Economic and Social Exploitation in Tanure Ojaide’s The Activist

Economic and Social Exploitation in Tanure Ojaide’s TheActivist

This research scrutinises the economic and social exploitation depicted in Nigerian literature, focusing on Tanure Ojaide’s

The Activist using qualitative research design. The oil boom and subsequent exploration of oil in Nigeria, particularly in the

Niger Delta has continued to influence and incite writers, especially Nigerian writers who lend their voices towards the plight

of Niger Delta region and its people. Hence, this study examines the systematic neglect and exploitation of the Niger Delta

region by the foreign oil companies and the government, which has led to widespread poverty, environmental degradation,

and militancy in the region. Through the literary lens of the novel under study and a deep application of Eco-criticism, this

study highlights the economic disenfranchisement of the local populace, the social exploitation of vulnerable individuals, and

the devastating environmental impacts of oil extraction. The findings underscore the urgent need for stringent

environmental regulations, equitable resource management, and socio-economic development to address the region’s

challenges. By advocating for participatory governance, this paper aim to create consciousness on the urgent need to pay

attention to the voices of the Niger Delta people crying for human and environmental development of their region.