward a concept of postcoloniality that encompasses not only former colonies in Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific but also English-speaking "European Diaspora-dominated" countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the English-speaking part of Canada while excluding non-English-speaking European Diaspora countries. He attributes this inclusivity to the historical repositioning needs of English-speaking European Diaspora, undermining the necessary reflection on the issue at hand.

 

Highlighting examples of the use of "cross-cultural studies" and "multiculturalism" as marketing points in postcolonial discourse, Okonkwo argues against the appropriateness of multiculturalism in cross-national contexts. He points out that, generically, multiculturalism refers to cross-cultural transactions within collective wholes rather than inter-national transactions. Okonkwo criticizes the shifting definition of multiculturalism, citing instances like Jeffrey C. Alexander's article on "Modes of Incorporation." While rejecting travelers' "tales" and "racist" anthropology as credible bases for cross-cultural studies, Okonkwo acknowledges the role of travelers and anthropologists as crucial agents in formulating common factors essential for cross-cultural comparisons.

In the second chapter of his work, Okonkwo delves into the significant role of indigenous oral literature within formerly colonized societies. He positions oral literature as both a strategy for neo(colonial) resistance and an expression of their unique perspectives on history and the universe. Drawing upon various cultural and linguistic studies, Okonkwo supports the assertion that oral literatures are equally valid as written literatures, challenging the connection often made between the two for etymological reasons. He disputes critics who dismiss early oral offerings within this genre and questions the disparate reception of similar literary works in Russian, German, and European oral ballads.

 

Okonkwo suggests a minimalist position for critics of early decolonization novels, proposing three key principles for evaluation. These principles involve recognizing novels that seek affirmation through the "reconstruction" of the "precolonial universe," acknowledging the link between language use and the "psychodynamic characteristics of the dominant cultures," and understanding that a novelist's identification depends on the "proximity between the narrative prose and the dialogue."

 

In the third chapter, Okonkwo continues to emphasize the importance of language strategies in decolonization efforts, particularly the appropriation of the colonizer's language as a tool for self-assertion and resistance. He argues that all decolonization novels aim at self-assertion or rehabilitation. Despite mainstream criticism, cultural affirmation in early decolonization novels reflects a reminiscence of the ordered universe and societal dynamics disrupted by the colonial encounter. Okonkwo draws on works by W. B. Yeats and T. S. Eliot to illustrate the idea that societies, after collapse, adapt to new conditions that enable them to rebuild around surviving core values. The chapter proposes two tasks for decolonization literature: rejecting efforts to diminish the significance of oral traditions and resisting the obliteration of historical realities of the ex-colonized.

 

Chapters four and five address the debated question of whether the consequences of colonialism are episodic or continuous. Okonkwo argues, using insightful examples, that these effects are observable in practice. He contends that the psychological consequences of colonialism are real and enduring, influencing the colonized people's relationship with Europe and their self-conception. Despite the imperfections of their indigenous world, it was disrupted by the colonial encounter. In discussing cultural affirmation in chapter four, Okonkwo redirects attention to the coordinates within which early decolonization novelists operated, emphasizing that self-assertion is concerned with the dynamic presence of the past in the present, allowing glimpses into the future.

In chapter five, Okonkwo delves into the shadow side of the independence gained by ex-colonies, particularly focusing on the disillusionment experienced by many African, Caribbean, and Polynesian writers after attaining independence. This disillusionment stems from the failure of early governance structures, a complex issue attributed to various factors. Among these factors are the destruction of indigenous structures of order by the colonial power prior to departure, the Cold War rivalry between the West and the Soviet Bloc, frequently fought by proxy in ex-colonized regions, and the perception of the new state and its government as something alien, belonging to the departing imperial power.

 

Okonkwo's discussion highlights issues that have captivated serious-minded scholars from ex-colonies, reflecting the profound concern about the state of affairs in these regions. After gaining independence, the governing elite often retained significant aspects of the departing imperial power, including autocratic tendencies. Imperialism, as Peter P. Ekeh noted, introduced a version of the Western state stripped of its legislative attributes and legitimacy requirements, resulting in a postcolonial state unfamiliar to both Western civilization and precolonial African history.

 

The challenges stemming from this legacy, such as autocratic rule and the absence of separation of powers and the rule of law, have perplexed early decolonization novelists. Okonkwo emphasizes the need for a new reading of these texts, underscoring the moral dilemma inherent in post-independence politics. He critiques the allegiance owed to the local community being denied to the central (or Federal) government, exemplified by Ngugi's reaction against Achebe's prescription in "A Man of the People." Okonkwo discusses the concept of "home-beyond polarity," where the local community is morally regulated, contrasting with the amoral nature of the central government. This political configuration aligns with Ekeh's theory of the "Two Publics," describing a crisis of legitimation in ex-colonies where individuals straddle both a "primordial public" (moral) and a "civic public" (amoral), leading to complex allegiances and expectations.