Dancing on a knife-edge: European colonisation of Africa and Nigeria’s cultural crisis

ABSTRACT

At the centre of African underdevelopment are slave trade and colonization. Expectedly, these two issues have been in the front burner of academic discourse, especially in Africa. While the literature is stuffed with forms and causes of colonialism, this current article contributes to the existing literature by interrogating the relationship between colonialism and some selected parts of Nigerian culture. The paper therefore examined the effects of colonialism on African culture, the relationship between colonisation and Nigeria’s cultural crisis, including the challenges it poses for her identity. Using descriptive analysis and evidence-based research method, the study found that certain aspects of valued Nigerian culture were being eroded, especially as it related to the role of purity in religion and marriage. Findings further showed that the enthusiastic assimilation of Western culture by the younger generation was suggestive of a culture whose future is on a knife-edge.

KEYWORDS:

• Africa
• colonialism
• conflict
• culture
• slave trade

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dare Ezekiel Arowolo

Dr. Dare Ezekiel Arowolo lectures in the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Administration and Management Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. He holds a PhD Degree in Political Science (Public Administration Option). His research interests centre on: Democracy and Leadership Studies; Public Administration and Policy Science, Security Studies; Governance and Corruption; and, Development Studies. Dr. Arowolo has published extensively in reputable journal outlets, both home and abroad, and has attended a number of workshops and conferences in Nigeria and abroad.