Concept and Essence of the Supernatural in Relation to African Worldview.
ABSTRACT
African cosmology and worldview are the sine qua non to the people of Africa, their ways of life, their ethos, aspirations, essence and their relationship with the supernatural powers.
Some of the early African early dramatists have attempted to document this essential aspect of the lives of the African people. Prominent among these dramatists are Wole Soyinka and J.P. Clark of Nigeria.
Death and the King’s Horseman is based on Yoruba worldview, that when the King dies, his horseman must go together with him. It is based on the Yoruba concept of life after death. According to Soyinka, “life continues in its manifestation the unborn, the baby, adulthood, old age and death and at death, there is reincarnation.”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – – – i
Approval Page – – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – – v
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – – vii
CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION – – – – 1
1.1 Statement of problem – – – – – – – 2
1.2 Research Question – – – – – – – – 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study – – – – – – – 3
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – – 4
1.5 Delimitation/Scope of the Study – – – – – – 4
1.6 Limitation of the Study – – – – – – – 4
1.7 Research methodology – – – – – – – 5
1.8 Theoretical Framework – – – – – – – 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE – – – 8
2.1 Preamble – – – – – – – – – 8
2.2 African Worldview – – – – – – – – 9
2.3 Performance – – – – – – – – – 15
2.4 Festival – – – – – – – – – – 20
2.5 Incarnate being Phenomenon (masquerade) – – – – – 22
2.6 Ritual Drama – – – – – – – – – 26
CHAPTER THREE: SYNOPSIS OF THE TWO PLAYS – – – 32
3.1 Preamble – – – – – – – – – 32
3.2 Background of Wole Soyinka – – – – – – – 32
3.3 Background of J.P. Clark – – – – – – – 42
3.4 Synopsis on Death and the Kings’s Horsman – – – – – 45
3.5 Synopsis of Ozidi – – – – – – – – 46
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DEATH AND THE KING’S
HORSEMAN AND OZIDI – – – – – 49
4.1 Preamble – – – – – – – – – 49
4.2 Analysis of Death and the King’s Horseman – – – – – 49
4.3 Analysis of Ozidi – – – – – – – – 61
4.4 Death and the King’s Horseman and Ozidi in Relation to the African Cosmology 73
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION – – – – 84
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – – 84
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – – 84
Works Cited – – – – – – – – – 86
INTRODUCTION
For generations, African beliefs and practices have been located in the intersection between the natural world and the supernatural world. Despite the impacts of colonialism and even in the contemporary test of modernization, the complex interplay between these worlds have not been reduced.
The interaction between religion and indeed traditional beliefs, as a facet of culture, has been long a subject matter in anthropology. This relationship brings these aspects of African beliefs as in witchcraft, healing, re-incarnation, superhuman or extra-ordinary prowess among others, together in such a complex manner.
This, therefore, has made it difficult to attempt to understand the dynamics of African belief in the supernatural. Evidently, the existing ethnographic instances of African communities in different parts of the continent have a somewhat near, if not a total semblance.
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