A complex home beyond the shadow of oppression, By Ben Binebai 

By Ben Binebai

In a society unfettered by the shackles of oppression, a new dawn breaks forth, where the erstwhile dominant narratives of overlordship and unilateral ancestral homes are gently laid to rest. The once-mighty towers of imperialism, constructed upon the bedrock of exploitation and dominance, now crumble beneath the weight of their own artifice. As the dust settles, a new landscape comes into view, where the multiplicity of voices and experiences are afforded the dignity of recognition and respect.

In this brave new world, the picture of history is deconstructed, its grand narratives interrogated and reinterpreted through the lens of inclusivity and diversity. The dominant discourses, once wielded as instruments of power and control, are now subject to the scrutiny of a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding. Political representation, once the preserve of the powerful and privileged, is decentered and reentered, allowing for the voices of the marginalised and the silenced to be heard.

Artificiality and peripheral claims, once employed to justify the dominance of the few over the many, are grounded and dismantled by the application of stronger logics, history, and laws. The grand edifices of oppression, constructed upon the foundations of myth and falsehood, are reduced to rubble, as the voices of the people demand justice, equality, and fairness.

In Warri, the epic and long lasting battleground of ownership, the past is not forgotten, but reinterpreted and recontextualised, its lessons learned and applied to the present. The future is not predetermined, but rather, it is shaped by the collective endeavours and aspirations of its citizens. It is a society that values diversity, promotes inclusivity, and celebrates the multiplicity of human experience. In this society, all voices are heard, all stories are told, and all people are treated with dignity and respect.

Prof. Benjamin Binebai writes from Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State