Literatures of Inculturation: Achebe, Jumbam and Adichie

Abstract

Most African writers have been brought up as Christians. But some of them publicly rebelled against Christianity bydropping their Christian names: Chinua Achebe (formerly Albert C. Achebe), Kofi Awoonor of Ghana (formerlyGeorge Awoonor-Williams), Ama Ata Aidoo of Ghana (formerly Christiana Aidoo), Ngugi Wa Thiong'o of Kenya(formerly James Ngugi), and Okogbule Wonodi of Nigeria (formerly Glory Wonodi). The dropping of Christiannames does not mean that their literatures discredit Christianity in favour of African traditional religions. This papershows that against all expectations, most African writers who read Western Christian-oriented literature (Okere, 2009,p. 303) during their education, especially Chinua Achebe with Things fall apart, Kenjo Jumbam with The white manof God and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie with Purple hibiscus tried to coin their own styles, mixing orality andliteracy when they started their literary career, presenting in this way inculturation as an innovation in literary styleand a solution to religious conflict. This paper focuses on the three novels by the three African writers in acomparative approach around suggested aspects of inculturation and shows the evolution of inculturation ofChristianity as a novelty throughout these literatures.