ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF THE NIGER DELTA IN LITERARY TEXTS: AN ECOFEMINIST STUDY

Abstract

The Niger Delta is one of the richest oil regions in the world, but also one of the most damaged by pollution and exploitation. The present research studies how Nigerian literature presents the problem of environmental degradation in the Delta. It refers to Helon Habila’s Oil on Water, the poetry of Tanure Ojaide, and the works of Ken Saro-Wiwa. In the framework of ecocriticism and ecofeminism, the research shows how writers connect the destruction of the land with the suffering of people, especially women. Karen Warren’s idea of the “logic of domination,” Vandana Shiva’s ecofeminism, and Rob Nixon’s “slow violence” give the theoretical base for this reading. In Oil on Water, the silencing of women like Boma and Isabel is linked to the silencing of polluted rivers and destroyed forests. Ojaide’s poems express grief over the loss of nature and culture, while Saro-Wiwa’s work adds the voice of protest and activism. The study argues that literature not only describes ecological damage but also acts as a form of resistance, calling for justice, care, and renewal. It concludes that saving the Niger Delta environment cannot be separated from protecting human life and dignity.