African Educational Research Journal - Vol. 10 - 3 - Full Length Research Paper - A critique of Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen

This article examines the voice of resistance and activism in Imbolo Mbue’s novel How Beautiful We Were (2021), focusing on how Kosawa’s environmental injustices emerge from oil-corporation exploitation. It highlights ecological violence through acid rain, sickly green rivers, and disease, and analyzes how these harms trigger eco-activism and resistance by the natives. Using a qualitative approach with content analysis and close textual reading informed by Lawrence Buell’s second wave eco-criticism, the study finds oil spillage damages humans, animals, and aquatic life, and that resistance appears through media, education, revolution, and age-based peers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Ecological violence and environmental justice in How Beautiful We Were

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 10(3), pp. 312-320, September 2022 DOI: 10. 30918/AERJ.103.22.044 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper A voice of resistance and activism: A critique of Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were Teresia Muthoni Biama*, Selline A. Oketch and Caroline Kinuu Kimathi The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, P. O. Box 62157-00200. Nairobi, Kenya. Accepted 5 September, 2022 | ABSTRACT
This article focused on the voice of resistance and activism in Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were (2021) . The novel voices the environmental injustices and the disastrous consequences of oil corporations. The people of Kosawa know that something is wrong with the land they’re living on. They receive acid rain, rivers have grown sickly green, and people are dizzy with the diseases. They also know that Pexton, the oil company is to blame for their loss of life and livelihood. The natives decide to rise up and fight back against an American Oil Company that has been polluting the land. This study investigated how this ecological destruction in Kosawa has triggered eco-activism and resistance from the natives. The study used the qualitative approach employing an analytical research design comprising research methods of content analysis and close textual reading. The research was further informed by Lawrence Buell’s (2005) second wave of eco-criticism, which advocates for environmental justice for the victims of environmental degradation. It is also concerned about the destruction of plants and animals. This study depicts ecocriticism as a theory that displays the tools of activism and resistance. The findings of this research show that oil spillage has shattering effects on humans, animals, and aquatic life. The findings also show that the author uses various resistance approaches to fight against environmental degradation such as media, education, revolution, and age mates among others. Mbue’s text calls on the African nations to vehemently resist environmental degradation.
Keywords: Activism, environmental degradation, environmental justice, eco-criticism, ecology, resistance. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. E-mail: [biamateresa@gmail.com](biamateresa@gmail.com). | INTRODUCTION The United Nations Assembly declared 2021-2030 as the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which was successfully launched on World Environmental Day, 5th June 2021. This is a global effort aimed at restoring the planet and ensuring Health for people and nature. The Decade unites the world behind a common goal, which is to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. The incredible challenge can only be met if everyone- including members of states, local governments, partners from the private sector, academia, and civil society comes together to find a viable lasting solution (UNEP , 2021) . Restoration of ecosystems is fundamental to achieving the Development Goals. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been viewed as an opportunity to improve the situation of indigenous people worldwide. The SDGs aim is to deal with issues directly related to indigenous people, such as ending poverty, ensuring human rights and inclusion of all; ensuring good governance, preventing conflict as well as ensuring environmental sustainability. Achieving SDGs means respecting and protecting indigenous human rights, recognizing their customary institutions, and the management of their sustainable resources. Going beyond the social and environmental safeguards to fully respect human rights, equitable benefits sharing, and accountability. Indigenous people contribute to sustainability through successful struggles against deforestation, mineral, oil, and gas extraction in their Biama et al. 313 ancestral lands. They fight against further expansion of plantations and they foster the promotion of sustainable production and consumption systems through traditional knowledge and values. SDGs a

FAQs

What environmental injustices does the study focus on in How Beautiful We Were?

The article focuses on ecological harms tied to oil-corporation exploitation, including acid rain, contaminated and sickly rivers, and diseases affecting Kosawa residents and children.

How does the study explain the rise of eco-activism and resistance among the natives?

It argues that ecological destruction in Kosawa triggers eco-activism and resistance, grounded in the novel’s critique of environmental injustice and the communities’ response to sustaining losses of life and livelihood.

What methods and theoretical lens guide the research?

The research uses a qualitative approach with an analytical design, combining content analysis and close textual reading, informed by Lawrence Buell’s second wave of eco-criticism emphasizing environmental justice and concern for the destruction of plants and animals.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen