Cultural standards and methods of perception in Igba Ogbole’s Arrows of Anguish

Abstract

This study sets out to examine cultural standards and methods of perception in Igba Ogbole‟s Arrows of Anguish. As a result of colonialism  and the erroneous belief that Africans have no culture of their own, Igba Ogbole sets out to highlight the cultural patterns of his people.  He utilizes his novel as the stance to delineate the ways of life of Oladam people as well as their worldview. He conveys his feelings and  themes with much ingeniousness that the reader sees him as a skilled craftman with sublimal approach; the cultural mores depict him as  one who is connected to his society. He shows that his duty as a writer is to show that Africa has solid culture of their own even before the  coming of the whitemen. What gives Ogbole‟s narrative validity is his use of proverbs and other local speech patterns to send his message across. Also, he uses proverbs to depict authenticity, situate the characters and showcase the richness in his dialect. He laments  the obliteration of African cultural ways; he believes that if Africans can revive their positive cultures, they will boost national  development. The study makes some recommendations which include: introduction of Cultural Studies in school curriculum, organizing  cultural conferences and reintroduction of Festival of Arts and Culture among others.