“The civilization of the twentieth century cannot be universal except by being a dynamic synthesis of all the cultural values of all civilizations. It will be monstrous unless it is seasoned with the salt of negritude, for it will be without the savour of humanity.” Leopold Sedar Senghor READING IN AFRICA When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.” Until recently, African history, culture and traditions were conveyed more through speech than in writing— the transmission of oral literature from one generation to the next lies at the heart of culture and memory. Very often, local languages act as vehicles for the transmission of unique forms of…