AFRICAN CULTURAL CONCEPT OF LIFE AFTER DEATH

ABSTRACT

The study is focused on African cultural concept of life after death as depicted in Wole Soyinka's “Death and The King's Horseman”. It aimed at finding out how the African cultural concept of life after death differ from Western views on the afterlife, examining how Soyinka's depiction of the African cultural concept of life after death in Death and The King's Horseman reflect the broader societal beliefs and values of Nigerian society, and appraising the selected play, Death and The King’s Horseman contribution to the African Cultural concept of Life after Death. For its theoretical framework, the study adopted the Ubuntu theory to further buttress the point of the study. While content analysis was used to gather the data used for the study. Findings of the study revealed that African cultural concept of life after death differs from Western views in terms of rituals and ceremonies, beliefs about death, time and duration, and attires and dressing. Findings of the study also showed that the play contributed positively to the African concept in life after death, wherein, death is not seen as the end but the transition to an afterlife. However, the negative contribution reflects the potential damage inflicted on African culture by Western forces. The researcher therefore concluded that it is important to recognize the cyclical nature of life and death, knowing that each phase holds its own significance and purpose. The researcher recommended that individuals should actively engage in preserving and practicing these traditions to honor their ancestors and ensure a balanced spiritual existence. The researcher also recommended that cylical nature of life and death should be respected, acknowledging that each phase holds its own significance and purpose.