Abstract
This article investigates the representations of motherhood in the fiction of Isidore Okpewho, Ben Okri, and Tanure Ojaide through the Urhobo concept of Oniemo. Within Urhobo cosmology, Oniemo signifies multiple overlapping configurations that extends beyond the close bond between a mother and her children. She is figured as a nurturer, custodian of culture, lineage, moral order and a critique of patriarchal norms. Drawing on Sara Ruddick's theory of Maternal Thinking and Catherine Acholonu's articulation of Motherism, the article demonstrates how these writers depict maternal figures as resilient anchors of survival and continuity, particularly during moments of crisis. Concurrently, the analysis resist idealisation by recognising the restrictive dimensions of Oniemo, where women's social values are narrowly defined through sacrifice and caregiving. The study therefore proposes Oniemo as a culturally specific lens for engaging maternal representation in Urhobo literature, one that illuminates both the empowering and burdensome aspects of motherhood.
