This paper explores the challenges faced by the African diaspora in seeking identity within mainstream culture and the issue of identity loss during the diasporic process. Ghanaian writer Ayi Kwei Armah, through his work Why Are We So Blest?, reflects on the identity struggles of the African diaspora. Armah's personal experiences and traumas serve as driving forces for his literary creations, which exhibit reflections on suffering and social observations. Nigerian scholar Ode Ogede analyzes the roots of anger in Armah's works, attributing it to the pursuit of self-realization, which leads to the protagonist's identity crisis. Albert Sakyi interprets the novel from the perspective of racial inequality, pointing out the opposition between dominant and enslaved races. Pallavi Badhwar examines the conflict between European and African thought patterns from a cross-cultural perspective, as well as the process of consolidating African identity. The chapter focuses on the novel's protagonist, Modin, exploring the dual exile—both physical and spiritual—of this Western-educated African diasporic figure, as well as his arduous journey of self-fragmentation, tearing, and reconstruction in the African "wasteland."

1 Racial Scars in Diasporic Memory

This section examines the identity crisis and racial scars of Africans during the diaspora. By the mid-20th century, Africans sought Western education to escape colonial oppression, but their diasporic experiences left them torn between native and foreign cultures, leading to identity issues. Modin, the protagonist of Why Are We So Blest?, experiences profound cultural conflict and identity anxiety as a Ghanaian scholar studying in the U.S. The African diaspora psychologically endures clashes of values brought by sociocultural changes, yearning for their homeland while also desiring dignity and freedom through knowledge. However, due to racial prejudice, they struggle to gain respect in Western society, even facing inequality in education. Colonial rule left scars not only on Black intellectuals but also deeply impacted ordinary people's lives. Colonizers destroyed indigenous cultures through cultural aggression, fostering feelings of inferiority and subordination among Africans. Influenced by Western culture, Africans gradually rejected their own heritage yet remained unaccepted by the new civilization, trapped in a state of self-enslavement. The novel reflects dissatisfaction with the homeland, longing for foreign refuge, and a steadfast belief in cultural roots, portraying the psychological anguish of the African diaspora in their struggle for cultural identity.

2 The Wandering Self Amid Identity Struggles

This section discusses the identity dilemmas of African intellectuals in foreign spaces. Due to cultural conflicts, they face issues of cultural identity, lack collective discourse power, and remain socially marginalized. Diasporic individuals drift between two cultures, enduring spiritual emptiness and pain. In Why Are We So Blest?, Modin seeks solace in romantic relationships but cannot escape the hierarchical divisions of white society. Financial constraints hinder Black students' education, forcing them to submit to white benefactors who mold African identities based on outdated stereotypes, believing Black fate is predetermined by nature. Knowledge fails to elevate their low social status, leaving them excluded from mainstream society. Modin ultimately rejects white patronage, abandons further studies, and begins reconstructing his identity. Black students yearn to overcome racial discrimination and achieve equality but struggle to find dignity in relationships, transitioning from independent individuals to perpetual subjugation. African-American girl Naita and white women Mrs. Jefferson and Aimee form relationships with Modin, but these politically charged bonds fail to fill his identity void, instead deepening his loneliness. Modin realizes his self-destructive path in exile only when consumed by profound isolation. Skin color serves as a stark marker of cultural identity in white-dominated ideology, leading some Black diasporic figures to abandon African cultural attributes. Tormented by dual displacement, Modin strives to redefine himself in a white-dominated society. Only by returning to his roots and forming self-awareness can he overcome inner fragility and confusion.

3 From Dependency on the "Other" to Self-Reconstruction

African intellectuals, once reliant on white privilege in their search for cultural belonging, ultimately become rootless wanderers. In Why Are We So Blest?, Modin confronts psychological trauma, overcomes inferiority, and seeks identity. He abandons assimilation into white society, embraces his Black identity, and joins revolutionary movements. The cultural identity of the African diaspora is reconstructed amid changing environments, manifesting in hybrid forms. While European colonizers brought enlightenment, civilization, and development to Africa, they also engaged in brutal exploitation. Prolonged oppression numbed Africans, erasing national identity and self-awareness. Modin feels isolated and fearful in white society, recognizing an insurmountable communication barrier. Efforts to vindicate fellow Africans and assert their intellect prove futile. Amid identity crises, diasporic individuals begin seeking broader meaning and roots. Modin sees through colonial lies, realizing the futility of seeking white validation. He abandons his studies, returns home, and joins the revolution. Diasporic figures cherish their homeland's history and traditions, viewing it as a sanctuary for the soul. They fear severing ties and forgetting their origins. Many students once aspired to change their circumstances and rebuild national identity but hesitated to relinquish opportunities for integration into "more civilized" environments. Western education widens the gap between intellectuals and the masses, granting the former higher status and privileges—a latent crisis for African society. Refusing to collude with oppressors, Modin rejects hypocritical power games, seeking Africa's future in its soil. African revolutionaries endure immense trials in pursuing freedom. Upon returning, Modin eagerly contributes to his homeland, only to find the revolution a facade for opportunists. Tormented by futility, he follows a final hope to join guerrillas. Struggling to overcome colonial subjugation and speechlessness, Modin reshapes an independent, fearless self. Though his revolutionary path remains unfinished, his desperate departure symbolizes Africa's rejection of passive reliance on external forces, instead striving for self-determination. Only by shedding fear of whites and death can Africans reclaim racial dignity. Modin ultimately faces death with solemn resolve; his passing radiates stark tragedy. Until his last breath, he clings to revolutionary ideals and hope for the future. The chasm between dream and reality underscores the shattering of Black independence, yet his attempt at identity reconstruction remains a courageous act, with rebirth emerging from ruin. Amid globalization, Armah explores how African intellectuals navigate relations between homeland and host country to achieve self-reconstruction. As an exile torn between cultures, Modin grapples with complex psychological conflicts, unwittingly losing his original identity while struggling to choose between African and American cultures and identities. Descending alone from Olympus, he embarks on a homeward journey—though his revolutionary flame dims, he becomes fuel for Africa's transformation. Most diasporic figures, like Modin, oscillate between homeland and host country, their identities perpetually conflicted, radiating in multiple directions rather than following a singular path. These "blessed" Western-educated individuals, alienated from native traditions yet rejecting host cultures, endure erosion by foreign civilizations, white racial oppression, and the gaze of African natives. Only by actively breaking identity barriers can they reconstruct their subjectivity. Asserting discursive power and articulating national identity are vital for fostering a multicultural world.

4 Conclusion

This section discusses the intensification of identity confusion among the African diaspora under globalization and the absence of collective national identity. Ghanaian diasporic writer Ayi Kwei Armah's Why Are We So Blest? marks a shift in his literary focus—from individual fate to cultural group struggles, reconstructing identity within social realities. Armah's work showcases African culture's revival efforts amid globalization, blending local sentiment with global consciousness. The diasporic contemplation of national identity in a colonial context reflects both personal self-discovery in foreign cultures and African culture's struggle to break through in a globalized world.