• OGUNDIPE, Kolawole Mathew

Abstract This paper probed the indispensability of African cultures and traditions within the purview of negritude, with the critical interpretation of the selected poem; bringing out the quintessence of traditions of Africa from the poem. The selected poem was presented and critically studied, then followed by the analysis of it, which comprised the plot synopsis, literary motives of the poem, literary devices and style used by the poet to explain the contents of the poem in order to bring out the cultural idiosyncrasy of the African continent. Karl Vossler’s ‘Literary Stylistic Analysis(LSA) was used to analyse the poem, which helped the researcher to reach meaningful findings and conclusion, geared towards the core words( cultures and traditions) in the title of this paper. In a nutshell, the result, emanated from the analysis and interpretation of the selected poem showed that the essence of most African writings, is to show the African cultures. This assertion corroborates that of Abiola's (1990), cited in Ogundipe (2011 p.5-6) which states that, ‘African writers write about their black cultures, using their own myths and legends, and depicting the black ways of life as something to be proud of anywhere’.

Keywords: Africa, Culture, Traditions, Negritude, Analysis of Selected Poem, Devices and Style

"The Significance of the African Cultures and Traditions from the Negritude Perspective: A Critical Analysis of Birago Diop’s “Viaticum”", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.7, Issue 1, page no.67-70, January-2020, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2001011.pdf

"The Significance of the African Cultures and Traditions from the Negritude Perspective: A Critical Analysis of Birago Diop’s “Viaticum”", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.7, Issue 1, page no. pp67-70, January-2020, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2001011.pdf