SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Igbo, African & Chinese Studies

CONTRIBUTORS:

Agwuna, S.O;

ABSTRACT:

The phenomenal increase in the rate of societal ills and degenerations in a flawed social structure and the shabby conditions of living has led to frustrations, predicaments and destabilization in the society. It is this phenomenon that has attracted the attention of this study. Literary artists have continued to use poetry to throw light on the evil, negative issues and oppressive tendencies as a way of playing their roles in the re-education, re-orientation and re-direction of their societies. The objective of this study therefore is to critically highlight the societal vices and faults arising from a debased society as seen in the selected poems under review. To do a thorough work in this regard, the study adopted the Survey Research Method. These eighteen selected Igbo poems were analyzed: -‘Ọrụ Ugbo’ (Agriculture), ‘Ndụ’ (Life), ‘E Nwela M n’Ozu’ (Don’t Own Me at Death), ‘O Wutere M’ (I am Grieved), ‘Achọmọrụ’ (Job Hunting), ‘Mahadum’ (University), ‘Naịjiria Ọma’ (Reputable Nigeria), ‘Nwaanyị’ (Womenfolk), ‘Obodo Ọnịcha’ (The City of Onitsha), ‘Akwa Ala Igbo na-ebe’ (The Cries of the Igboland), ‘Ụwa Ka Onye Njọ’? (Whose has the worst condition of life), ‘Ime Ime Obodo’ (Rural Village), ‘Pụta n’Ụzọ Ọchịchị’ (Out from the Seat of Authority), ‘Ụwa Ọjọọ nke a’ (This Terrible World), ‘Ọchịchị’ (Leadership), ‘Obodo M’ (My Country) and ‘Ajọ Akwa Mmiri’ (Bad Water Bridges) and Ukọ n’Ujụ (Scarcity in the midst of plenty)These were analyzed to find out where these societal vices were critically revealed by the literary Igbo poets. The research is based on the sociological theory of Karl Marx. Some of the findings of this research show that the society is plagued with such vices like unfair and uncaring treatments towards the suffering masses, total neglect in the agricultural sector, lack of brotherly love, oppression of the poor masses and no freedom of speech or expressions, the atrocities or secret cults in the Universities failure of government and good leadership, laments over our highly educated Igbo people migrating to other countries (Brain drain), refusal to leave the seat of authority when due, suppression of the less privileged in the society, the neglect of the villages and development only in the cities, the atrocious activities going on in this era, lack of the government to tame the lawlessness and robbery activities in Onitsha, the lack of employment of our youths today, the lack of concern for the aged and handicapped in our midst today. The study also identifies the language and figurative expressions in the poems. The study was concluded with some recommendations given. It is hoped that the measures offered can go a long way towards reducing the societal ills, to help reform reposition and transform the debased society.