SUPERNATURAL MANIFESTATIONS IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN SOCIETY: A STUDY OF CHIDUBEM IWEKA’S THE ANCIENT CURSE

Abstract

The supreme sin of the west is the devaluation of African culture and the alienation of the educated blacks from their native traditions and originality, thereby breeding people who are neither black nor white. The study is weaved around Chidubem Iweka’s riveting but grotesque novel, The Ancient Curse which is a tragic tale of extraordinary forces. It explored the manifestations of evil inherent in some families, where the forbearers, contracted for protective purposes, come to haunt the living, who have no idea of the existence of such powers. This study explored the cultural values, traditions, beliefs, and world views of the people within the settings of the work. The novelist portrayed the beauty of the rich African cultural heritage and the influence of supernatural forces in human lives. The data for this study is from both primary and secondary sources with the novel being the primary source, while library texts, journals and internet were the secondary sources. The research exposed the readers to the various values, norms, heritages and beliefs that are uniquely African, and the implications of these practices which form the crux of the study. It was discovered that Africans, indeed Nigerians have a rich cultural heritage they should be proud of, despite the negative aspects. Archetypal criticism is the theoretical framework this study was anchored on.