Abstract:
The work centres on the impact of GlobaIization on African (Igbo) identity.
The centrality of identity in the life of any people cannot be over emphasized.
Identity is what something is or those qualities that distinguish one thing from the
other, Identity is equally located in time a d space and therefore a product of
history. It is not static. The historical experience of any people go a long way in
forming, shaping and determining the identity of such people.
The African (lgbo) historical experiences of slavery, racism,colonialism and
neo-colonialism have ken very crucial a d indispensable in the cmergences of
varying identities for the Africans. This historical experiences have also
succeeded in ending the primordial and authentic African identity.
Today, a new historical epoch is ,mt only emerging but also exacting its
impact on the political, economic and socio-cultural life of the various peoples
within the world. This new historical epoch is characterized as Globalization.
Globalization is a network of relations and interactions that are gradually turning
the world into a global village. Secondly, globalization is leading to the
universalization of all values and activities; consequently it is trying to eliminate
cuItural peculiarity and cuItural diversity that are the bases of distinct identities
which different peoples manifest. More pertinent is the fact that the values that are
being idealized and universalized are the western values to the detriment of other
values that are seen either as inferior or uncultured. This development has resuIted
in the identity dilemma of many people, particularly the Africans, who are still
struggling to fashion out an authentic identity from the debris of slavery, racism,
colonialism and neo-colonialism. This struggle and search form the basis of this
research whose thrust is to critically examine the impact of globalization on African(Igbo) identity.
The work is presented in six chapters. Chapter one is the introduction to the
study, while chapter two deals with the historical background to the discourse on
African (Igbo) identity. Review of literature on the study is presented in chapter
three while chapter four examines the historical phases of African (Igbo) identity.
The impact of Globalization on African (Igbo) identity features in chapter five.
Chapter six is the summary and conclusion of the study.
