AKWA IBOM STATE UNIVERSITY JOUNAL OF ARTS

This paper, a stylisto-mantic analysis of the cartographic posture of “Ibadan” by J. P. Clark: new matters arising from the bastardization of the eco-systems in Africa by the colonialists is a re-assessment of the damages done by the colonialists on the eco-systems in African continent. It presents a vivid picture of the cartographic designs of Ibadan by recapturing the recklessness of designers and the posture of Ibadan, the ancient city of Africa in a haphazard manner. To achieve this purpose, the paper adopts eco-criticism and the systemic functional grammar as its theoretical frameworks. Ecocriticism is a. study of culture and cultural products taking the forms of arts works, writings, scientific theories etc, that is in some way connected to the natural world or environment while systemic functional Grammar is a theory of meaning as choice, by which a language, or any other semiotic system is interpreted as network of interlocking options, which means that whatever is chosen in one system becomes the way into a set of choices in another, and go on as we know how The poet uses the poem to discharge his roles as a writer to African society by utilizing the various linguistic and literary features to drive home his preoccupation and thematic concern. The paper further reveals how the poet, J. P. Clark, pours out his discontentment over the waste done to the landmass which accommodates Ibadan since it was done without a careful cartographic attention, the result of which the ancient city is “scattered among seven hills”. Conclusion was drawn that the one sentence poem, “Ibadan” speaks volumes and so remains one of the most thorough-going expose of literary-based protest in Africa’s anti-colonial disillusioned fiction.

Open Full Text (PDF)