REBELLION AND REVOLUTIONARY CONSCIOUSNESS: A CRITICAL READING OF SELECTED FRANCOPHONE AFRICAN NOVELS

Abstract

Neo-liberalism, democracy, or whatever paradigm you call it, the post-colonial experience in Africa has shown that the quest for a balanced system that includes social justice and an equitable distribution of resources (the wealth of the nation) remains a mirage. Hence, the citizenry, having been predisposed to their fundamental human rights, continues to demand good governance and accountability from the authorities that be. Based on the theory of Marxism and psycho-cultural conflict theories, selected African novels in French: Oyono’s Le vieux nègre et la médaille, Ousmane’s Les bouts de bois de Dieu, Sow Fall’s La grève des bàttu, Bâ’s Une si longue lettre, Ilboudo’s Les vertiges du trône, and Keta’s Rebelle are critically reviewed to harvest the information needed for this study. Marxism focuses on class struggle and condemns social imbalances caused by capitalism on economic and political fronts. The psycho-cultural conflict theory regards the role of cultural beliefs in conflicts as fundamental and critical to possible conflict resolution solutions. Findings suggest that both collective and individual revolts can bring about the desired social change in human societies. The study concludes that in a genuine search for enduring development, therefore, political leaders, particularly in underdeveloped countries, should step up their political will and be more responsible as well as accountable to the common men who elected them to power.