A scholarly article examining environmental degradation in the Niger Delta and how poetry is used as a tool for ecological awareness, resistance, and environmental justice advocacy.
Published in Green Letters: Studies in Ecocriticism, this scholarly article critically examines the environmental devastation caused by oil exploration activities in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region and the literary responses of poets from the area. Dr. Abba A. Abba investigates themes of ecological destruction, environmental injustice, displacement, exploitation, resistance, and social suffering within selected Niger Delta poetic works.
The article explores how poets from the region transform environmental trauma into literary activism by using poetry as a medium to expose the consequences of corporate exploitation, political neglect, and ecological degradation. Through ecocritical analysis, Dr. Abba demonstrates how literature functions not only as artistic expression but also as a powerful instrument for advocacy, resistance, and environmental consciousness.
The study further highlights the interconnectedness between environmental collapse and socioeconomic instability within the Niger Delta. It emphasizes how ecological destruction affects community identity, livelihoods, culture, and psychological well-being. By analyzing the works of Niger Delta poets, the article reveals how creative writing preserves the lived realities of marginalized communities while amplifying calls for justice, accountability, and sustainable environmental policies.
This publication contributes significantly to African ecocriticism and environmental humanities by positioning African literature as a critical space for discussing climate crises, ecological violence, and grassroots resistance movements in postcolonial societies.
