Language Issue in African Literature: A Phenomenal Debate of the Past, the Present and the Future

Abstract

This paper contributes to the ongoing growth of African literature by addressing one of its most enduring and complex debates: the question of language. For decades, writers and scholars have struggled to reach common ground on the appropriate medium of expression, as their positions are shaped by diverse cultural backgrounds, political ideologies, and literary traditions. Through a critical and diachronic approach, this study revisits key moments of the debate, before and after the Asmara Declaration, which brought together African intellectuals across the continent. It demonstrates how the colonial legacy continues to generate both opportunities and dilemmas: while European languages allow for broader readership and global visibility, they simultaneously marginalize African languages and their cultural depth. In the context of globalization and the digital age, the issue has become even more pressing as African literature reaches its Golden Age. The study concludes that African literature, though geographically singular, remains culturally and linguistically plural, embodying Africa’s complex historical trajectory.