Reflection

Reflection

Most of the people living in Nigeria do not have clean water to drink or use. This is because between 1976 and 1996, millions of barrels of oil were spilled into the Niger River, which is the main water source for most Nigerians. Despite the oil company’s many attempts to clean up the spills, many people are still left without clean water. This is a huge problem since the contaminated water is mostly being used for survival (i.e., drinking water). The oil barrel symbolizes the contaminated water that they drink, and the mother with her two sons illustrates that multiple generations are affected by the contaminated water. The entire art piece points to the urgency of this situation and the need for a quick and effective solution.