African Folklore and Western education – a globalised approach towards understanding

Akinwunmi-Othman, Mohammed

Abstract

Storytelling was a medium of education in Africa prior to colonialisation. At the same time, tales could either be drawn from a true-life event, a fantasy, or from proverbial storylines. But its truthfulness or spuriousness was at no time questioned. The most important thing to the storytellers and their audience was the teachings, morals, and the philosophy of the society they imparted and communicated for preservation.
Western colonialisation, decolonisation, urbanisation and globalisation which culminated in the disintegration of societal equilibrium in Africa have resulted in the subsequent abandonment of those meaningful customs and traditions. Hence, this invaluable instrument of thought and consciousness has since continued to degenerate and erode very rapidly.
All the same, no single book can contain all African tales, stories, and wisdom. This is an upshot and a contribution towards the revitalisation of the enviable black culture in the comprehensive sense.

Citation

Akinwunmi-Othman, M. (2020, January). African Folklore and Western education – a globalised approach towards understanding. Presented at Understanding African Culture and Narratives, Manchester

• Presentation Conference Type: Speech
• Conference Name: Understanding African Culture and Narratives
• Conference Location: Manchester
• Start Date: Jan 10, 2020
• End Date: Jan 12, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jan 20, 2024
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11184363
• Additional Information: Available on youtube