African Writing Today by E. MphahleleReview by: J. PoveyAfrica Today, Vol. 14, No. 5, American Policy in Southern Africa (Oct., 1967), pp. 34-35Published by: Indiana University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4184834 .

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BOOK REVIEWS

Succession to High Office. Edited by Jack Goody. (Cambridge Papers in Social Anthropology, No. 4) (Cambridge and New York: Cam- bridge University Press, 1966. Pages 181, $6.50.)

This is No. 4 of an increasingly im- portant series of papers in Social An- thropology. Although the substantive papers by G. I. Jones on Basutoland, Martin Southwold on the Baganda, R. G. Abrahams on the Banyamwezi, and Jack Goody on the Ganja deal with the problems posed by succes- sioli to high office, Jack Goody's "In- troduction" is in the best tradition of comparative, classifying, British so- cial anthropology. The comparisons are principally between systems of succession in Africa, but include illus- trations from Europe, America, Asia, and Oceania thus increasing the cred- ibility and perhaps the universality of the type systems discussed. Goody distinguishes not only between types of succession systems but also be- tween types of dynamic structures and their relation to problems of suc- cession. These problems of succes- sion and their many solutions are dis- cussed in terms of their "gains and costs" and the factors or variables which play a significant role in the choice of a successor to high political office.

The introductory essay is both for- mal in its analysis and at times ab- stract. It is not easy relading but worth the effort for those concerned with the problem of succession. It answers the question of how a body politic, from the "acephalous type" to the pre-industrial state, has solved the problem of providing for continuity in leadership through hereditary sys- tems of succession. It also calls at- tention to the fact that even in "stem dynasties" with determinate systems of succession tensions arise because there must be a radical elimination of contenders to the throne; yet be- cause the support of troops is needed, the power of the throne may be lim- ited. In indeterminate systems of suc- cession, the period of the interregnum is particularly stressful, because the dynastic structures tend to be large

and unless the high office is regular- ly circulated among -lineages, elimina- tion among contenders to the office tends to be severe.

Although of great interest to the Africanist, the value of the papers seems to lie in the contributions, both substantive and theoretical, that they make to the problem of continuitv in leadership among simpler states. This brings into relief problems faced by modern, complex, industrial nations as they move away from hereditary succession to ever-increasing selec- tive and appointive systems. But the problems of the who and how of ac- cess to leadership and power posi- tions remain in spite of the long-time trends towards more centralized poF litical systems. The papers are man- datory reading for the stutdent of tra- ditional African political systems.

Gottfried 0. Lang * * *

Promoting Economic Development: With Illustrations from Kenya. By Jacob Oser. (Evanston, Ill.; Northwestern University Press, 1967. Pages 242, index.)

Controversies have flared for years among development economists over the choice of paths toward economic progress. Battle lines have been drawn, in particular, over industry vs. agriculture, interventionism vs. laissez faire, and diversification vs. strict cocnparative advantage. Oser, a Syracuse University economist with experience in Kenya, enters the fray in this book on the side of industry, intervention and diversification. He presents a generalhzed argument in the first half of the book and makes some attempt to- apply it to Kenya in the last half.

Oser is certainly an enthusiast for development, and his sympathies are firmly on the side of the poor coun- tries against the rich, for the poor of these countries against their elites. Unfortunately, the case he makes does not do justice to his cause. The auth- or's economic analysis in Part I is loosely reasoned and will not con- vince even the most sympathetic ec- onomists. Although the issues have been debated at length in journals and monographs, he seems to have swallowed uncritically some of the least tenable assertions of one side of the argument, including the most questionable tenets of UNCTAID dir- ector Raul Prebisch.

Part II is the more interesting sec- tion, perhaps because -the author

largely puts aside his thesis and con-- centrates otn describing the strengths and weaknesses of Kenya govern- ment policy in economic development. His detailing of selected successes and failures of the African govern- ment is well told, and his indictment of British colonial policies is refresh-- ing and to the point. Little effort is made, however, to connect the theses of Part I with the narration of Part II. Instead, Oser adopts a mildly re- formist stance and offers a few un- provocative suggestions to the gov- ernment, including tax reform, great-- er mobilization of domestic savings, more foreign borrowing at favorable terms, less reliance on private for- eign capital and more acceptance of Communist economic assistance.

Ronald A. Krieger- * * *

African Writing Today. Edited by E. Mphahlele. (London: Penguin, 1967, 7 shs./6 d., pp. 347)

Several editors have tried to en- compass within a short anthology the range of contemporary writing from the African continent. Ezekiel Mphah-- lele, himself a well-known South Af- rican author, has managed, as well as anyone, to suggest within the narrow confines of a single volume, the va- riety and quality of the African writ- ers' acievement. The editor draws, solely upon writing in the European languages and along with the English work he includes French, and the- lesser-known Portuguese authors in translation. Prose predominates over poetry and he decides to include ex- amples of the work of the major nov- elists and dramatists such as Achebe,. Nzekwu and Soyinka by extracts from their books. The material is organ-- ized by countries of the writers' birth, though this can only be a geographic convenience, as one would be hard pressed to assert national differences. in, say, the literatures of the West African English speaking countries. The balance is well maintained to survey broadly and yet represent with greater emphasis the obvious predominance of Nigeria and South. Africa.

There are inevitable gaps, though they may represent nothing more than a personal judgment of the re- viewer. No J. P. Clark. Nothing of James Ngugi. But these are minor quibbles. Certainlv no editor has managed through the inevitable com- promises of selection, to survey Af- rican writing more fully than this hu- mane writer and distinguished critic. In his introduction Mr. Mphahlele de-

34 AFRICA TODAY

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termines "to give the intelligent reader a map of themes and styles of African writing in the metropolitan languages." For many decades, the physical maps of Africa marked only the costal fringes-the vast unex- plored interior was mysteriously blank. In our present knowledge of the African arts we are similarly ig- norant. No anthology so well explores, what for too many readers are the un- known hinterlands of literature. As a guide Mr. Mphahlele's collection is warmly recommended.

J. Povey

Africa, A New Geographic Survey. By Alan B. Moutjoy and Clifford Embleton. (New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1967)

According to the title page "the original edition of this book was pub- lished in 1966 by Hitchinson Educa- tional, London as Africa: A Geograph. ical Study. It has been greatly re- vised and brought up to date by the authors."

Apparently the authors have writ- ten this book with a two-fold purpose in mind: (1) as a college text, and (2) as a reference for African scholars.

It is this- reviewer's opinion that the book is better adapted to the first purpose than the second.

The first three chapters, covering 156 pages are devoted to a general survey of Africa as a whole: the physi- cal basis, historical and political evo- lution, and the human geography. The remainder of the book is organ- ized along regional and national lines: ten chapters for ten regions. Each chapter is followed by what appears to be a rather good list of references and a bibliography of books and ar- ticles from geographic journals and official sources. The student should find these references invaluable as they cover a wide range of subject matter and a time span of about 65 years, from about 1900 to 1967.

The writing style is fairly interest- ing, but I do feel that the authors could have improved the readability of the book by an even more region- al approach. In some cases separate treatment of each country became somewhat tedious. I felt that the first three chapters were done the best even though parts were too technical to suit a non-geographer like myself.

The book impressed me by its fa-

cile handling of technical matter on geology, monphology and climatology, and for the reader who needs infor- mation on the hydrology of the Nile, this book provides an answer.

For social and economic data, how- ever, I would have liked a book with more factual data, presented in tabu- lar and graphic form.

I did find soane glaring errors in the section on Liberia, the country with which this reviewer has some first-hand acquaintance. To find the probable population given as 2 mil- lion when its census reports slightly over 1 million is quite a discrepancy. (Hance reported the 1961 estimate of 1.32 million "may be exaggerat- ed.") Other errors: iron ore has for several years been by far the largest export of Liberia, not rubber, and I don't understand the basis for the statement that "a small rice import (is) necessary to feed plantation and mine laborer." I'm sure any Liberian would emphasize the necessity of in- creasing rice imports, and the con- cern of government officials over this phenomenon.

James E. Dugani

Letter to the Editor

THE BIAFRA SECESSION Sirs:

Have we failed in Nigeria? Judging from the title of his Occasional Paper and from his commentary on the Bi- afra secewsion, Mr. Diamond seems to think so. Theoretically, Mr. Diamond welcomes "the idea of a unified Ni- geria". But it is obvious from his writing that he is not enthusiastic about the idea. For one thing, Nigeria has "lost the potential for integrity in any form thus far devised". For another, Nigeria, after all, is "a col- onially conceived entity". Most ser- ious of all: Not only is Nigeria a sym- bol of the colonial past, it is also, in Mr. Diamond's view, "an enormous brake on West African and Pan Af- rican growth".

Having implicitly written off Ni- geria as a failure, Mr. Diamond saw in the Biafra secession "a symbol of . . . the emerging hope of the African revolution". Apparently he would like to see more "Biafras" along the West African coast: ethnic groups of people "releasing" themselves from the old administrative strait jackets into which they were forced, presum- ably, by the colonial masters. After the ethnic groups should have suc- ceeded in establishing themselves

anew within "natural" boundaries, new alignmnents would emerge to the benefit of all. This is why Biafra, in Mr. Diamond's view, "could well be the first move in a more unified West African thrust toward freedom and economic development".

It is doubtful whether Mr. Dia- mond's thesis would help the African cause. The political situation in most African countries is such that one should be wary to recommend or en- courage secessions. The new nations of Africa are congeries of ethnic groups, in some cases, as in Nigeria, number- ing over sixty. Once the process of secession begins it is not easy to see when it will end. There are usually minorities within an area dominated by a major ethnic group that decide to stay otut of a hitherto existing po- litical arrangement. They too might consider themselves viable entities that ought to be independent. At- tempts at secession would always result in civil wars. We shall per- haps have to wait for centuries before the various ethnic groups establish their "independence" within proper boundaries awd enter into viable "new alignments".

There is yet one more serious ob-

jection to Mr. Diamond's thesis. If the program he implicitly suggested would be followed, the "new align- ments" would probably never emerge. We know already how African coun- tries continue to guard jealously their sovereignties and find it dif- ficult to enter into any meaningful alliances. In the attempt to disman- tle the old "colonial" political set- ups, the continent could be thrown into utter chaos. The prospect is too grim to contemplate of struggling na- tions perpetually in the process of becoming.

Again, it is hard to see how Ni- geria, "as historically constituted" is an obstacle to West African or Afri- can growth. The failure hitherto of African countries to achieve unity cannot be blamed on any one single factor. The obstacles to African unity are many: the jealousy with which the countries are guarding their in- dependence; conflict of personalities among African leaders; and the un- derstandable preoccupation of the in- dividual African countries with the social and economic problems within their borders-to name just three fac- tors. A large political entity like Ni- geria, if weli integrated and econ--

35.

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