Ecofeminism in Selected Works of First Generation Nigerian Female Writers

The growing interest in literary works has attracted diverse approaches in scholarship. The goal of ecofeminism is the quest for equality for women and environmental justice. The central argument of ecofeminism asserts the connection between the oppression and subordination of women and of nature. The paper examines ecofeminism from the perspective of a culture-centered approach, where ecofeminism view the ecosphere as a binary entity comprising men/women and nature/culture. Thus, the study transcends gender and nature, to the human connections with environmental issues and culture; where patriarchal structures are challenged and transformations are achieved. Varying forms of oppression, subjugation, conflicts of motherhood, tradition and environment are explored. Selected works of first-generation female writers deployed for the study include, Flora Nwapa's Efuru, Zaynab Alkali's Invisible Borders and Zulu Sofola's Wedlock of the gods. These literary works are selected for their thematic affinity with women and ecology and the literary works were written in consonance with colonial discourse and imperialism. Significantly, this study reveals the need to rethink the environment in African history, from new perspectives by conceptualizing woman/nature and culture/nature connections, beginning from earlier works of Nigerian female writers. Qualitative research methods, via a close reading and critical textual analysis, are adopted for the study. The paper concludes that environmental challenges in Nigeria are situated on patriarchal structures and early Nigerian female writers devised libratory strategies to address them in their discourses.