Abstract

Feminism(s) and masculinity(ies) are central concerns in gender studies, while queer studies, which was initially marginalised, is currently recieving greater attention in the West. Nevertheless, in Nigeria, the queer, especially homosexuality, has recieved little creative and critical attention. Homosexuality, which is the umbrella term for gay, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgender, pedohilia and other "sexual disorders", denotes same-sex relationship, ranging from phatic communication to erotic communion and marriage. It is also considered as a psychopathological condition. This study investigated the portrayal of homosexuality in Jude Dibia's Walking with Shadows with the aim of determining the portrayal of homosexuality, the reasons for positive or negative portrayal, the attitudes of homosexuals and heterosexuals to one another, among others. The theoretical framework employed for the study was qualitative. This entailed a descriptive analysis of the chosen text. Queer and Deconstruction literary theories guided the study. Queer theory was employed to determine the sexual status of the identified characters, aided character portrayals and representaion; and it equally helped in the analysis of the prevalent attitude of Nigerians to the subject matter. Deconstruction provided alternative views of characters; destabilized the binary opposition between make and female, men and women, straight and gay; and demonstrated the fluidity of gender. The study revealed that homosexuals are stigmatised, vilified and alienated in the chosen text. Gays are castigated as mere sissies, emasculated and failed men, wrecks condemned as having been hypnotized by globalisation. It also discovered that gay men and lesbians would dig around this problem by communicating their world-view, using irony. the study concluded that despite the existence of homosexuality in Nigerian, it is still largely a closet phenomenon. Furthermore, the largley heterosexual Nigerian society still looks at same-sex relationship with indignation. however, it is the visibility of the practice that leads to homophobia and the persecution of homosexuals by heterosexuals. It is recomended that Nigerian writers should not deify or glorify homosexuals in their works and that homosexuality should, at the least, return to the closet.