ỌNỌDỤ NTỤLIAKA ỌCHỊCHỊ NAỊJIRỊA: NZIPỤTA NA NTỤCHA ỤFỌDỤ ABỤ EDEREDE IGBO

Abstract

Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in Africa, and it also has a deep political history that has passed through the eras of colonial rule, independence, millitary regimes and transitions into the present democratic system. Democracy, in principle, allows citizens to elect leaders and hold them accountable; however, Nigerian electoral process has been persistently marred by corruption, violence, and unfulfilled promises. Igbo literary works, particularly poetry, provide a critical lens for examining these realities. Poetry, as an artistic form, has long served as a cultural mirror, reflecting social experiences, critiquing governance and exposing political contradictions. Drawing on the mirror image theory, which posits that literature functions as a reflection of society, this study analysed Okediadi’s Pọlitiks and Anozie’s Ndọrọndọrọ Naịjirịa as tools for interrogating Nigeria’s electoral processes. The findings revealed recurring themes of electoral malpractice, including vote-buying, ethnic divisions, violence, corruption, and unfulfiled promises. The poets not only depicted the frustrations and struggles of ordinary citizens during eleection but also act as voices of conscience, calling for accountability, justice, and divine intervention in the nation’s affairs. The study concludes that Igbo poetry provides a significant cultural record of Nigeria’s democratic challenges, offering both critique and hope, and recommends further scholarly attention to its role in political discourse.