Philip A. Ojo 

Edgar Okiki Zinsou’s latest work, Le remaniement (2007), addresses the tricky and endless issues of (mis)governance, the rule of law, and responsibility in Beninese leadership.  He denounces the connivance of some selfish leading minority to perpetuate abuse of power, corruption, and impunity.  Zinsou calls for a change in attitude and for cooperation in Beninese civil society towards to promoting transparency and accountability which are indispensable for national development. 

Camille Adébah Amourois best known for his play Goli (1991) in which he treats the issue of disillusionment in postcolonial Benin.  The play also discusses a superior moral sense that dominates all other morals, which enables one to think and act rationally and fearlessly anytime there is a need to stand up for one’s rights and speak the truth.  However, Jules Nago warns about the risks of challenging established authorities and systems in his novel Quand les dieux s'en mêlent (1992).   

With four collections--Au seuil de l'exil (1976), Traduit du je pluriel (1980), En attendant le verdict (1982), and L'espace de la parole (1984), Fernando d'Almeida is one the most prolific poets in Benin.  His works focus on postcolonial disillusionment and the failures of Marxism in Benin.  Under the Marxist regime, the population suffered severe ideological indoctrination and political repression; many citizens were traumatized by the terror of the leadership, and some had to go into exile to avoid the arbitrary use of power, and systemic violence.  The oppression exercised by the military-Marxist regime (1972-1990) is also the theme of Florent Eustache Hessou’s Mémoire d'écran (1995) and Albert Gandonou’s Marx, Lénine... et pourquoi pas Jésus? (1993) (published under the penname of Dassi J. Mawutin). Following his revolutionary stance in support of the Marxist regime, Zakari Dramani-Issifou waxes lyrical about his strong commitment to the current democratic liberalism in Récidive: mots pour maux (1985), reflecting  the aspirations of every Beninese. 

The central themes of Rock Pierre Agoli-Agbo’s writing include the impact of Western civilization (Coups de fouet à la conscience nègre, 1995) and hope for a better future (Frissons et trompettes, 1995). Both collections of poems express the people’s desire for change and their belief in the possibility of change.  Along the same thematic lines with Frissons et trompettes  and in spite of the many tribulations common to most citizens in the postcolony, Flore Hazoumé’s Le crépuscule de l'Homme (2002) expresses hope, especially under the new democratic dispensation. 

These selected writings do not only serve as representative of Beninese socio-political, economic and political realities, but they are also as a medium for social criticism, mediation, and change.  They reflect the people’s deep sense of disillusionment in the postcolonial state, on the one hand and hope for a better Benin, on the other. 

To ensure relevance to the needs of their immediate audience, most Beninese authors deploy an eclectic poetics, combining Western structures and literary tropes from oral tradition to convey meaning and message in prose, drama, and poetry.  To appeal to the widest audience possible, the texts are written in relatively simple French (with some scanty use of Africanized French and indigenous languages such as Fon, Gun, and Yoruba).  The result of this is an ever widening audience, increased creativity and a subsequent plurality of themes.  In spite of the fact that some of the writings are amateurishly published within the thin infrastructures available, the still show remarkable talent.

However, given that literature is the product of certain socio-cultural, political and historical circumstances, whose influences it can hardly escape, and considering that market forces play a large role in certain instances to the detriment of considerations for rigour, intellectual challenge and professionalism, care must be taken when studying these works. If contemporary Beninese cultural production is based solely on market forces and profit margins, and if the production of such art is partial in an artificial way towards certain prescribed causes, then its authenticity or its capacity to stimulate in an intellectually productive way becomes questionable. 

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