Intra - Diasporic Emergence in Nigeria: A Quest for the Resuscitation of Culture and Identity

By

Ademola Olayoku
IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow Peace & Conflict Studies Program University of Ibadan

Introduction

Underdevelpment in Africa - Senghor:1962 Ill-preparedness of the African leaders for independence and the responsibilities it placed on them Ekeh:1975

Affirmative Sabotage Gayatri Spivak:2011

Redire ad Fontes

 Gerontocracy - authority of the old people Ancestor worship Sense of the Sacred (territorial, ethnic, cosmic and metaphysical realities) Solidarity economy (Community Ownership) Equalitarian character functional Differentiation

Culture

Culture is both evolutionary and revolutionary. Culture goes through an internal evolutionary process involving growth, greater heterogeneity and coherence. It also goes through a process of change and adaptation as a result of contact with other culturesAs a result, culture must be seen as a dynamic mechanism that must adjust and adapt to external and internal conditions of existence Soetan: 2011

Extinction as Separate from the evolutionary and revolutionary

 The Enemy Systems Theory

Identity

- group behavioural pattern (antagonistic relationships) - deep rooted psychological need to dichotomise and to establish enemies and allies - Cunningham:1998 - Overlap of relationships (intrapersonal, environment, ingroup, outgroup) - Volkan: 1990 - behavioural traits (cooperation, competition, conflict) - the us (superior and positive) and the them (inferior and negative)

-Def: any group attribute that provides recognition or definition,

reference, affinity, coherence and meaning for individual members of the group, acting individually or collectively - Osaghae: 2005

 Colonial creation of Identity

The colonial state was a divisive state; its structure was predicated on the logic of ethnic typology and ranking, dualism of spatial laws and territorial segregation. The ethnic or tribe as it was called was a major group identity for colonial political organization and administration. It was the most recognized group basis for political engagementEthnic groups were ranked into subordinate and super-subordinateThe end result was the construction of divided and mostly conflicting societies - Abdu:2010
Civilization as a replacement not complement - European Status Argument for independence

 proximity, intensity and even intimacy between hitherto distant environments - Aina: 1996 an unfinished project hinged on enduring national foundations and emerging regional realities - Obi: 1999 Tools - technology, economic policies and gizmos of communication and entertainment the suppression of the growth of local institutions resulting from these external pressures - Aryeetey: 2009

Globalization and African Neo-Cultural Alienation

 Material and power exchanges in the economic and political arena are progressively becoming displaced by symbolic ones, that is by relationship based on values, preferences and tastes rather than by material inequality and constraint - Walters: 1995 redefinition of self alongside the European culture which is fast becoming the In-group while indigenous cultures are seen as the out-group Reasons for choice: - miniaturization (smaller), personalization (public-Private), integration (efficiency), diffusion (wider audience), Autonomization (multiple choices, feedbacks and control) - Walters, 1995

Cultural Resurgence as the Panacea to Intra-Diasporic Emergence

 Effects on the African Socio-cultural Experience: - Language - Education (respect and value for self, others and nature = success, growth and development) - Values - Religion

 The need for cultural resurgence for sustainable development

Conclusion

Thank You