Colonial Masters Research Articles

The Poetics of Resistance: Christopher Monyoncho’s Fight against Corruption and Abuse of Power

In primordial Gusii cultural identity, the ills of corruption and abuse of power were unheard of. Value for life, a keen sense of justice, respect, mutual goodness with collective responsibility took centre-stage. Then came colonialism and westernisation in the first half of the twentieth century and the communal good and societal values were replaced with self-seeking individualism. Aside from the influence of westernisation and globalisation, capitalistic and paternalistic tendencies by both the so-called former colonial masters and their African successors gave birth to the monsters of corruption and abuse of power. These pushed the Ubuntu spirit into the periphery. This article uses the Benga music of Christopher Monyoncho to analyse the evident cultural identity shifts from the primordial collective societal support to a selfish and self-seeking hybrid identity. The analysis of the literariness of these poetic texts revealed the extent to which prized values of life such as mutual respect and common good which were centred on collective responsibility were watered down and metastasised into scary dragons worth slaying. Indeed, evils such as corruption, grabbing and abuse of power have spawned all over the country and Monyoncho decries such selfish endeavours in several of his popular poetry. This article therefore reads such poetry expositions as a way of laying them bare to the reading public

The Relevance of Kwame Nkrumah’s Education for Pan-Africanism in Decolonizing the Nigerian Educational System.

It is often contended that the system of education which the colonial masters brought to Nigeria was not entirely for the good of the citizens. It was a system of education that was meant to serve the colonialists without adding any meaning to the individual. The formulators of Nigerian Educational system, instead of formulating a unique policy of education that integrates our indigenous African educational system with essential elements from colonial education system, still continued with the structures of colonial elements which are not of great benefits to the Nigerian educational system like, the use of the English language as mode of communication in schools, the acceptance and inclusion of the Colonizers’ cultures and religion in the curriculum with the neglect of the indigenous cultures and religions, the too much emphasis on theoretical academic certification rather than merging both the theoretical and practical technical knowledge together for better development. This article presupposes the relevance of Kwame Nkrumah’s Education for Pan-Africanism in Decolonizing the Nigerian Educational System. It acknowledges the legacy of Nkrumah’s education for Pan-Africanism and contends that it can be used as a paradigm in recommending ways of decolonizing the Nigerian educational system. The article contends that with Nkrumah’s education for Pan-Africanism we can remove the colonial educational elements in the Nigerian Educational system that neither edify the indigenous educational system nor efficiently address the needs and problems of the people of Nigeria.

The bi-musical subject: Dwarkanath Tagore and European music in early-nineteenth century Calcutta

ABSTRACT What was the Indians’ early encounter with European music like? How did they access the music of the coloniser and get socialised in it? Following Dwarkanath Tagore’s engagements with European music in early-19th century Calcutta, this essay maps the sites and spaces of western music in the city through which the contemporary Bengali elite first got exposed to the music that their colonial masters had brought into the subcontinent. In conceptually framing this process, it borrows the concept of ‘bi-musicality’ from ethnomusicology and repurposes it as a historical analytic to understand the new and emergent form of musicality that was organic to the colonial encounter in India and constitutively modern.

Re-Orientalism and Colonial Nostalgia in Pakistani Austen Rewritings: A Case Study of Austenistan

Our paper aims to explore the recent Austen rewritings in Pakistani Anglophone fiction such as Austenistan as an example of professional fan fiction and postcolonial literature. These rewritings, we argue, possess such qualities that not only appeal to Janeites but also adhere to Re-Orientalism. The primary premise of our work focuses on the strategic use of ‘Austenmania’ by Pakistani Anglophone female writers in their fiction and its tendencies to project an oriental gaze on Pakistan, while also aligning it with the ‘benevolent modernity’ of former colonial masters. In our paper, we have critically analysed seven stories from the anthology Austenistan by mainly drawing upon the theoretical lens of Re-Orientalism propounded by Lisa Lau along with other relevant theories of Robert Dryden, Sarah Brouillette, Patricia M. E. Lorcin, and William Bissell, etc. Our research explores that Pakistani Janeites employ the practices of “possession” and “selfothering” in Austenistan through compromised and pejorative representations of Pakistan which is a manifestation of their nostalgia for the colonial past.Keywords: Janeites, Regency era, South Asian writers, Pakistani Anglophone fiction, Self-othering, Re-Orientalism, Colonial Nostalgia.

Persecuted Colonial Gambia Chiefs

Through qualitative analysis, the paper examines the soured relationship between Gambian chiefs and their colonial masters against the backdrop of the legal implications of the disciplinary actions the latter meted out to the former. The article commenced with the theme, before addressing the legal concept of due process, which ensures fairness in the dispensation of justice. By disregarding normal standard legal procedures, the provisions of Magna Carter, and legal precedence, the colonial administrators inflicted draconian punishments on chiefs who dared think outside the box. From archival materials, colonial correspondences, and learned journal publications, the paper advanced explanations for the highhandedness of the colonialists, which degenerated into residency restrictions imposed on the chiefs. The absence of separation of administrative powers, caused by an acute shortage of European personnel, resulted in a situation whereby colonial rule in The Gambia amounted to a situation through which rule of man took precedence over the rule of law. The compelling approach resulting from the lack of collaboration among the chiefs and the colonial administrators fomented discord. The case laws cited in the paper indicate that colonialism in The Gambia remained a case of the strong exerting control over the weak, who had no option but to put up with the inevitable consequences of colonial rule. From different learned sources, instances of banishments in history and how the ancient practice was applied to The Gambia received attention with the aim of elucidating how the colonial administrators adopted legal standards which compromised fair play. With primary materials derived from The Gambia National Archive, instances of chiefs who were at loggerheads with the European colonialists was addressed hence, the objective of the paper is to ascertain the causes and nature of the soured relationship. The findings revealed why the local administrators grappled with situations that were at variance with the normal state of affairs in England. This partly account for the seemingly unorthodox tactics adopted while looking into a number of issues. Consequently, the activities of overseas colonial administrators were glossed over by the colonial office and British parliament as Gambians were perceived to be a people in need of civilization. Therefore, replicating the conditions in England in a frontier territory as The Gambıa will be tantamount to an exercise in futility, as they felt that they should be on higher rungs of the civilization ladder before they could comprehend European conditions. Why the situations obtaining in England are not applied hook line and sinker in the frontier territory was demonstrated. The chequered relationships from the perspectives of both parties was analysed leading to the concluding remarks emphasizing the overbearing approach of the colonialists caused by the lack of cooperation resulted in a bone of contention. This caused the standard of justice to depended on the equality of power to compel; and the strong did what they had the power to do while the weak accepted what was inevitable.

The Influence of Western Drama on Contemporary African Drama

African drama is generally believed to find its roots in the tradition and culture of the African society such as the celebration of the new yam festival (festivity) the display of masquerade, religious rituals, and the moonlight story (storytelling) therefore, African drama has been in existence before the emergence of the colonialism, African drama existed in form of action, through music and dance that was ritualized to express emotions such as terror, passion, and love. These actions were imitations of what the people wanted to happen so if they wanted to kill an enemy they would act out the process, religious and magical rituals were used and combined with dance and songs, with the emergence of Western drama which was brought through colonization, African drama became modernized to scripting of drama, use of language satirical plays, use of a curtain, theatre of the absurd, during colonialism, African drama such as the religious ritual was seen as a barbaric act by the colonial masters. The influence of this Western drama on African drama gave birth to what we call contemporary African drama. As we read the background and other parts of this paper we will understand the influence of Western drama on contemporary African drama.

Penjajahan Negara-Negara Barat Atas Negara-Negara Islam

Islamic culture has been on a steady decline from the time of the prophet, who ushered in its golden age. A factor contributing to Islamic stagnation was the emergence of Western nations that colonized Islamic nations. In their imperialistic pursuit of power, wealth, culture, and politics, Western nations prey on Islamic nations. Consequently, it is intriguing to examine their colonization of Islamic nations. My goal in writing this paper is to gain a better understanding of the reasons behind western colonization of Islamic countries. I hope that all students in Indonesia, and particularly those at UINSU, will read it and be inspired to work towards a world where Islamic countries no longer face colonization from the West.. Library research is the methodology employed in this article. There was a lengthy period of Islamic stagnation due to the colonization of the archipelago by western powers. This was accompanied by devastating conflicts, economic and social inequalities, the loss of native culture and civilization, and the introduction of Christianity. Due in part to the fact that Islamic countries are unable to stand up to Western colonization on their own, Islam has been unable to advance in recent centuries. Economic, social, political, and legal decisions may all stem from the need for prior permission from the federal government in order to pass legislation pertaining to a state. A number of indigenous peoples' desires to secede from their colonial masters emerged in response to Western colonialism. Some of the colonized states that rose up in opposition to the occupying power were successful in becoming independent nations, while others were unable to do so due to the superior military might of the colonial power.

Afrocentricity and the Quest for Identity in the African Diaspora

Africa as a continent has experienced and still going through lot of negative, derogatory and dehumanizing experiences. This, in turn formed the basis of the identity crises that rock the continent. Some Western philosophers, historians, sociologist and so on are of the opinion that Africans do not have an identity nor history of their own; this is emboldened in the idea that Africa is not part of world history. This view may not necessarily be unconnected with the clash of culture occasioned by the colonization of the continent of Africa by the Western world. Against this backdrop, the discourse examines what constitute African identity before the advent of colonialism. This is done to unravel the content and context of Africa(n) identity before the subjugation of the continent’s identity by the colonial master. This search, which seems to have formed the basis of the contemporary contention of the Africans’ diaspora wanting to know ifs they are truly Africans or a hybrid of different cultures remain the fulcrum of this discourse. In driving home the argument of the paper, different philosophies such as afrocentricity, afropolitanism, negritude, transnationalism as articulated by African scholars are reviewed with the aim of reconstructing the misconception and misrepresentation of the images alluded to Africa. Hence, using the analytical method of philosophical investigation, the paper project afrocentricity as a philosophy that is basic to the quest of identity in the African diaspora than afropolitanism.

The Political Philosophy of Allama Iqbal and Its Impacts on Muslim Politics in South Asia during 20th Century

TThis is an analytical study about the political role of Allama Iqbal. The paper primarily deals with the contribution of Iqbal as a poet and how his poetry influenced on the Muslims of India to aware them against the colonial masters. In the context of Muslims’ awareness Iqbal tried his best and though his poetry he urged passion of independence for the Muslim. In his early carrier he was the propagator of Indian nationalism but soon he became the great supporter of Muslim’s nationalism. As a philosopher poet what type of role he played for the freedom of Indian Muslims as the theme of this study and how Allama Muhammad Iqbal worked for the freedom movement is debatable? Although the political contribution of Allama Muhammad Iqbal always considered marvelous during the freedom movement. As a poet his political philosophy had strongly influenced on the Muslims of Subcontinent as he had a profound political insight and had a great connection with the pulse of the nation as he said in Javed-Namma that a poet is like a heart in the nation and without a poet the nation is like a heap of the clay. [i] Iqbal as a political poet emphasis the unification of Muslims and his mind produced first time the idea of a Separate state for the Muslims of subcontinent. He traced the idea of Pakistan as a most rare political event of history. Through his address 1930 at Allaabad, he planted the seed with the ambiguous idea. He died before the emergence of Pakistan but as a poet the construction of Muslim polity on Islamic unity and solidarity in India. When we look Iqbal as political leader it is very clear that Iqbal was a reformer, poet and philosopher. He used poetry and philosophy together to achieve the political goals. As a political poet, he knew that success in achieving goals is not possible without understanding the mood of the nation. Due to his guidance the nation moved forward and the dream of Pakistan was embarrassingly realized. This paper highlights Iqbal as a political philosopher during the freedom movement of Pakistan.

Making of the Other: Critiquing Baloch Historiography

Orientalism is the critique of the European perspective about the creation of colonial discourse and this approach advocates that European colonialism has created a concept of “othering". The Occident and the Orient is a pure European construct, and it would see another world from the lens of Europe and give a verdict of being inferior about all those concepts, cultures and ideologies which are not in conformity with European perceptions. The present work is based on the colonial construction of the history of Balochistan, and colonial scholars had provided the landmark of historiography in Balochistan. These colonial scholars had derived their concepts of the cultures and histories of the indigenous people based on the official documents provided by the colonial masters. So, the primary premise of the colonial discourse was not to do academic research rather it was to control the indigenous people. This premise of colonial historiography was bequeathed after partition as the post-partition and indigenous scholars had followed the footsteps of colonial scholars especial in the theories of ethnic origins. The present work is a historiographical critique of colonial and post-independence historiography into Balochistan, and it has been endeavored to provide main themes of oriental historiography and its counter-narrative which based on a post-colonial perspective derived from primary and secondary sources. The paper is an attempt in opening of new debates in the historiography of peripheral regions like Balochistan and its an effort to shed light on the areas on which there is a historical silence.

A Re-Think of a True Identity in Embracing and Practicing Western Culture(s) and Religion as Typical Bakweri, Manyu and Ugare people of the Anglophone Cameroon

Purpose: Western Education and Christian religion foundations and developments in Africa in general and Cameroon in Particular were laid and developed on African traditional education and religious practices and beliefs. Unfortunately, African traditional education, religious belief system and practices were brandished by colonial masters and Missionaries who introduced western education and Christian religious practices as fetish, uncivilized and paganic. All these allegations were from the stranger’s perspectives. Regrettably, those who engaged into the study of western education and practices of western religion were forced to upgrade foreign education and religious practices and beliefs over against African education and religious beliefs and practices. All these led to a false identity, religious practices, educational norms and values development on those who practice the western system of education and religious development. Consequently, some of the cherished Cameroonian cultural practices, religious beliefs and traditional education are fast dying out. It is for this reasons that this paper sought to address and revisit cultural beliefs and religious practices of some tribes of the Anglophone Cameroon. The purpose of this paper is to present some of the cultural practices that are educative, promote cherish values and norms and demonstrate the strength of the Bakweri, Manyu and Ugare cultural practices and belief for today’s children of the Anglophone Cameroon who have embraced western education and western religion over against our valued education and informative cultures and religion.
 Materials and Methods: The methodology is qualitative with the use of ethnography as design. Data were collected interviews, primary and secondary sources. and interviews.
 Findings: From the content analysis, the conclusion arrived at is that because the Bakweri Manyu and Ugere traditional education and cultural practices and beliefs are unique, other religions and educations should learn from the richness of these indigenous practices.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Though western education is good, Christianity, western education and cultural traditional beliefs and practices should work hand in glove for a better society. Before the coming of Christianity, the cultural beliefs and practices of the Bakweri, Manyu and Ugere had long existed. The people were aware of the existence of the Supreme Being and Christian religion should not consider them as fetish and paganic. The study suggests a model of educating the young generation on the traditional education and cultural practices of the Bakeri, Manyu and Ugere people. The home is the center whereby, cultural values should disseminated to the churches, schools and community.

“Writing Orality”: Preserving Oral Tradition and Cultural Identity in the Select Writings of Easterine Kire

Deconstructing the binary between orality/orature and literacy/literature, this essay discusses how Easterine Kire as an indigenous writer makes symbiosis of orality and writing, and uses the impression of orality, oral tradition, and orature in her select novels to transmit and preserve the cultural ethos of Naga people. Through oral tradition, the Angami Naga people acquire indigenous knowledge, get connected with their animistic world, and resurrect the primeval and symbolic realities latent in their culture. Orality is strongly connected to their land as oral traditions evolve out of their land and revolve around it to preserve their indigenous identity. Implementing the technique of “writing orality” and using orality and storytelling as tropes, this essay further discusses, by using the colonial master’s linguistic codes, how Kire projects the specificity of the Angami oral culture in her novels without being theoretically recolonized.

Evaluating the Potential of Cultural Diplomacy as “A Weapon of Enduring Peace in the Gulf Region”

Diplomacy, as a tool to further the state’s interests, has endless possibilities; it has a reason in all facets of the state because it works without the fear of failure. Diplomacy has a role in every domain of the state: external relations, governance, commerce and trade, economic development, lawfare, culture, and sports. Diplomacy can make things happen, because it may start from an impossible objective, but remains operative until it has made it possible or at least probable. Cultural diplomacy may effectively promote a country’s soft image if deployed intelligently and passionately. Because, it is one of the oldest methods of diplomacy, where every citizen is a diplomat when he/she interacts with people of other cultures. Since ancient times, traders, travelers, students, and nomads, were inherently the ambassadors of the state. Cultural diplomacy has a wide canvas and hence is an effective communicator. From cuisines to dresses, language to rituals, tourism to trade, and music to dramas. Through effective cultural diplomacy, one can enter into the hearts and minds of the people beyond borders. It has a popular appeal among the people within and without. The colonial masters during the period of colonialism effectively promoted their culture, sometimes under the banner of cultural diplomacy, and at times through the use of force. In contemporary times, each of the Gulf states is effectively exploiting its cultural strengths to attract tourism, investment, and residents. While KSA is thriving on its ideological culture, Qatar is prevalent as a regional hub of sports. UAE is successfully interpolating modernity, and Oman is making the best use of its topographical advantage to promote its culture. This paper aims to highlight the significance of cultural diplomacy as a soft power and evaluate its potential as a weapon of enduring peace and stability in the Gulf sub-region of otherwise conflict-ridden Middle East. To maintain originality and objectivity, inductive reasoning with qualitative analysis is deployed in this research. Additionally, a new strategic appraisal tool 1 SIMPLE has been developed especially for this paper.

RESIDENCY RESTRICTION ON COLONIAL GAMBIA CHIEFS

Through qualitative analysis the paper examines the soured relationship between Gambian chiefs and their colonial masters and the legal implications of the disciplinary actions the latter meted on the former. By disregarding normal standard legal procedures, the colonial administrators inflicted draconian punishments on chiefs that dare think outside the box. From archival materials, colonial correspondences Colonial Gambia and learned journals publications the paper advanced explanations for the highhandedness of the colonialists which degenerated into residency restrictions imposed on the chiefs, viewed against the legal background of Due Process. The common law court rulings cited to buttress opinions expressed in the paper indicate that colonialism in The Gambia remained a case of the strong exerting control over the weak that had no option but to put up with the inevitable consequences of colonial rule.

Colonial education and the world market: The cotton school experiment in German Togo (1900–1914)

Critical research on colonial education should not only include the intentions of colonial actors, but also an awareness of possible learning outcomes that were intended or not intended by “the colonial masters”. The case study presented here explores the fate of an agricultural school located in Notsé (Togo) from its first ideas in 1900 until about 1914 (the end of German colonial rule in Togo). The main reason for setting up the “cotton school experiment” was to find ways of formalising the transfer of knowledge, competences and attitudes which were deemed necessary for the transformation of the local economy and society from a subsistence or household economy to capitalist modes of production. The history of this agricultural institution transcends colonial history between Germany and Togo, opening up a broader view of entanglements between the regional histories of Africa, Germany and the southern United States. The story begins with African Americans from Tuskegee in Alabama under the leadership of the African-American educationist Booker T. Washington, who were despatched to German Togo in 1900 in order to enhance local cash-crop style cotton production for the sake of the German cotton industry in Germany. It ends with the colonial government in Togo appointing German regional agricultural officers to consult and instruct local Togolese communities in cash-crop production as itinerant teachers.

Geography has little impact: a comparative study on the role of judges in Singapore and Indonesia in the taking of evidence in civil proceedings

ABSTRACT Indonesia and Singapore are neighbouring countries with vibrant economic relations. Despite the geographical proximity, the legal systems in both countries are strikingly different. The author suggests that the most influencing factor of a country’s legal system is often its former colonial master. Singapore (a former British colony) applies the common law legal system while Indonesia (a former Dutch colony) applies the civil law legal system. Chan and van Rhee suggest that the differences between the two legal systems are often exaggerated, but differences remain. This paper sets out these differences with a focus on the judges’ role in taking evidence in civil proceedings, given the inevitable fact that disputes would arise among the business players of the two countries and that taking of evidence is an essential part that may be decisive to the outcome of a dispute. Doctrinal and comparative methods will be used, namely through analysing various procedural laws as found in the statute, case laws, as well as commentaries. This paper contributes to the scant collection of comparative literature on the two legal systems and assists business players in understanding better the procedures of taking evidence applied by the relevant dispute resolution forum that they can choose to resolve their commercial disputes.

Legal Implications of the Law of Child Act on the Intestate Rules of Customary Law in Tanzania

This paper explores legal implications of Child Act, 2009 concurrently with the intestate rules of customary law in Tanzania (to be on referred as intestate rules). From the discussion it is evident that little study has been done on this area of law since the colonial masters left 60 years ago. The main issue that this paper identifies is the inequality in provisions of the intestate succession laws, which is contrary to the provisions of equality, brought about by the Law of Child Act dispensation. The article also seeks to unearth contradictory application of the intestate rules of customary law in Tanzania. Reference is made to the leading judicial decisions which directly affects and alters the intestate rules. This is followed by a brief discussion of unequal intestate rules and judicial decisions. The inroads to be made in order to improve children right to parental property in this field of intestate rules are suggested including reform in this area of law. This study is limited to the applicability of codified intestate rules from patrilineal societies as provided under the Local Customary Law Declaration Order (NO. 4), GN 346/1963(to be referred as GN 436/63 to be referred as GN 436)

Self-Determination, Nationalism, Development and Pan-Africanism Stuck on the Runway: Are Intellectuals to be Blamed?

Almost fifty years after independence that aspiration of regaining lost human dignity seems stuck on the runway – warranting ‘the people‘s distress call’ for a genuine take-off. The questions that come to mind given the plethora of problems plaguing the continent are many and varied. First, does Africa want to develop? Second, what kind of independence did Africa get? Third, through which means must Africa address its problems? What has been the role of its intellectuals? What are the responses of the international community, particularly the former colonial masters in structuring and influencing the destiny of the continent for good or bad? In short, what is the trouble with Africa?This paper looks at the litany of national deficiencies that give the continent a bad image, leaving it unable to address the plethora of problems confronting the region. Why Africans have resigned themselves to their existing peril and why African governments must give content and meaning to the aspirations of the people under the canopy of the rising tide of globalization and the information communication technology age. This essay considers the dialectic of micro-nationalism, nationalism, development and globalization— which define the place of Africa within the world system—besides forcing a serious reflection on ways in which citizenship and development can be reconceptualised beyond the mere confines of the existing nation-state order.This discussion addresses issues underpinning the struggles for self-determination, African renaissance and the unity of

Colonial Trauma and Its Existential Shattering Impact on Colonizing Subjects in Kipling's Kim: A Postcolonial Perspective

This study reads colonial trauma in Rudyard Kipling's Kim from a postcolonial perspective. It employs Edward Said's colonial discourse theory to trace how the English novel represented colonial trauma during the modern colonial era. This research visualises Kim as a traumatised and existentially shattered colonising subject upon witnessing a traumatic event during his teenage years at the hands of colonial masters in British India. Therefore, Kim's identity crisis is studied here as a post-traumatic consequence of colonial trauma on his existence. In addition, this article delineates the hidden obstacles to reaching a compromise on Kim’s crisis, ascribing it to his oscillating will to align with colonial power. The study concludes that Kim’s inability to transcend his trauma embodied in his identity conflict is because his newly grown will to power is disturbed by bifurcated loyalties: willingly nurtured commitment towards the Indian culture and people, and unwillingly undertaken loyalty towards the Empire, imposed on him in the name of patriotism. Thus what hinders and complicates the healing of Kim’s colonial trauma seems to be the simultaneous loyalty to binary polar powers that keep clashing within him.

Leadership Question and the Writer’s Style: A Literary Stylistic Analysis of Adaobi Nwaubani’s I Do Not Come to You By Chance

This paper interrogates some artistic positions taken by Adaobi Nwaubani in projecting leadership issues in I Do Not Come to You by Chance. The paper notes that in spite of the enormity of critical attention on leadership in African critical space, bulk of the critical materials center around the ineptitude of African leaders and its consequent underdevelopment of African societies and the suffering of the mass. Literary critics hardly pay attention to those artistic positions through which authors project leadership issues in their texts. It is against this backdrop that this paper is dedicated for interrogation of some aspects of literary techniques, through which Nwaubani addresses leadership issues in her text. The work reveals how the author uses characterization and setting to expose the corrupt nature of most political leaders in Nigeria, their gluttony, and the deteriorating nature of some public institution. It has also revealed the complicit roles played by former colonial masters, and world institutions in entrenching criminality in Africa, especially in the Nigerian leadership. The paper concludes that both contents and form are very critical in understanding a literary work and so, an analysis of one at the expense of the other may scuttle the totality of the import of the issues authors raise in their texts.