الفهرس 
The Role of the Intellectual under Dictatorial Regimes: The Rise of new Oppositional Voices
The Poet as a Real IntellectualOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The mounting sociopolitical upheavals, along with
corruption and military dictatorship have functioned as
adequate themes for the writings of Amal Dunqul and
Ofeimun. Both writers have adopted ”Speaking Truth to
Power” as an ideology not only to document the
consequences for such sociopolitical turbulence, but also to
face the authority with its own atrocities. Both of them have
employed this concept into their writings in order to
empower their people to move to ask for their rights. They
have believed in the strong role of literature in changing
societies.
The thesis mainly deals with the role of the both
writers under autocratic regimes. It also deals with the
influential role of literature, poetry in particular, in dystopian
states. It shows how poetry maybe influential in changing
the society, as it can function as a mirror to the atrocities of
the authority and a tool to speak out the agonies of the
oppressed.
The thesis basically explores the overlapped role
of intellectuals and political activists, especially those
who employ their own literary production as a way of
fighting back dictatorship. It reflects that Ofeimun’s and Dunqul’s poetry defy the cumulative dictatorship of the
postcolonial regimes in their newly independent
countries. It also denotes the role of the both writers in
struggling against dictatorial regimes as perceived by
different thinkers and theorists like Edward Said,
Barbara Harlow, Michel Foucault, and others. Besides,
how the poetics of Dunqul and Ofeimun reflect the
views of the aforementioned theorists.
The thesis is divided to an introduction, three
chapters and a conclusion.
The introduction displays socio-political
changes took place in both postcolonial Nigeria and
Egypt and how such changes provided as subject matters
for the writings of Ofeimun and Dunqul. It also tracks
the usage of the term parrhesia, as an early premise of
”Speaking Truth to Power”.
Chapter one is entitled The Role of the
Intellectual under Dictatorial Regimes: The Rise of
new Oppositional Voices is mainly the theoretical
framework. It displays the endeavors of different
theorists to define the concept of ”Speaking Truth to
Power” in different contexts. It also explains the role of
the ”real intellectual” versus the ”functionary
intellectual” from the point of view of Edward Said. It also discusses the concept of resistance literature as an
intellectual pursuit that is employed by real intellectuals
to defy authority.
Chapter two is entitled The Poetics of the
Egyptian Spartacus: The Upcoming Testament of
the Revolution displays the role of Amal Dunqul as a
dissent intellectual who courageously speaks truth to
power fearing no consequences. It also illustrates how
he was influenced by the sociopolitical turbulence took
place especially after 1952 revolution and the defeat of
1967. It also analyzes his stance towards the authority of
Nāṣir and Sādāt in his poetry and how he stood against
their policies.
Chapter three entitled Ofeimun the Rebellious
Griot: The Poet who did not Lie illustrates the role of Odia
Ofeimun as a committed intellectual. It represents how he,
as a spokesman of his generation, has performed a pivotal
role in increasing people’s consciousness towards their rights
during the postcolonial turmoil. Facing military tyranny,
regionalism, and corruption has mainly given him the chance
to be the voice of the agonized. His writings, along with his
political career, chiefly worked on the side of the masses,
especially after the several coups and the deteriorating
economic conditions after the civil war.