Ecosocialism and Its Implication to the Nigerian State
Abstract
The environmental crisis remains unabated. It is still raging on in phenomena such as gas flaring, deforestation, depletion of the ozone layer, climate change, desertification, unplanned urbanization, and so forth. The impact of the crisis is felt in every region of the world including Nigeria. Nigeria has experienced many environmental problems like the ones mentioned above. Others are soil erosion, illegal mining, environmental insecurities, violent struggles over natural resources, etc. Various ideologies have been proposed for curbing the environmental crisis such as communalism, socialism, capitalism, nationalism, democracy, communism, ecofeminism, ecowomanism, and so forth. This paper critically and hermeneutically examines the ideology of ecosocialism and its appropriateness to the Nigerian state. The paper shows why ecosocialism has some positive ideas that should inspire the Nigerian state in ecological protection, it should not be adopted in an uncritical manner hook, line, and sinker. The paper reveals that Nigeria is troubled by many environmental problems. It concludes that the good points of ecosocialism should be adopted and used to create an environmentally friendly Nigerian state.
Downloads
References
Abercrombie, N., Hill, S., and Turner, B.S. (2000). The Penguin dictionary of Sociology. London: Penguin Books.
Alimi, O., and Gibson, J. (2022). The impact of gas flaring on child health in Nigeria. Retrieved
January 20, 2024, from https://blogs.worldbank.org/developmenttalk/impact-gas-flaring-child-health-nigeria
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (2011). Eyes on Nigeria: Gas flaring.
Retrieved January 20, 2024, from https://www.aaas.org/resources/eyes-nigeria-technical-report/gas-flaring
Anah, A.U. (2019). The church and her concern for the environment: A Nigerian perspective. Asaba: NICE Printing Press.
Akporhonor, E.E. (2014). Industrial revolution: The Other side of the coin: 41st in the series of
inaugural lectures of Delta State University Abraka. Abraka: Delta State University Printing Press.
Brownhill, L., and Turner, T.E. (2019) Ecofeminism at the heart of ecosocialism. Capitalism Nature Socialism, 30 (1), 1-10. doi: 10.1080/10455752.2019.1570650
Chaturvedi, A.K. (2006). Academic’s dictionary of Political Science. New Delhi: Academic India Publishers.
Edo, Z.O. (2012). The challenges of effective environmental enforcement and compliance in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 14 (6), 261-276.
Edwards, L. (2019). Three nations that tried Socialism and rejected it. Retrieved August 20, 2024, from https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/three-nations-tried-socialism-and-rejected-it
Evelyn, M. I., and Tyav, T.T. (2012). Environmental pollution in Nigeria: The need for awareness creation for sustainable development. Journal of research in forestry, wildlife and environment, 4 (2), 1-14.
Eckersley, R. (1992). Environmentalism and political theory: Towards an ecocentric approach. London: Routledge.
Hardin, G. (1968). The tragedy of the commons. Science, 162, 1243-1248.
Hook, P. (2008). The little book of environmental principles. London: New Holland Publishers.
Ikeke, M.O. (2020). Marx’s critique of capitalism and the 21st century environmental crisis. LASU Journal of Philosophy|, 3 (1),104-114.
Ikeke, M.O. (2013). Thomas Berry’s idea of technological transformation: Its relevance to the management of oil technology in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. Thought and Practice: A Journal of the Philosophical Association of Kenya, 5(1), 141- 158. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/tp/article/view/93805
Ikeke, M.O. (2012). Environmental Philosophy and Suffering in the Niger Delta. African Research Review, 6 (2), 123-135.
Ikeke, M.O. (2011). The Value of Ubuntu in Restoration and Sustainability of the Niger Delta. Journal of African Environmental Ethics and Values, 1, 97-115.
Independent Project Monitoring Company Limited. (2023). Environmental challenges in
Nigeria: A looming crisis. Retrieved January 20, 2024, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/environmental-challenges-nigeria-looming-crisis-ipmc-ng-com-yfptf
Lowy, M. (2005) What is ecosocialism? Capitalism Nature Socialism, 16:2. Retrieved January 20, 2024, from 15- 24, doi: 10.1080/10455750500108237
Lowy, (2018). Why ecosocialism: For a red-green future. Great Transition Initiative. Retrieved January 20, 2024, from https://www.greattransition.org/publicaitons/why-ecosocialism-red-green-future.
Malemi, E. (2012). The Nigerian constitutional law with fundamental rights. Lagos: Princeton Publishing Company.
Mautner, T. (2005). The Penguin dictionary of Philosophy. London: Penguin Books.
Mayhew, S. (2009). Oxford dictionary of Geography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mellor, M. (2006). Socialism. In Andrew Dobson and Robyn Eckersley (eds.), Political theory and the ecological challenge (pp. 35-50). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nextier. (2023). Illegal mining in Nigeria: Hotspots and complexities. Retrieved January 20, 2024, from https://thenextier.com/illegal-mining-in- nigeria- hotspots- and- complexities/#:~:text=Illegal%20mining%20has%20exacerbated%20conflict,vices%20and%20hurting%20local%20economies.
Nigerian State. (2011). 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with amendments 2011. Abuja: National Assembly.
Odey, S.I. (2023). Environmental law enforcement in Nigeria A reevaluation. Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi Dialektika Kontemporer, 11 (1), 91-108.
Ofomata, G.E.K., and Phil-Eze, P.O. (Ed.). (2007). Geographical perspectives on environmental
problems and management in Nigeria. Enugu: Jamoe Publishers.
Okedare, A. (2024). Ibadan explosion in Nigeria: The roof fell on my mother in bed. Retrieved
January 20, 2024, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68002936
Oruonye E. D and Ahmed, Y. M. (2020). The role of enforcement in environmental protection in
Nigeria. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 07(01), 048- 056. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.1.0237
Oyebode, O. J. (2018). Impact of environmental laws and regulations on Nigerian environment.
World Journal of Research and Review, 7 (3), 9-14.
Rogers, K. (2018). Ecosocialists believe the only way to stop climate change is to abandon capitalism. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/zm988y/ecosocialists-believe-the-only-way-to-save-the-planet-is-to-abandon-capitalism
StudySmarter. (2024). Ecosocialism: Definition, movement and theory. Retrieved January 31,
, from https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/politics/political-ideology/ecosocialism/
Yaba, M.I., et al. (2021). Ugly tales of NIPOST offices. Retrieved August 20, 2024, from https://dailytrust.com/ugly-tales-of-nipost-offices/
Copyright (c) 2024 Mark Omorovie Ikeke, PhD

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.