POSTCOLONIAL CULTURAL CONFLICTS IN WOLE SOYINKA’S DEATH AND THE KING’S HORSEMAN, THE LION AND THE JEWEL, AND KONGI’S HARVEST

This study critically examines the theme of cultural conflict in postcolonial African society, using Wole Soyinka's plays Death and the King's Horseman, The Lion and the Jewel, and Kongi's Harvest as primary texts. These plays explore the complex interactions between indigenous African traditions and modern or Western ideologies introduced during and after colonialism. The research adopts a qualitative and literary analytical approach, drawing from postcolonial theory to interpret how Soyinka represents these cultural clashes through character development, dialogue, themes, and symbolic language. In Death and the King's Horseman, Soyinka portrays the tragic consequences of cultural misunderstanding and colonial interference. The Lion and the Jewel presents the generational tension between tradition and modernity, as represented by Baroka and Lakunle. Kongi's Harvest focuses on internal cultural suppression, where African leadership mimics colonial attitudes under the guise of modernization. The study reveals that Soyinka is not only critiquing colonial oppression but also questioning African complicity in the erosion of indigenous values. His plays advocate for cultural introspection, harmony between the old and the new, and a responsible redefinition of African identity. Ultimately, the study underscores the ongoing relevance of Soyinka's work in understanding cultural conflict in contemporary African societies. Wole Soyinka, cultural conflict, postcolonialism, African identity, tradition, modernity, colonialism, African literature.