Africa’s Postcolonial Dystopia and the Role of Intellectuals in Paul BVitta’s Fathers of Nations 2013

Julia Njeri Karumba; Nicholas Kamau Goro

Article Details

Africa’s Postcolonial Dystopia and the Role of Intellectuals in Paul BVitta’s Fathers of Nations 2013

Authors:

Julia Njeri Karumba | Nicholas Kamau Goro

Publisher:

SKY Publications

Journal:

International Journal of English Language, Literature and Translation Studies Vol.12 Issue 3, pp.77-87

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

1/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001927993

pISSN:

2395-2628

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This paper examines dystopia in postcolonial African countries. Dystopia in this context refers to the dysfunctional state of affairs arising as a result of poor governance and external interference especially from the West. The paper also examines the role of the intellectual elite in awakening national consciousness among the oppressed citizens in African postcolonial countries as seen through Paul B. Vitta’s satirical eye in Fathers of Nations (2013). In postcolonial Africa, ‘Father of Nation’ is a gendered term that refers to a head of state, mostly those men who rose to power after the struggle for independence. These so-called fathers assume the patriarch’s role in the leadership of the nation. These patriarchs have given Africa’s postcolonial leadership a reputation as autocrats who whimsically dictate the fate of their nations. In this paper, we examine the satirical presentation of the ‘Fathers of Nations’ in Vitta’s Fathers of Nations (2013). Anchored on Antonio Gramsci’s concept on hegemony, the paper highlights the critical role played by the intellectuals in countering the hegemony of Africa’s political leadership and their capitalist allies in the West. The paper comes to the conclusion that external influence from the west and inefficiencies of the autocratic African leaders are the root cause of dystopia in Africa. The paper also concludes that even though the intellectual and professional elites are swayed by external forces from the west and ruling class, they play a crucial role in agitating for change.

Article Details

Africa’s Postcolonial Dystopia and the Role of Intellectuals in Paul BVitta’s Fathers of Nations 2013

Authors:

Julia Njeri Karumba | Nicholas Kamau Goro

Publisher:

SKY Publications

Journal:

International Journal of English Language, Literature and Translation Studies Vol.12 Issue 3, pp.77-87

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

1/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001927993

pISSN:

2395-2628

Dystopia

Hegemony

Elite

Intellectual professional

Postcolonial

Rulers

Satirical . PDF Journal categories

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Julia Njeri Karumba | Nicholas Kamau Goro

Publisher: SKY Publications

Journal: International Journal of English Language, Literature and Translation Studies Vol.12 Issue 3, pp.77-87

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 1/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001927993

pISSN: 2395-2628

Issues

Authors:

Julia Njeri Karumba | Nicholas Kamau Goro

Publisher:

SKY Publications

Journal:

International Journal of English Language, Literature and Translation Studies Vol.12 Issue 3, pp.77-87

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

1/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001927993

pISSN:

2395-2628