My impression is that if "post-modern" is linked to the development
of capitalism, then the term must realistically deal with/imply
continuing connections with neo-imperial, comprador structures which
grew up from the late colonial period on. The continuing presence of
French troops in various crises, of American corporate ties (witness
the major economic losses in Liberia and Sierra Leone - loss of
foreign producers), of intellectual and educational ties to the
metropols. Effective statehood at all seems more the problem than
what label one might give it.
In my limited reading, I am not aware of much of a national
capitalist class in any country in W. Africa (the only area I have
any knowledge about) nor any significant industrial base (except
perhaps Nigeria). Unless I have made a large error here (please
correct me if I have), the question of capitalism at least in W.
Africa has not really gone beyond local economies and imperial
extractive industries. All of this implies that many of these states
are still dealing more with a lingering colonial past than with
capitalist and/or local future.
I am on even more shaky ground when it comes to literature, but my
experience in Latin American studies reminds of the regular
occurrence of dissonance for intellectual elites pulled between
European literary (and cultural) trends and local (non-European)
conditions. Does local life-choice support those foreign visions?
Do they speak to average African either urban or rural? Are they
good tools for teaching a people about themselves because they ring
true, or do they? These are not rhetorical comments. I really don't
know to what degree the literature growing up in present-day Africa
does represent its people. Comments?