Forced migration and women as dispossessed gender: An appraisal of Soji Cole’s <i>Embers</i>

Abstract

Forced migration is generally inimical to mankind but particularly hazardous to women. However, these hazardous acts which make women vulnerable are hardly considered as substantial enough to warrant an outcry against the migration phenomenon. Women face major challenges  resulting from forced migrations, which expose them to violence, rape and other anti-social behaviours imposed on them by the circumstances. All these tend to have significant impacts on their social, economic, cultural and environmental development. This paper, therefore, uses Cole’s Embers to critically interrogate the issues of forced migration as a gendered problem. This work shall expose the claims that the problem of forced  migration is an offshoot of the opportunistic post-colonial Nigerian rulers who have assisted to change the narratives of the family structure and  peaceful order of society to a chaotic world. The paper focuses on the IDP Camps that are highly fuelled by corruption and the challenges for  womanhood.