Disposable Bodies

Abstract

This article examines figures of disability in the poetry of D. M. Aderibigbe to illuminate the fate of disabled Nigerians. It considers the connections between disability and social norms, showing how normative masculinity is implicated in the killings of persons with disabilities. It draws on Chielozona Eze’s discussion of disability and Judith Butler’s concept of grievability to analyze Aderibigbe’s critique of normative culture, while situating the analysis of his poetry within the critical scholarship on disability, gender, masculinities, and social justice. In the poems “Olumo’s Face” and “Ode to My Father’s Childhood,” Aderibigbe represents disabled bodies as disposable, which underscores the need to continue advocating for disability justice.