Project Abstract

African literature often reflects the clash between traditional and modern values within society. This research project focuses on the examination of African values, both traditional and modern, as portrayed in two prominent works of literature Ama Ata Aidoo's "Changes" and Asare Konadu's "A Woman in Her Prime." The analysis delves into how the authors present the complexities of African society, where traditional values are challenged and sometimes overshadowed by modern influences. Aidoo's "Changes" explores themes such as women's roles in society, gender dynamics, and the impact of Westernization on African traditions. Through the character Esi, Aidoo highlights the struggle of balancing traditional expectations with modern aspirations, shedding light on the changing roles of women in contemporary Africa. Similarly, Konadu's "A Woman in Her Prime" delves into the tensions between tradition and modernity, particularly through the character of Anansewa. The novel examines the conflicts that arise when traditional values clash with the desire for individual autonomy and self-determination. Konadu portrays the challenges faced by women in a society that is in transition, where the expectations of the past collide with the realities of the present. By analyzing these two works side by side, this research project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between traditional African values and the forces of modernization. The study will explore how the authors navigate these complex themes, offering insights into the evolving nature of African society and the ways in which individuals negotiate their identities within this changing landscape. Through a close reading of "Changes" and "A Woman in Her Prime," this research project seeks to illuminate the rich tapestry of African values, highlighting the tensions, contradictions, and continuities that exist between tradition and modernity. By examining these texts in depth, the study aims to contribute to a deeper appreciation of the complexities of African culture and the ways in which it continues to shape and be shaped by contemporary realities.

Project Overview

 INTRODUCTION

 Values

In ethics, value denotes something degree of importance, with the aim of determining what action or life is best to do or live, or at least attempt to describe the value of different actions. It may be described as treating actions themselves as abstract objects, putting value to them. It deals with right conduct and good life, in the sense that a highly, or at least relatively highly, valuable action may be(Adjectivregardedsense),and anasactionethicallyoflow, or   at   least   relatively   low,(Wikipedia)value   may   be   rega Values are important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what are good and desirable. Values have major influences on people‘s behaviours a serve as broad guidelines in all situations. (BusinessDictionary.com)

 Tradition

Tradition can be defined as pertinent, lasting beliefs, culture and rituals among a society, passed down from one generation to another imbued with the concrete or abstract qualities or injunctions that are regarded as supernatural from God, gods, goddesses, heroes, legends, humans, animals and plants. They include symbolic representations and activities in events, festivals and rituals comparable with the sacred activities of the –Asaa Traditional Festival of Nkpologue (Ezugu 6).

Traditional Values:

Traditional Values are those physical or abstract qualities possessed by particular elements, events, rituals or phenomena held in high-esteem, respect and obedience by individuals. Such values govern and regulate the physical and psychological behavior of individuals living in a particular culture or a geographical area.

Africans as we know are a resilient people, and over time they have developed value systems and ways of coping with life and maintain their communities and to survive great hardships either in the African continent or in the Diaspora. The traditional life of the clan in most tribes of Africa has, as its core value, protection of the family and perpetuation of the tribe. In his traditional life the African holds certain things to be of great value. It is these values which give him a distinct cultural personality and enable him to make some contributions to world knowledge, history, philosophy and civilization. It is not my task in this study to articulate all the cultural values of the African, but only the dominant ones.

 Large Family:

 

One of the foremost traditional values of the African is having a large family. Children are of supreme value to the African. His primary purpose for marriage is children and to have as many of them as possible. This is the reason why polygamy or the union of one man with several women still holds great attraction for him, and also why the birth rate in Africa is among the highest in the world. The fact is that the African still counts his blessings by the number of children he has, whether they are educated or not, rich or poor, healthy or sick, well-fed or hungry. The African smiles at the sight of his numerous children and is unmoved at the turmoil at his gate as he has a lot of arrows in his quivers.(Seo Ogbonmwan, 2008).

Respect for elders:

Another great value in traditional Africa is one‘s parents, grandparents and relatives. Th associated with wisdom andhonourGod‘sbestowed onblessingstheancestors. T percolate through the old people—one‘s parents, grandparents—asliving an embodiments of wisdom and of the good moral life who are expected sooner or later to join other good ancestors in the land of the   âliving   deadâ.   Old   age   theref

African. Even the children look forward to old age unlike now when hormones are being taken to remain forever young. (Seo Ogbonmwan, 2008)

 Morning Salutation:

As part of the respect for elders, the Benin people of southern Nigeria have a unique way of respecting their elders and identifying their family of origin people say La tose (Edohen of Benin), La emore (Eni of Uzae(Ijare) , La Umogun (Royal blood from Eweka 1) La Ogiesan (Ezomo of Benin) of which there are 56 of them in total. These salutations are in electronic from at ( www.edoglobalorganization.org).

Worship of Ancestor:

 âIgba- A Evoâday when special homage is paid to all sacrificing to the dead priests and elders of the clan in commemoration of their past roles as keepers of the conscience of the isclanday,Ahor, when t everyone whose father (Nna) is dead, sacrifices to him to enlist his help and protection. (Ezugu 12-13).

 The worship of our ancestors is the basis for the honour and respect accorded to old people in the traditional Africa culture is their closeness to the ancestors, for in his, ontological conceptual scheme the African places his old relatives on his great hierarchy of beings.

It must be noted that in the African universe the living and the dead interact with one another. Life goes on beyond the grave for the African and is a continuous action and interaction with dead relatives.

 These unseen ancestors called âthe living dea invited to partake though spiritually in the family meals. The ancestors are not just ghosts, nor

are they simply dead heroes, but are felt to be still present watching over the household, directly concerned in all the affairs of the family and property, giving abundant harvests and fertility and warding off enemies at the village gate.

Extended Family Unit:

Another important traditional value of the modern African is love for, and practice of, the extended family system.

This extended family system is widely odypractic is linked with all the other members, living or dead, through a complex network of spiritual relationship into a kind of mystical bodyâ c values,-with-âbeingothersâ or âbeing equallyrootedimportantinexistentialkinship characteristic of the African. He is never isolated since several persons are assimilated into one

 parental role: his father‘s brother are assimilated b sisters into the role of mother, his patri-lateral uncle‘s daughters int is an individual to the extent that he is a member of a family, aa clan or community. (Seo Ogbonmwan, 2008).

 Sacredness of Life:

The African does not like or nurture violence per se. this is because shedding of blood is sacrilegious. In Achebe‘sThingsFallApart, Okonkwo goes into exile with his family, for seven

years to atone, for inadvertently killing a clansman- a crime against the earth goddess. In Africa, people are never killed unless it is an act of war. In the past were those whose continued existence as a threat to the life of others and to the peace of the community were usually sold into slavery.

Traditional African Religion

To the African, religion is of indispensable truly permeates his total life, there is for world order. In this important way also, the African exhibits a cultural personality distinct from

that of western man, for instance, who easily makes a radical distinction between the secular and the religious, natural and the supernatural, this world and the next. Apart from ancestral things that are awesome or humans that have been inspiring or transcendental like the sun, the moon, the river, the earth, etc.

 Communal Work

Preparation for Onwa-Asaa festival (Ezugu 5). The African values communal work as an opportunity to share his skills and give his best to his age group and the community. In the preparation of the bush for farming, the age group members arrange a date to assist Mr. A and the following day assist Mr. B in bush clearing, bush burning, bush gathering, planting, pruning and harvesting without money changing hands. This practice will hardly disappear in tradition African communities.

Modernity

  This refers to past-traditional, past-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from Feudalism (Or Agrarianism) toward Capitalism, Industrialization, Secularization.