The Writing on the Mud Wall: Nigerian Novels and the Imaginary Village

Abstract

Imagining community, a process madefamiliar in BenedictAnderson's analysis of historical rise of idea of the nation, informs an understanding of local communities as well. Using characteristics of Nigerian village novel and literary system underlying this genre, I show how a common picture of African rural life before and after colonial encounter has been molded by exigencies of literary production. A popular remnant of social science's old tradition versus modernity dichotomy, mediated by British publishers acting as gatekeepersfor African literature, has developed and sustained a Nigerian literary genre, highly influential in West, that is at odds with intentions of most Nigerian authors. The case of village novel demonstrates impact of global cultural production systems on aesthetic creation, as well as interplay between social fictions and literary fictions.

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