A collection of 11 chapters by Nigerian professors, this book covers such issues as the dignity of intellectual labor; how colonial writings on Africa helped Africans decide to become the interpreters of their cultures; what Nigerian playwrights and poets have in common with authors from other parts of the world; the need to write literature in indigenous Nigerian languages; and critical examinations of the themes of victimization, bad governance, and Igbo social behavior as they are handled in select African and Nigerian literary texts. In discussing the issues, the contributors maintain a historical perspective which allows them to examine very critically the achievements of the founding fathers of Modern African Literatures, and the progress made in the development of African literatures. Also, they suggest what needs to be done to develop the national and ethnic literatures of Africa, as well as indigenous African languages that not only promote further development of the literatures, but also make it easier for Africans to read and appreciate their literatures more fully. Because of its content and developmental perspectives, The Gong and the Flute is a useful reference book for teachers and students of African literatures, and for research institutes and libraries interested in African, Nigerian, and Igbo Studies.