An Original Contribution to the Theory of Classical Mythology’s Function in Postcolonial Identity Formation in West Africa

Classical mythology performs complex and contested functions in postcolonial identity formation, simultaneously representing a colonial inheritance, a universal narrative resource, and a site of cultural resistance and creative reappropriation. Existing theoretical accounts of this function are derived primarily from Caribbean and South Asian postcolonial contexts and inadequately theorise the West African experience. This study develops an original theoretical contribution to understanding classical mythology's function in postcolonial identity formation in West Africa, using Nigeria and Ghana as primary research sites. A theoretical-empirical methodology integrating postcolonial theory, cultural identity theory, and empirical research was adopted. Theoretical frameworks developed by Hall (cultural identity), Bhabha (mimicry and hybridity), and Hardwick (classical reception and identity) were critically engaged as starting points. Empirical data were generated through interview-based qualitative research with 50 Nigerian and Ghanaian writers, educators, artists, and policy makers who engage classical mythology in their work, alongside analysis of 30 creative and critical texts from the two countries. The original Identity Mythology Framework (IMF) proposed distinguishes between six functions of classical mythology in West African postcolonial identity formation: colonial validation, critical appropriation, cosmological bridge, universal access, ideological critique, and imaginative escape. Each function is illustrated through detailed case study analysis. The framework constitutes an original theoretical contribution to both postcolonial studies and classical reception theory.

Keywords: classical mythology, postcolonial identity, West Africa, theoretical framework, identity formation