Rethinking the Canon: A Postcolonial Critique of Traditional English Literature Curricula in Nigeria

Authors: Mustapha Bayaro, Philip Abayomi Olorunfemi

Affiliation: Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria.

Corresponding Author: [email protected]

December 24, 2025

SIAR-Global Journal of Humanities, Management & Educational Review

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18045417

Rethinking the Canon: A Postcolonial Critique of Traditional English Literature Curricula in Nigeria

Research Article Multidisciplinary

Abstract

The canon of English literature, long upheld as the foundation of literary studies, has increasingly come under scrutiny in postcolonial societies, particularly in contexts such as Nigeria where English serves as both a colonial inheritance and an educational instrument. This paper interrogates the continued dominance of Eurocentric literary traditions in Nigerian secondary and higher education. Drawing on postcolonial and decolonial theoretical frameworks, principally drawing on the works of Edward Said, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Chinua Achebe, and Homi Bhabha. It critiques the exclusionary tendencies of traditional English literary canons and their impact on cultural identity, epistemic independence, and pedagogical relevance. The study situates its argument within the broader discourse of decolonizing knowledge, language, and culture in African education. Through a synthesis of theoretical reflections and empirical analyses of Nigerian literature curricula, the paper argues for the reconfiguration of English literary studies to reflect local realities, plural epistemologies, and global inclusivity. It concludes by proposing strategies for integrating indigenous, African, and world literatures into a more dialogic and inclusive canon that affirms Nigeria’s postcolonial identity and intellectual autonomy.

Keywords

Rethinking, Canon, African Literature, Postcolonial Critique, Curricula, Nigeria

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Mustapha Bayaro, Philip Abayomi Olorunfemi (2025). Rethinking the Canon: A Postcolonial Critique of Traditional English Literature Curricula in Nigeria. SIAR-Global Journal of Humanities, Management & Educational Review, Vol. 1, No. 2. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18045417

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Rethinking the Canon: A Postcolonial Critique of Traditional English Literature Curricula in Nigeria

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