Drifting from the Earth towards Death: A Study of Stephen Kekeghe’s Rumbling Sky

Abstract

Ecological and sociological studies are generally intertwined, especially in literary surveys. The neglect of the earth ultimately leads to the death of society which supplies the ingredients of corruption which also impacts negatively on the polity. This is a trajectory in today’s poetics and the concern of this study. Environmental literature, which gives ecological issues a prime place, focuses on the elevation of awareness about environmental justice, the preservation of the earth and the espousal of nature in both literary discourse and physical realism. The need for this direction was generated to save the environment including humanity. This is the thrust of engagement in this paper, which takes Stephen Kekeghe’s Rumbling Sky as its primary text. The paper found that the environment is not being treated justly, rather it has been grievously abused. Intermingling with this injustice to the environment is the corrupt engagement of the people, especially those in power. The consequence of this is the death of the waters and forests, the land and air and the inhabitants of these, especially within the Niger Delta. In the face of the discovery, the paper concludes that there is a general drift from the earth which ought to breed life towards death due to humanity’s attitudes and actions. The significance of this study will be the raising of awareness about environmental justice and the preservation of nature to promote the relationships among humans and the flora and fauna and as such keep all alive.