THE PRAGMATICS OF PROCLAMATIVE CONVENTIONS IN FAGUNWA’S IGBO OLODUMARE

Abstract

The African concept of Alá’bálólàse as derived from the belief in the
potency of words is borne out of the science of language that allows
for mere proclamation to result in the enactment of things in the real
world. The semiotic evidence of the ingenuity of African science as
evinced in the literary narrative of Igbo Olodumare shows that Africans
have a long-standing innovative ingenuity in technology which
includes medicine, physics, neuroscience, lunar science, pathology
and artificial science even before the advent of colonialism in Africa.
Studies in Linguistics, African Studies, Oral Narratives and Literature
have explored the indigenous technology masterminded by Africans,
especially on their uniqueness. Few studies have paid particular
attention to declaration which is at the core of African technology;
paying attention to how Africans move from declaration, to enacting
and finally, doing things with words in the real world. The study adopts
Austin’s Speech Act and Mey’s Pragmatic Act theories as analytical
lenses. In some of the earlier studies, the essential role and efficacy of
language usage has been recognised, though passively. The current
study intends to reveal that language is at the core of African
technology. The findings show that Africans use words in form of
declaration as a major condiment for activating their technological
innovations. Unlike modern technology, Africans have a dynamicspecific process that is based on three stages of involvement, declaration and enactment. The study compellingly argues and concludes that declaration is a major condiment in the innovation of African technologies.