Helon habila oil on water

This article examines the literary representation of the ecological, economic and social destruction of the niger delta in helon habilas novel oil. This paper, therefore, examines helon habilas oil on water as a testament to the environmental mindfulness of nigerian novelists. The stink of oil and the orange light of gas flares emanate from this graphic account of a nation ruined by the extraction of its natural resources, in a narrative that is part political diatribe, part detective story. Oil on water major character analysis supersummary. Helon habilas oil on water 2011 powerfully and engagingly captures the ecological and social situation in the niger delta. In 2011 habila edited the granta book of the african short story. His writing has won numerous awards including the caine prize, the commonwealth short story prize and the windhamcampbell prize. Habilas spare but vivid prose takes the reader from the tenements of the working poor. I say how can we be happy when we are mere wanderers without a home. Originally from nigeria, habila lives and teaches creative writing in the us at george mason university and is the author of waiting for an angel, measuring time, oil on water, and a nonfiction book, the chibok girls.

Shaddox tactical shooters rest bean bag, desert marpat, oil on water by helon habila english compact disc book free shipping. Evoking the rich and beautiful yet fragile environment of the delta, that is slowly being devastated by the greed for oil and money, habila perceptively guides his. It was nominated for the hurstonwright legacy award, the dublin impac prize, and it won the virginia library foundation prize for fiction, 2008. In the delta, the leader of a militant group tells rufus. Provided to youtube by zebralution gmbh oil on water, chapter 145 helon habila oil on water. Two journalistsa young upstart, rufus, and a oncegreat, now disillusioned veteran, zaqare sent to find her. Oil on waters strongest point is the patience with which habila gathers together the details from which rufus gradually grasps the meaning of his story for all its strength, oil on water suffers from a surprising diffidence. And through his characters interconnecting fates, he traces the extraordinary pilgrimages we all might make in pursuit of home. His novels include waiting for an angel 2002, measuring time 2007, and oil on water 2010. Helon habila is the author of oil on water, measuring time, waiting for an angel, and the chibok girls. In oil on water, helon habila, the author, uses his characters backgrounds and experiences to illustrate how corruption affects individuals and communities.

They wouldnt have convinced me to read the novel, since they treated oil on water as only the sum total of its political, postcolonial, and racial content. Helon habila is the author of the novels, waiting for an angel, measuring time, oil on water, and travelers and a nonfiction book, the chibok girls. One of the many things i loved about your book is how you opened my eyes to africa. Rufus rufus is the main character of the book and through whom we see all the action take place. Habilas third novel, oil on water, which deals with environmental pollution in the oil rich niger delta, was published in 2010 and was shortlisted for the commonwealth writers prize 2011 and the orion book award 2012. Helon habila is the author of oil on water, measuring time, waiting for an angel, andthe chibok girls. The two main characters are journalists who have personalities which strongly contrast with each other. I just finished reading his new novel, oil on water, ostensibly about the hell that is the niger delta. He studied literature at the university of jos in nigeria and creative writing at the university of east anglia, uk. A study of helon habila s oil on water and kaine agarys yellow yellow hot successfully start a new business in nigeria by getting the business plan for it get good project seminar topics with materials for approval. For all the outrage directed at bp after last years oil spill, the destruction wreaked by the oil industry in the niger delta goes unchallenged. Habila by book helon free water 9781611201222 on oil disc.

Oil on water by helon habila a conradian river journey in search of a kidnap victim uncovers the human cost of the oil industry in the niger delta helon habila lays bare the tragedy of the niger. This masterly third novel by helon habila, a former winner of the caine prize for african writing and of the commonwealth writers prize for best. In short, helon habilas oil on water is a riveting pageturner that simultaneously serves as a means to not only better understand the situation in the niger delta but to get a real human sense of the conflict. He worked in lagos as a journalist before moving to england in 2002. Thanks to didi for asking me to participate and check out the black. Please use this display as a guideline and modify as needed. The atmospheric evocation of place in oil on water is matched by deft characterisation that makes is possible to empathise with baddies as well as goodies. These citations may not conform precisely to your selected citation style. A young journalist, rufus, travels into the niger delta along with his hero, a famous reporter named zaq. Oil on water follows two journalists keen, young rufus and ageing, cynical. Nigerian author helon habila mixes oil and water in new. In this remarkable, urgent and yet intimate novel, helon habila evokes a rich mosaic of migrant experiences. He is associate professor of creative writing at george mason university and lives in virginia with his wife and three children. Bernadine evaristo, who has nothing to say about habilas language or characters, wrote, oil on.

As the toll of damage caused by the oil spill in the gulf of mexico continues to be assessed, helon habilas latest novel, oil on water, is both timely and compelling. Habilas spare but vivid prose takes the reader from the tenements of the working poor to the mansions of oil executives, from the camps of armed militants to peaceful, quasimonastic communities devoted to the worship of nature gods. Helon habila is an associate professor of creative writing at george mason university, usa. The nigerian writers third novel traces the consequences of the vicious ecological war that has been waged in the region in the name of the extrac. His third novel, oil on water, was published in the u. They are searching for a kidnapped white woman, isabel floode, who finds herself made a bargaining chip in the war between the government of nigeria and its people. Oil on water follows waiting for an angel about life under abacha in the 1990s and measuring time following the lives of twin brothers in west africa. It was also a runner up for the penopen book award 2012.

He is a journalist searching for a story that will place him in the upper tier of reporters and have his editors and the chairman, who runs his newspaper, excited to give him big stories and. Listen to our interview with author helon habila here 1. Bernardine evaristo on a topical and urgent tale of environmental and rights abuses in the niger delta. Thats when the militant group starts fighting back, and one of the ways they do so, is by kidnapping important people and family members of the oil company.

In 2010 habila published oil on water, a genre mixing environmental political thriller, which has become an international bestseller. Posted on april 1, 2019 by mary woodbury april 1, 2019. Literary militancy and helon habilas oil on water jstor. L iterary militancy, as i conceive it, is the desire of writers, nigerian writers.

Bernadine evaristo, who has nothing to say about habila s language or characters, wrote, oil on water brings to light this overlooked story of. They are searching for a kidnapped white woman, isabel floode, who finds herself made a bargaining chip in the war. In a fiction that is a personal journey of discovery as well as a. I am walking down a welllit path, with incidents neatly labeled and dated, but. In a story rich with atmosphere and taut with suspense, oil on water explores the. Analysis of oil on water by helon habila 1471 words. The new generation of twentyfirstcentury african writers have now. Helon habila is the author of three previous novels, including oil on water, which was shortlisted for the orion book award and the pen open book award, and one book of nonfiction, the chibok girls. Helon habilas new novel, oil on water is a confidently crafted and absorbing, in parts totally gripping, chronicle of human ambitions, tragedies and failures, but also of love, friendship and perseverance of the human spirit. Helon habila is a favorite african novelist and nigerian writer for me at this time.

Taking as its theme the oil war in nigerias delta region, the third. In the oilrich and environmentally devastated nigerian delta, the wife of a british oil executive has been kidnapped. This masterly third novel by helon habila, a former winner of the caine prize for african writing and of the commonwealth writers prize for best first book from the africa region, draws on the. The choice of oil on water is informed by the fact that there is a dearth of serious scholarly research on the novel. But oil on water isnt just a portrayal of life in a war zone. Oil on water, by helon habila, is a novel that takes in nigeria where oil has become the main concern. Representing the neocolonial destruction of the niger. Habilas second novel measuring time came out in 2007. Helon habilas oil on water, concluding that it is imperative to see habilas narrative as a crucial discourse action in the mold of the literary militancy struggling to liberate the regiona form of ecoliterary instrumentalism gaining currency in nigeria.

Emmanuel dongala, oil on water, a novel, helon habila, 9780393339642. His novels are too long, even when they are just two pages. Oil on water, by helon habila, hamish hamilton rrp. First published in next newspapers, october 24, 2010. Helon habilas new novel turns these certainties on their head. Aminatta forna praises, helon habilas oil on water, a powerful story of oil and pollution moral and literal in the niger delta. Interview with helon habila by lavonne roberts lit. The oil companies are buying up villages and destroying the environment. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. While searching for a foreign hostage, two reporters witness the despoliation of nigeria in habilas measuring time, 2007, etc. Oil on water brings to light this overlooked story of environmental and human rights abuses.