Title:   DECODING CULTURAL IDENTITY THROUGH CHARACTER NAMING IN ZULU SOFOLA'S OLD WINES ARE TASTY

Abstract
This study argues that character naming in Zulu Sofola's Old Wines Are Tasty serves as a powerful tool for negotiating cultural identity, revealing the tensions between tradition and modernity in Nigerian society. By examining the interplay between language, culture, and identity, this research demonstrates how Sofola strategically uses character naming to negotiate, reinforce, and subvert cultural norms and beliefs within the Anioma cultural context. Through close textual analysis of the play's characters and their actions, this study highlights how Sofola's naming strategies reflect the complexities of Nigerian cultural identity in a postcolonial landscape where traditional values intersect with modern influences. Employing Mieke Bal's classical theory of proper names and literary semiotics, the analysis reveals how names such as Okebuno (''a man is the home''), Dumkwu (''help me in talking''), and Anyasi (''evening time'') function not merely as labels but as cultural signifiers that encode character traits, foreshadow narrative developments, and embody thematic concerns. The findings demonstrate that Sofola's characters live out the meanings embedded in their names, validating the Anioma proverb ''afa onye na edu e'' (a person's name leads them). This study contributes to broader discussions on cultural representation, identity formation, and the role of onomastics in African literature, offering insights into how literary naming practices serve as vehicles for cultural preservation and social commentary in postcolonial Nigerian theatre.
Keywords: African Literature, Semiotics, Character Naming, Anioma Culture, Cultural Identity.

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Publication Date: 2026-02-11