The Eye of the Earth

The Eye of the Earth is a collection of poems by Niyi Osundare, published in 1986 by Heinemann Educational Books. The work was awarded the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for the African poetry book category, and the Association of Nigerian Authors' Poetry Prize in its year of publication. The collection comprises nineteen poems that explore nature, culture, memory, and social justice. The anthology is divided into three sections, each reflecting a different aspect of the poet's relationship with his homeland.

Summary
The anthology begins with an introduction, where Osundare discusses his connection with the environment, particularly the forest, the rocks, and the rain, which he experienced growing up in his hometown, Ikere, a town in southwestern Nigeria. He also expresses concern for the degradation of the earth's resources due to human activities and natural erosion, and his hope for a sustainable environment.

The first section contains three poems. In these poems, the poet recalls his childhood memories of the forest, where he witnessed the beauty and diversity of nature, as well as the destruction and exploitation of the land and the trees. He also reflects on the rocks of Olosunta, which he regards as both a physical and a mystical element in Ikere cosmology. He emphasises the enduring forms of nature, which are monuments of time and place, and the economic value of the rocks. He also advocates for an egalitarian society and economic justice, and criticises the greed and oppression of those who exploit the earth and its resources. He also praises the earth as a source of growth and productivity. He celebrates the yam and other crops like cobs, cotton, and beans, and recalls the time before colonisation when Africa had its own identity and peace. He also presents Africa's past as a defence against today's alienation, and ends the section with a question about why we are still hungry in the midst of plenty.

The second section includes seven poems. These poems explore the effects of rain, which the poet views as beneficial for the earth and its inhabitants. He notes the arrival of rain after a period of dryness, but comments that it is insufficient to restore the earth. He contrasts the past and the present, using the metaphor of the sky carrying a boil of distress, the dust in simmering kitchens, bedrooms, and factories, and the unnatural desert. He criticises those who exploit the forest and live at the expense of the earth. He depicts a world after the exploitation and desecration of the earth, its resources, and its ecological balance, and shows the anger and disorder in nature, and the danger to man and nature. He presents contrasting situations, and describes the positive aspects of nature when it rains, and the negative aspects when there is drought. He concludes the section with a vision of a regenerated earth and a restored harmony between man and nature.

The third section contains nine poems. In these poems, the poet reflects on his identity and his connection with his homeland and its culture. He uses the term "memory" to describe his recollections of the forest of Ubo Abusoro, where he recalls the destruction of the land and the trees by timber merchants, and the celebration of the palm-wine tree, the birds, the beasts, the antelopes, the partridge, the weaver bird, the squirrel, the chameleon, the praying mantis, the termites, the snakes, and the monkeys. He also describes his encounter with the rocks of Olosunta, another aspect of physical nature, which he addresses as a wayfarer who has been long and far, and who is doing a homecoming of a kind, a journey back and forth into a receding past which still has a right to live. He also discusses the cosmic consciousness of the Ikere people, who worship and appease the rocks with rare gifts, thunderous drumming, and dancing. He also narrates his personal and poetic journey from his rural upbringing to his urban education, and his return to his roots as a farmer-born.

The book addresses the challenges faced by Nigerians due to environmental degradation, pollution, industrial exploitation, and the societal changes that accompany every stage of the country's neocolonial development. The resilience and resistance of the people are highlighted, as well as their potential to create a new world. The book concludes with a call to return to the earth, the source of life and wisdom.

Reception
The book received positive feedback from critics and scholars. Kemi Atanda Ilori, writing for The African Guardian, described the book as "an exuberant voyage of memories of a youth on earth pilgrimage, discovering anew – away from the encumbrances of his Western education – the soul of his own society". Adebayo Adefemi Oguntuase, writing for Research Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, analysed the book from an ecocritical perspective, and argued that The Eye of the Earth "is an exemplar of the literary works that scholars of Ecocriticism adjudge fit enough to address the problems of society in matters of the relationship of man to his environment and his efforts to continuously maintain it." Godwin Jeff Doki, writing for African Research Review, examined the theme of nature in the book, and noted that the poet "has a passionate and committed concern for earth".

In 1986, the book was awarded the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for the best book of poetry from Africa, and the Association of Nigerian Authors' Poetry Prize.