CORRUPTION AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT IN AFRICAN LITERATURE: A REVIEW OF MEJA MWANGI’S KILL ME QUICK AND GOING DOWN RIVER ROAD.

Resumen

Corruption has always begot underdevelopment in Africa and elsewhere but Africa’s case is worse. The writings of Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Meja Mwangi and other East African writers have always illustrated the relationship between literature and society as well as the social functions of literature. It is the contention of this article that corruption is the bane of Africa’s backwardness and underdevelopment and that corruption is one of the long standing effects of colonialism, neocolonialism and imperialism. Although other factors outside these engender corruption, it is perhaps one of the greatest tragedies to have befallen Africa as a continent. Highlighting the social function of African literature, Ngugi contends that African literature gives vent and credence to the society that produces it.