Paper short abstract:

A fanciful realm of emaciated cows, extinct goats, stormy weathers, water scarcity, scorching heat, Mame Diene’s short story Lekki Lekki projects us into a ghastly world on the brink of extinction.

Paper long abstract:

A fanciful realm of emaciated cows, extinct goats, stormy weathers, water scarcity, scorching heat, Mame Diene’s short story Lekki Lekki projects us into a ghastly world on the brink of extinction. Though grisly and dreadful as it appears, Diene’s condescended tale is forward-looking, making us wonder about and ponder upon possible remedies to save our threatened planet. The experiment of Soul Engines which consists of transferring humans to live in tree roots, represents the only solution for humans to evade extinction. The story shows the potential of trees to save humanity from annihilation. Though steeped in imagination and phantasmagoria, it definitely drives us to re-consider and re-think our conduct towards the environment. Diene’s narrative demonstrates the power of the African short-story to raise consciousness and galvanise change when it comes to critical and topical issues like the future of the African environment and the safety of humanity in a world increasingly threatened by natural disasters.