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HOW ABOUT THE OIL RIVERS?

Historically, the formation and progression of communities have deep ties to their connection and interaction with the natural and built environments in which they exist and develop. Our relationship with vital natural resources such as land, water, minerals, air, and wildlife forms the bedrock upon which civilisations continue to be built and debated. From early hunter-gatherer societies to modern agricultural and technological communities, the identity of a group can often be traced to how they mediate the balance between the constructed and natural world. But what happens to a society's identity when this balance is disrupted? What is left of a society when the natural environment is abused and exploited in favour of capitalist and imperialist expansion?

As part of the ongoing film project Pülö: Bloodstream of the Kirike, this exhibition delves into the significance of water as an integral, sustaining cultural and economic force for the Okrika people of the Niger Delta. It also examines the decades-long pollution of this resource due to irresponsible extractive practices by Big Oil. As with many indigenous communities around the world, water plays several roles in the production of the intimate, daily lives of the Okrika people, from the ordinary to the sacred. It serves as sustenance and nourishment, offering a means of survival and economic growth. Additionally, it serves as a spiritual source, prompting sacred, traditional histories that have come to define the beliefs, myths and cultural landscape of the region. Here, water is both a tool of daily life and an autonomous gateway into the transcendental.

Despite the increase in eco-consciousness and green advocacy as well as past efforts by environmental activists like Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Niger Delta remains one of the most polluted regions globally. Indigenous communities find themselves grappling with the gradual erasure of their lifestyle, customs and traditions under the weight of neocolonialism. Presenting footage and stills from the film, the exhibition seeks to explore the intricate connections between the people and water, providing glimpses into individual and communal trials and celebrations. It carefully unveils the unfolding of daily life and spirituality against the violent backdrop of ecocide.

Photographs by Divine Okolo.

(c) IMBUU Media and The Pülö Project Limited.

Divine's work on Pülö has already gained recognition, being featured in the World Press Photo Contest 2023 and subsequently inducted into the African Photojournalism Database.