Humanism of the Nigerian womanist: a cultural appraisal of Femi Osofisan’s Tegonni: an African Antigone

Abstract

The evolution of global societies in this age is taking alarmingly negative turns that seem to be catapulting the world into inevitable self-destruction. The incessant violence, terror, horror, disease and deprivation that have enveloped most societies in the world bear testimony to that. Within the Cultural context of the Nigerian worldview human life used to be greatly valued above all else. In contemporary times, human life is fast becoming worthless and cultural values meaningless. Against this bleak global reality, this essay attempts to examine Femi Osofisan’s portraiture of Tegoni and the humanist ideals that he endows her with. The essay investigated the motivational force behind the actions she takes, the consequences of her actions in the throes of the cultural clash prevalent in her society at the time, and her inordinately firm resolve to take full responsibility for her decisions and actions in the face of certain death. The essay’s conclusions revealed that the true Nigerian Womanist as exemplified by Tegoni and a host of other Womanist heroines, will against all odds, strive to nurture and preserve human life and accord it, at all times, the respect, esteem and dignity it deserves in a world where the worth of the human life has become inconsequential.