IGBO POETRY AND PROTEST: THE 2022 NIGERIA VARSITY STRIKE

Abstract

The 2022 Nigeria Varsity Lecturers strike has been a contentious and highly publicized event, with many people expressing strong opinions on both sides of the issue. The strike disrupted academic schedules, delayed graduations, and resulted in a decline in the quality of education. In the midst of this strife, Igbo poets have used their craft as a means of protesting and bringing attention to the strike, and their works have helped to shape the wider conversation around the strike. In this article, the researcher delves into the ways in which Igbo poets have engaged with the strike, to identify the challenges faced by the education sector in Nigeria due to the strike and through examining range of Igbo poems written in response to the event, the researcher also showcased the aftermath of the strike. This article explores the themes and issues that these poets address, looking at how their works reflect the experiences and perspectives of those involved in the strike. Also, the researcher considers how the Igbo poetry engages with wider debates and issues surrounding the strike, and how it contributes to the public discourse on the strike. The resource mobilization theory is used in this study and through analysis, the researcher shed light on the role that poetry can play in social and political protest, and to offer a deeper understanding of the ways in which Igbo poets are using their craft to speak out on important issues of the day. In doing so, this study aims to provide a nuanced and multifaceted view of the 2022 Nigeria varsity strike, one that takes into account the complex and varied experiences and viewpoints of those involved in the event.