ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE POETRY OF JOE USHIE

Abstract

There is a continuous growing suspicion of the relevance and the survival of literature; but seemingly, ecocriticism aptly justifies the impetus and functionality of literature as a discipline. Ecocriticism is an earth-centered literary theory that tries to analyze and evaluate how literary texts contribute to the change and improvement of our environment. Although, it is incontestable that the 21st Nigerian poetry has been stifled by other sister genres especially the Nigerian novel; the paucity in the corpus has not in any way daunted or muted the muse of the Nigerian poets. This paper attempts to explore Ushie's eco-critical concerns and how this new direction has informed on man's relationship with the environment. Ecocriticism confront the despoliation of the environment and strives towards making the society a better place. Besides expounding the ideals of ecocriticism, the paper mirrors and confronts Nigeria's current societal realities like: violence and bloodletting; uneven distribution of power and wealth; corruption, injustice, fear and anxiety. Finally, the paper is hinged on the assumption that one cannot attest to loving nature without loving humans as well, hence, the paper melds and negotiates Ushie's treatment of the environment and human activities in a view to achieving attitudinal change