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Set in New Delta, a city rebuilt on drained swampland in former oilfields, the protagonist, Chioma, is expectant and is caught up in labor during a violent, unpredicted storm linked to bioengineered periwinkle grass.
Illustration by Shyama Golden
Suggested discussion points
- What contradictions are revealed between the promise of technological innovation and its actual impact in the story?
- What parallels can you draw between this and real-world examples of unintended consequences in climate innovation?
- How does the story portray the legacy of extractivism in Nigeria, first through oil, then through periwinkle grain?
- Who benefits and who bears the burden? What commentary does the story make about female agency in environments shaped by male-designed technology?
- What questions does the story raise about intellectual property and scientific sovereignty?
- Who is responsible when technology fails in high-stakes environments like disaster preparedness?
- How does the story redefine or challenge the idea of both environmental and personal resilience?
- How is Chioma’s pregnancy used as a metaphor within the context of climate change, extractivism, and uncertain futures?
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