JOURNAL OF LAW, LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND GENDER STUDIES
The Journal of Law, Language, Literature, and Gender Studies (ISSN: 3121-939X; E-ISSN: 3121-9381) is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary publication dedicated to exploring these intersections and fostering a deeper understanding of the ways in which they shape our societies, cultures, and individual experiences. This journal provides a platform for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to engage with the most pressing issues at the nexus of law, language, literature, and gender studies. We publish original research articles, reviews, and essays that critically examine the ways in which law, language, and literature reflect, shape, and challenge societal norms, power dynamics, and gender roles.
DIGITAL MISOGYNY AND POLITICAL POWER: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE #WEAREALLNATASHA AND #ISTANDWITHNATASHA CAMPAIGNS ON NIGERIAN SOCIAL MEDIA
This study conducts a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the #WeAreAllNatasha and #IStandWithNatasha campaigns on Nigerian social media. These campaigns emerged following allegations of sexual harassment made by Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The allegations resulted in her suspension from the Nigerian Senate, sparking media outrage. A combination of Fairclough’s three-dimensional CDA model and Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) highlights how misogynistic language was deployed to delegitimize the senator online. The study draws on 150 publicly accessible social media posts from X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram, from which 37 comments were purposively selected for detailed analysis. The analysis reveals the systematic use of discursive strategies like gendered insults, sexualized narratives, and victim-blaming rhetoric. These strategies reinforce patriarchal power structures. The study concludes that digital platforms in Nigeria reproduce and amplify entrenched gender inequalities, positioning women in politics as targets of symbolic violence. It recommends the critical filtering of language in social media discussions bordering on politics to avoid encouraging misogyny.
Digital misogyny, critical discourse analysis, Nigerian politics, social media, gender, power
Vivian Chioma Onwuasoeze; Chinenye Loyce Okoye (PhD); Chika Obiageli Ezeudo (PhD)
“SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE: IDENTITY CONFLICT AND SOCIAL REJECTION IN THE REPRESENTATIONOF LGBTQ+ IDENTITIES IN CHUKWUEBUKA IBEH’S BLESSINGS
This study examines the struggle for identity among LGBTQ+ characters in Blessings. Using Minority stress Theory by Ilan H.Meyer as its theoretical framework, the study explores how societal expectations, cultural norms, and legal restrictions contribute to the marginalization, discrimination and emotional distress experienced by queer individuals. Through qualitative textual analysis, the research reveals that LGBTQ+ characters in the novel are subjected to rejection, violence, identity concealment, and social exclusion. Despite these challenges, they demonstrate resilience in their pursuit of self-acceptance, love and belonging. The study concludes that Blessings portray queer identity as a continuous struggle against societal oppression, highlighting the emotional and psychological consequences of living authentically in a heteronormative society.
LGBTQ+, identity, societal expectation, Minority Stress Theory, discrimination
Ogechukwu Martha Ezeani; Doris Paschal-Mbakwe
A LEXICO-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED 2026 X POSTS OF PETER OBI ON NIGERIA'S SOCIAL REALITIES
This study undertakes a lexico-semantic analysis of three selected X (formerly Twitter) posts published by Peter Gregory Obi, a Nigerian politician and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, in 2026. The posts which X-ray Nigeria's social realities, are examined through the theoretical frameworks of Leech's (1981) model of lexical meaning and van Dijk's (1993, 2001) socio-cognitive approach to critical discourse analysis (CDA). The study investigates how Obi deploys specific lexical choices, rhetorical devices, and evaluative language to construct Nigeria's social realities and to position himself discursively as a credible advocate for systemic national reform. The study reveals consistent patterns of crisis-signalling vocabulary, extended bodily metaphor, antithetical constructions rooted in statistical contrast, moral appeals anchored on affective meaning, and inclusive nation building pronouns. The analysis demonstrates that Obi's political X posts function as sophisticated instruments of persuasion and social critique, reflecting a clear awareness of digital platforms as arenas for ideological contestation. The study concludes that lexico-semantic analysis, grounded in Leech's seven types of meaning and van Dijk's ideological square, provides a productive and replicable framework for studying political discourse in African digital spaces, and contributes to the growing body of scholarship at the intersection of linguistics, politics, and new media in Nigeria.
lexico-semantics, critical discourse analysis, Peter Obi, X posts, Nigeria, social realities
Vero-Ekpris Gladstone URUJZIAN; Jackson Archibong ETUK
A LEXICO-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF EEDRIS ABDULKAREEM'S ‘TELL YOUR PAPA’ AND ‘NIGERIA JAGA JAGA’
This study examines the lexico-semantic features employed in the songs, ‘Tell your papa’ (2025) and ‘Nigeria Jaga Jaga’ (2004) by a Nigerian hip-hop artiste, Eedris Abdulkareem. It investigates how Abdulkareem employs lexical choices, semantic fields, Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE), metaphor, irony, and code-switching to construct social criticism and articulate the lived experiences of ordinary Nigerians. Despite the growth of lexico-semantic studies on Nigerian music lyrics, most analyses remain synchronic in focus, examining a single text from a single period. This leaves a significant gap in the diachronic dimension of lyrical language. This paper addresses how lexical meaning and lexical choice evolve across time in response to shifting socio-political realities. Using a qualitative research design, the study adopts Cruse and Stubbs’ lexico-semantic theory, and draws insights from Fairclough and van Dijk’s approaches to Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), in order to identify recurring lexical patterns that encode themes of political corruption, economic hardship, insecurity, and institutional failure. The study reveals that across two decades, Abdulkareem's lyrical language reflects a consistent ideology that foregrounds the suffering of the Nigerian people, and holds political leadership accountable. The findings show that Abdulkareem's use of Pidgin English, lexical parallelism, and semantic intensification serves not merely as aesthetic choices but as deliberate discursive strategies for political activism. The study concludes that protest music constitutes a significant site of linguistic and ideological resistance in Nigeria, and that diachronic lexico semantic analysis offers a productive framework for understanding how artists sustain, adapt, and sharpen their critical voice across time and across changing political landscape.
lexico-semantics, Nigerian Pidgin English, protest music, Critical Discourse Analysis, Eedris Abdulkareem
THE DARK HISTORY OF NON-CONSENSUAL STERILIZATION OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN CANADA
Forced or coerced sterilization is performed without a person’s free, prior, full, and informed consent. This violates multiple human rights, autonomy, informed consent and is an act of gender-based violence. This research examines the implications of non-consensual sterilization, focusing on its impact on Indigenous women in Canada. This article highlights the gaps in protections for Indigenous women’s reproductive autonomy. It also assesses government responses and explores potential legal reforms and policy measures to ensure justice for survivors and prevent future violations. Human rights provisions make an individual’s informed consent a precondition to the legality of sterilization. Non-consensual sterilization may take the form of forced or coerced sterilization. Non-consensual in the form of forced or coerced sterilization is a surgical procedure to prevent conception, performed without a patient’s free, prior, and informed consent. There is historical evidence of forced or coerced sterilization in Canada. This is a dark chapter in Canadian history, marked by the violation of individuals' reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. In the past, some provinces in Canada enacted laws to forcibly sterilize women deemed unfit to procreate. The practice of sterilization rose out of the eugenics movement and has a long-hidden history in Canada. Alberta and British Columbia had laws requiring the sterilization of people considered mentally defective. These laws existed until 1972 and 1973 respectively. There have been reports of forced or coerced sterilization in Canadian hospitals as recently as 2019. Indigenous women and persons deemed mentally defective were disproportionally targeted. Apart from affecting the reproductive rights of women, forced sterilization also violates the right to autonomy and informed consent and human rights, especially the right to liberty and dignity. Courts and various international organizations have condemned and frowned at the forced sterilization of women, but unfortunately, this has not brought forced sterilization to an end. There is a need to move beyond human rights remedies to hold perpetrators of non-consensual sterilization accountable and criminally liable for non-consensual sterilization in Canada. Senator Yvonne Boyer on June 14, 2022, introduced Bill S-250, An Act to amend the Criminal Code regarding sterilization procedures and the criminalization of non-consensual sterilization in Canada. This research aims to contribute to the broader discourse on reproductive justice for Indigenous women and offer pathways for strengthening reproductive rights protections in Canada.Patients are autonomous individuals with the right to make medical decisions.
TONAL OPACITY, ALLOMORPHIC CONSTRAINTS, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF POLAR QUESTION MARKERS IN ARÁRỌ̀MÍ-UGBÉṢÌ YORÙBÁ
This study investigates the interaction between tone, negation, and polar question formation in Arárọ̀mí-Ugbéṣi ̀ Yorùbá, a Central Yorùbá dialect spoken in southwestern Nigeria. The paper focuses on the clause-internal polar question marker [rà], which exhibits a striking restriction against co-occurring with the negative marker [é], despite the grammaticality of negative polar questions formed with the clause-initial marker [ʃàki]. Drawing on original dialect data, the study demonstrates that the restriction is fundamentally phonological rather than purely syntactic or semantic. The analysis shows that [rà] cannot be immediately followed by an unrepaired high-tone syllable. While high-toned verbs and preverbal tense-aspect markers satisfy this requirement through tonal modification or allomorphic alternation, the negative marker [é] remains tonally opaque and lacks a low-tone allomorphic variant. As a result, the tonal conflict created by the sequence [rà + é] cannot be repaired, leading to ungrammaticality. An Optimality-Theoretic account is proposed in which the interaction of markedness, faithfulness, and allomorph-selection constraints derives the observed pattern. The study contributes to ongoing discussions of tonal opacity, allomorphy, and the phonology–morphology interface, providing new evidence that phonological constraints can shape the distribution of grammatical morphemes in Yorùbá.
Arárọ̀mí-Ugbéṣi ̀ Yorùbá; tonal opacity; allomorphy; polar question markers, negation; Optimality Theory
Abiodun Samuel Ibikunle; Abidemi OJO; Joshua Ogunduboye
LA RÉSILIENCE FÉMININE DANS TROIS FEMMES PUISSANTES DE MARIE NDIAYE: ANALYSE DE LA FORCE, DU COURAGE ET DE LA PERSÉVÉRANCE DES TROIS PROTAGONISTES
Trois femmes puissantes de Marie NDiaye constitue une œuvre majeure de la littérature francophone contemporaine. À travers les parcours de Norah, Fanta et Khady Demba, l’auteure met en scène des femmes confrontées à diverses formes de domination, d’exclusion et de souffrance. Cependant, loin d’être représentées comme de simples victimes, ces personnages incarnent une remarquable capacité de résistance et de reconstruction. L'objectif du cet article est d’examiner les manifestations de la résilience féminine dans le roman à partir des approches théoriques de la résilience psychologique, du féminisme et de la critique postcoloniale. L’étude démontre que la force des héroïnes réside dans leur aptitude à préserver leur dignité, leur identité et leur humanité malgré les contraintes sociales et culturelles qui pèsent sur elles. En analysant les trajectoires de Norah, Fanta et Khady Demba, cette recherche met en évidence la manière dont Marie NDiaye renouvelle la représentation de la femme dans la littérature contemporaine.
résilience, féminisme, postcolonialisme, identité, femme, Marie NDiaye, littérature francophone
Oguchi Uzoamaka Tessy (Ph.D); Ekwulonu Ikechukwu George (Ph.D)
POLITICS AND ITS PERCEPTION IN NIGERIAN LITERATURE: A STUDY OF OLA ROTIMI’S OUR HUSBAND HAS GONE MAD AGAIN
Politics as an activity associated with the governance of a country or a particular geographical area has been of great concern to many researchers. This is because politics, when approached positively, can lead to the growth and development of any society, while at the same time possessing the potential to stagnate and hinder development in a society where politicians handle it irresponsibly. Thus, for politics to achieve the desired success, it is pertinent that the perception of politics among those (politicians) saddled with the responsibility of governing the country be assessed. This paper examines the perception of politics through an analysis of characters involved in politics (politicians) in Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. The paper is anchored on the Psychoanalytic theory, with particular focus on the concept of defence mechanisms. The study finds that most Nigerians, especially politicians, have a wrong perception of politics. They see politics as a means of acquiring wealth, improving one’s social status, boosting one’s ego, accumulating power and influence, and engaging in deceit. This paper is significant because it seeks to expose the mindset of the crop of politicians that emerge in Nigeria’s political space and, at the same time, convey the message that there is a need for a total overhaul of this negative mindset. The paper concludes that these wrong perceptions of politics among politicians constitute a major setback to Nigerian democracy and national development.
Politics, Perception, Nigerian Literature, Corruption, Governance
Lotachukwu Loveth Amalukwue (PhD); Richard Nnamdi Ogbonnaya
THE ACADEMIC EMANCIPATION OF A PEOPLE THROUGH POLYTECHNIC EDUCATION: A STUDY OF ASIKA'S PIMPLES ON WRINKLES
This study examines the academic emancipation of a people through polytechnic education, using Asika's Pimples on Wrinkles as a case study. The research explores how education, particularly polytechnic education, serves as a tool for intellectual liberation, skill acquisition, economic empowerment, and social transformation. The study is anchored on the premise that education is a fundamental instrument for national development and individual advancement. Through a critical textual analysis of the novel, the study investigates the author's portrayal of the challenges confronting educational development, including poverty, inadequate educational facilities, societal prejudice against technical education, and limited access to quality learning opportunities. The findings reveal that polytechnic education plays a significant role in empowering individuals with practical and entrepreneurial skills necessary for self-reliance and sustainable development. The study further shows that Asika presents education as a means of overcoming ignorance, unemployment, and social inequality, thereby fostering personal growth and community development. The novel highlights the transformative power of education in shaping responsible citizens and promoting socio-economic progress. It also underscores the need for greater societal recognition of technical and vocational education as an essential pathway to national advancement. The study concludes that academic emancipation can be effectively achieved through the promotion of polytechnic education, which equips learners with relevant competencies for the modern economy. It recommends increased government investment in polytechnic institutions, curriculum enhancement, improved infrastructure, and public enlightenment campaigns to improve the perception and effectiveness of polytechnic education. The study contributes to the existing literature on education and development by demonstrating the relevance of literary works in addressing contemporary educational challenges and advocating academic liberation through practical education.
Academic emancipation, polytechnic education, technical education, skill acquisition, educational development, socio-economic transformation, empowerment, Pimples on Wrinkles.
CLASS STRUGGLE AND POLITICAL EXPLOITATION IN JUDE DIBIA'S BLACKBIRD
Literature stands as the mirror through which the society is reflected, the major functions of literature is to replicate the happenings in every human society, encourage virtues, expose vices and proffer solutions to them. This paper explores the schisms of class Struggles and political exploitation as reflected in Jude Dibia’s Blackbird. This research interrogates the dynamics of social inequality and exploitation within African society as represented in the novel. This research tends to address persistent socio-political and economic divide that perpetuates class struggle, suppresses the working class, and empowers the ruling elites, thereby creating structures of oppression. The hallmark of the paper re-examines and provide an insight into the dynamics of power, inequality, social changes in an African society. The theory employed in this research is the Marxist literary theory. Marxist criticism is a theory rooted in the ideas and propositions of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, that focus on literature as a product of material conditions, economic structures, and class relations. This research intends to analyze how literary texts reflect, reinforce, or resist the ideology of the ruling class while foregrounding the voices and experiences of the oppressed. This theoretical lens is suitable for uncovering Jude Dibia’ present class antagonisms, exploitation, and the power dynamics that shape their characters’ realities. This study adopts a qualitative and textual analytical approach. The primary data consists of the novel understudy, while secondary data is derived from scholarly texts, journal publications, and critical works on Marxism, class struggle, and African literature. The findings reveal that the literary work understudy articulates the harsh realities of political exploitation, corrupt leadership and continued subjugation of the working class. This study further shows how literature mirrors people’s plight and can serve as a voice and form of resistance. As a solution, it proposes that literature be more consciously harnessed as a tool for awakening societal consciousness and demanding systemic change.
MAPPING GENDER DISTINCTIONS THROUGH LANGUAGE USE IN IGBO SOCIETY
This paper critically examines how language use in Igbo society both reflects and reinforces gender distinctions. Drawing on the Sociolinguistic Ethnography model for analysis, the study explores the roles of proverbs and everyday speech acts in constructing and sustaining gender ideologies. The paper demonstrates how linguistic structures encode asymmetrical gender roles and how these practices normalize and perpetuate patriarchal norms. The study draws on authentic Igbo linguistic data, including proverbs, ethnographic interviews, and textual materials, to highlight both overt and subtle mechanisms of gender differentiation in communication. The findings of the study highlight the role of language in reinforcing gender distinctions that may lead to gender discrimination. The study also reveals how Igbo proverbs not only reflect existing gender relations but also actively transmit cultural expectations across generations, thereby exercising power and upholding dominant ideologies. The research recommends that scholars undertake further studies aimed at promoting advocacy against gender discrimination, female oppression, and normalized misogyny, while also contributing to women’s empowerment in Igbo society. The study further serves as a basis for cultural reform and gender-sensitive education, thereby promoting greater equity among genders in Igbo society.
Sociolinguistics, Gender Distinctions, Gender Roles, Language Use, Igbo
DR CHIKAMSO CHINYELU NWOSU; MUSTAPHA ABDULHAMID BABA
BEYOND INNOCENCE: TRAUMA REPRESENTATION AND NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE IN AFRICAN ADOLESCENT WAR STORIES
This study, Beyond Innocence: Trauma Representation and Narrative Technique in African Adolescent War Stories, interrogates four African and diasporic war narratives: The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo, A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala, and The Seine Was Red, Paris, October 1961 by Leïla Sebbar through the combined lenses of trauma theory and Russian Formalism. The study argues that these texts stage trauma not merely as thematic content but also as a formal problem that destabilizes narrative coherence and mimetic representation. Conceptualizing trauma as both a psychic rupture and a narratological crisis, the study foregrounds formal devices such as temporal fragmentation, limited focalization, linguistic defamiliarization, and generic hybridity. It pays particular attention to narrative belatedness, repetition compulsion, syntactic disruption, and the oscillation between silence and expression as structural inscriptions of trauma’s resistance to representation. These strategies displace linear temporality and coherent subjectivity, positioning the adolescent figure as a site where epistemological and ethical uncertainties converge. Through comparative analysis, the essay demonstrates how fractured first-person voices, bifurcated temporalities, and testimonial modes function as formal analogues of traumatic experience while simultaneously mediating between individual memory and collective histories of colonial violence, dictatorship, and forced migration. In doing so, these narratives challenge Western universalist models of trauma by foregrounding historically specific configurations of suffering and memory. Ultimately, the study contends that African adolescent war fiction reconfigures the child not as a passive victim but as a witnessing subject and narrative agent. It concludes that trauma is formalized as a recursive, ethically charged disruption that compels innovative narrative strategies and redefines the limits of literary representation.
Innocence, Trauma Representation and Narrative Technique
Christabel Chikamadu Ph.D; Prof JOJ Nwachukwu-Agbada; Prof GIN Emezue
MIGRATION, DISILLUSIONMENT AND DIASPORIC EXPERIENCES IN CHIKA UNIGWE’S PHOENIX
The study entitled “Migration, Disillusionment and Diasporic Experiences in Chika Unigwe’s Phoenix examines the idea of migration, the trials, ordeals, and vicissitudes that African migrants go through while abroad. It explores the factors that force migrants to scatter across foreign countries, including civil strife and forced displacement, insurgency, religious heterodoxy, political persecution, economic and educational reasons, exile, and asylum, among others. From the analysis, it is revealed that all the characters became disoriented and traumatized as a result of their trials and ordeals, coupled with failed dreams. It also reveals that the trials and ordeals of migrants leave them emotionally traumatized, psychologically disoriented, and psychically dehumanized. As a talented writer, Chika Unigwe shifts attention to the experiences of Nigerians in the diaspora. The novel portrays the realities of life rather than fantasy. The writer succeeds in presenting realistic accounts of what happens to Nigerians when they migrate to foreign nations. The responsibility now lies with readers and critics to read, appreciate, comprehend, comment on, and analyze the text using different and engaging critical approaches available to them.
Diaspora, Disillusionemnt, Trauma, Culture, Migration, Hybridity
Obi, Gladys Nwakaego, PhD & Ujowundu, Cornel Onyemauche, PhD
REPRESENTATION OF KIDNAPPING AND ITS EFFECTS IN SELECTED YORÙBÁ HOME VIDEO FILMS
Kidnapping has emerged as a deeply entrenched social problem in contemporary Nigerian society, intensifying in scale and sophistication due to persistent unemployment, widespread poverty, the pursuit of sudden wealth, and porous national borders. Although Yorùbá literary scholarship has extensively examined social vices such as corruption, ritualism, and moral decline, critical attention to the representation of kidnapping and its effects in Yorùbá home video films remains limited. This study addresses this gap by interrogating both the effects of kidnapping and the mechanisms employed to mitigate these effects within selected Yorùbá video productions. Adopting a descriptive research design, the study purposively selected ten Yorùbá films whose narratives centre on kidnapping and its consequences: Ọmọ́ Àdámọ̀, Ọmọ́ Olè Mẹ́ta, The Kidnap, Ọmọ́ Òkànrán, Lákátábú, Òrìṣà Ifẹ́, Ọmọ́, Òdájú Doctor, Kidnapper, and Kidnapped. These films were subjected to literary and content analysis, guided by Routine Activity Theory as the theoretical framework. Findings indicate that kidnapping poses a significant threat to national development and social harmony. The films not only expose its adverse effects but also foreground preventive and corrective responses, including improved healthcare for victims, the creation of a conducive socio-economic environment, and compensation for victims’ families. The study further advocates the strengthening of community-based security structures, particularly vigilante groups, to complement formal policing systems. It concludes that Yorùbá home video films, when strategically utilized as instruments of social advocacy and reorientation, can contribute meaningfully to anti-kidnapping efforts. Furthermore, the study calls on the Nigerian government to reassess and strengthen existing strategies to address the growing menace more effectively.
Kidnapping, Victim, Yorùba home video films, crime effect
Abídèmí O. Bó̩̩ ̩̩́lárìnwá, PhD; Akinlabí Akinníyì Williams
A LEGAL OVERVIEW OF NATIONAL FORENSIC DNA DATABASE GOVERNANCE FOR CRIME SOLVING IN NIGERIA, UK AND USA
The introduction and use of forensic DNA evidence in crime investigation within modern-day criminal justice systems across the world has revolutionised and significantly enhanced the accuracy of investigative outcomes. Nevertheless, forensic DNA evidence cannot be effectively utilised in solving crimes in the absence of a national forensic DNA database. This study aimed to provide a legal overview of national forensic DNA database governance for crime solving and control in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, with a view to ascertaining the existence, level of development, and effectiveness of such frameworks in the countries under review. The findings revealed that both the United Kingdom and the United States have developed robust national forensic DNA databases, supported by comprehensive legal frameworks; further strengthened through case laws and legislative developments. In contrast, Nigeria lacks both a national forensic DNA database and specific legislation governing forensic DNA database management. It was also found that the United Kingdom and the United States have extensively utilised their forensic DNA databases in solving and preventing crimes, including the resolution of cold cases. By contrast, Nigeria continues to rely heavily on limited traditional investigative methods, such as suspect interrogation, eyewitness testimony, and confessions. The study therefore recommends that the Nigerian government should, as a matter of urgency, adopt best practices from the United Kingdom and the United States by establishing a national forensic DNA database and developing specific legislation to regulate its governance, in line with international standards. The establishment of a national forensic DNA database, alongside a clear regulatory framework, will enhance the effective utilisation of forensic DNA evidence in solving and preventing the growing incidence of crime in Nigeria.
: Forensic DNA database, Forensic DNA database Governance, DNA profiling, crime solving, regulatory frameworks
IDEOLOGY AND GENDERED DOUBLE STANDARDS IN BABY MAMA DISCOURSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
This study examines the construction of misogyny and gendered double standards in Nigerian digital discourse surrounding the “baby mama” identity. The study was necessitated by the relative paucity of existing studies linguistically examining this phenomenon within the Nigerian context. Situated within the context of celebrity culture and social media commentary, the research investigates how language is used to regulate women’s sexuality, motherhood, and respectability. Drawing on Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA), the study analyzes six purposively selected posts from publicly accessible Nigerian entertainment blogs and associated commentaries on X (formerly Twitter). A critical discourse analytical approach is employed in the study. The findings reveal that the term “baby mama” functions as a stigmatizing master label that reduces women’s identities to their reproductive status while simultaneously normalizing male sexual autonomy. The analysis further demonstrates how moral, religious and relational discursive strategies are deployed to discipline women symbolically and reinforce patriarchal norms. Through repetitive labeling, evaluative language and asymmetrical identity construction, digital platforms reproduce gendered hierarchies under the guise of entertainment reporting. The study concludes that baby mama discourse is not merely descriptive but ideological, serving as a mechanism for sustaining symbolic inequality in contemporary Nigerian digital culture. It therefore calls for critical engagement with everyday digital language practices that normalize gendered moral regulation
baby mama discourse, gendered double standards, patriarchal ideology, social media, Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis
Chigozie Gloria Nwosu & Ngozi Ezenwa-Ohaeto
MALE PARTNER PARTICIPATION IN DELIVERY CARE IN NIGERIA: A SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF BARRIERS, FACILITATORS, AND INTERVENTIONS FOR IMPROVING MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES
Male partner participation in delivery care and maternal health services has emerged as a critical component of safe motherhood initiatives globally. This literature review synthesizes evidence from existing studies examining male partner involvement in delivery care in Nigeria. The paper adopts patriarchal theory as the theoretical framework. The evidence reveals that male participation in delivery care remains suboptimal across Nigerian contexts, with participation rates varying widely from 10% to 65%, depending on the specific aspect of care and geographic location. Key barriers identified include deeply entrenched cultural norms that define childbirth as “women’s business,” institutional constraints such as inadequate space and restrictive policies, lack of awareness and education among men, financial constraints, and patriarchal gender roles. Facilitators of male participation include higher levels of education, urban residence, effective spousal communication, health education interventions, and supportive attitudes from healthcare providers. Evidence further demonstrates that male involvement is associated with improved maternal health outcomes, including increased facility-based deliveries, better birth preparedness, enhanced emotional support for women, and improved maternal and neonatal health indicators. Community-based interventions and health education programs have shown promise in improving male participation. The review concludes that addressing male partner participation requires multi-level interventions targeting cultural norms, healthcare system policies, and individual knowledge gaps. Recommendations include integrating male-inclusive policies into maternal healthcare, expanding healthcare facility infrastructure, implementing community-based education programs, and reorienting men’s understanding of their roles in maternal health within Nigeria’s patriarchal context.
Delivery care, Maternal health, Male partner participation, Nigeria
Ngozi Chinenye Okeke, Gloria Nwakego Chukwuemeka & Chisom Anaestasi Ubaezuonu
THE RELEVANCE OF LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION, ARCHIVES AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS
For generations, historians, archaeologists, anthropologists and biologists have regarded humans as the central figures in the origin of language. The astonishing fact of human history is that they cannot do without language and this has brought about different languages being spoken. These languages have been the source of communication for human beings, and without it, man’s existence is irrelevant. There is the need for language documentation to accommodate the future generation. This paper addresses a set of issues related to language documentation that are not often explicitly dealt with in academic publications, yet are highly important for the development and success of this new discipline. This title “The Relevance of Language documentation, archives, and indigenous knowledge systems” explores how language and documentation practices can serve as tools in preserving and revitalizing indigenous knowledge systems. It discusses the relevance of language documentation, archives, and indigenous knowledge systems. It discusses the importance of culturally sensitive documentation method systems; the paper examines the ethical considerations involved in archiving indigenous knowledge. The study was largely library-based and depended exclusively on secondary documents. In relating the research, the researcher adopted the descriptive and explanatory approaches. The study hinges on Linguistic Relativity Theory that was propounded by Edward Sapir (1929) and Benjamin Lee Whorf (1956). By highlighting the need for collaboration between indigenous communities and researchers, this work underscores the necessity of respecting indigenous rights, worldviews, and language as integral elements in the documentation and preservation of their knowledge systems. This study between language, documentation and archives presents an opportunity to reframe knowledge practices, acknowledging indigenous contributions to humanity’s collective understanding. The researcher recommends that this type of study should be inculcated in the Nigerian policy so as to make sure that languages are documented both traditionally and digitally for the generations to come.
Relevance, Language, Documentation, Language Documentation, Archives, Indigenous, indigenous knowledge Systems
MULTIMODAL STRATEGIES IN MULTILINGUAL STORYTELLING: A CASE STUDY OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN AWKA, NIGERIA
Children’s language development is inherently multimodal, encompassing not only speech but also gestures, facial expressions, gaze, and other semiotic resources. In multilingual settings, children must coordinate these modes across languages, yet there is limited research on how young Nigerian children integrate multimodal strategies during storytelling. This gap is significant, as Nigeria’s diverse linguistic environment presents unique challenges and opportunities for early childhood language development, with implications for education, literacy, and communication support. The following research questions were addressed: (i) What types of gestures, facial expressions, and other multimodal strategies do multilingual preschool children in Awka employ during storytelling? (ii)How do children coordinate these multimodal resources across multiple languages to support narrative coherence and audience comprehension? (iii) What patterns emerge in the use of gestures and speech during language switching in storytelling? The study is theoretically grounded in McNeill’s (1992) Gesture Theory, which posits that gesture and speech form an integrated meaning-making system, and Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory (1978), emphasizing socially mediated tools in learning. A case study design was employed with 4-7-year-old children attending a multilingual preschool in Awka. Children participated in video-recorded storytelling tasks using picture sequences. Narratives were analyzed through a multimodal coding scheme, capturing gesture type (iconic, deictic, beat), facial expressions, gaze, and speech. Both quantitative analysis (frequency, co-occurrence of multimodal elements) and qualitative analysis (function and narrative role) were conducted to examine patterns and cross-linguistic strategies. The findings show that multilingual Nigerian children strategically use gestures and other multimodal cues to scaffold narrative meaning, particularly during language switching or when expressing complex ideas.
Multimodal communication, multilingual storytelling, gesture, early childhood, language development
PRAGMATICS OF EXISTENCE: CYBERSECURITY, FORENSIC PRAGMATICS AND HUMAN EXISTENCE
The paper investigates how forensic pragmatics can be applied to cybersecurity issues to preserve the integrity and sustainability of human life in an increasingly visual world. In a digital-driven world, human existence is increasingly threatened by sophisticated cyberattacks and the misuse of virtual platforms. As technology evolves, so do the methods of cybercriminals, whose actions not only affect digital infrastructure but also compromise individual safety, national security, and social stability. It aims to analyze how forensic pragmatics tools can enhance cybersecurity efforts and protect human existence by interpreting and addressing cybercrime discourse. The paper focuses on pragmatic elements (speech acts, implicature, context) in cybercriminal discourse, such as email scams, phishing messages, cyberbullying, and online fraud. The research is limited to selected case studies and data sources from Nigeria's cyberspace, court documents, digital threats, and online corpora. Meanwhile, the theoretical framework adopted for this study isSpeech Act theory (Austin, 1992; Searle, 169), Grice’s Cooperative Principle and maxims of conversation (Grice, 1975). Findings reveal that most cybercriminal messages heavily rely on indirect speech acts, implicatures, and urgency cues to manipulate the target. Noteworthy, over 80% of phishing emails used presupposition and contextual deixis (“here”, “how”, “your”, “account”) to pressure users into compliance. Also, linguistic ambiguity is a major tool to exploit victims’ cognitive biases and emotional responses (e.g.,fear, urgency, greed). Forensic pragmatics provided critical insights in 67% of examined cybercrime cases, particularly in distinguishing genuine versus manipulated intent. Cybercriminals mimicked intuitional politeness to reduce suspicion. The study concludes that protecting human existence in cyberspace requires not only robust digital infrastructures but also the integration of linguistic forensics and ethical consciousness in policy and practice.
Cyber-crime, Forensics, Human Existence, Pragmatics
Olachi Enemuo (Ph.D); Ruth Chinazaekpere Igbokwe
ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE CRASH OF CIVILISATION: UNDERSTANDING THE FARMERS–HERDERS CRISIS IN NIGERIA
The farmers–herders crisis in Nigeria has become one of the most serious challenges affecting peace, food production, and community life in the country. This study examines the causes and effects of the crisis, describing it as a “clash of civilisations” between two different ways of life farming and cattle herding. The research shows that as the environment changes and grazing lands in the North become drier, herders are forced to move south in search of water and pasture. This movement often leads to clashes with local farmers who depend on the same land for crop cultivation. The study also explains how poor government policies, weak security systems, and the breakdown of traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms have worsened the situation. The crisis is therefore not just about land or animals but also about inequality, poor leadership, and the failure to manage resources fairly. The study suggests that solving the problem requires stronger policies that encourage peaceful coexistence, fair land use, climate adaptation, and sustained dialogue between farmers and herders. Understanding this conflict shows how differences in culture, livelihood, and access to resources can create deeper social problems if not properly managed.
Farmers–herders, Civilization, Crash, Crisis, Analytical
REPRESENTATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA IN AGARY’S YELLOW YELLOW
This study examines the dynamics of trauma in Kaine Agary’s Yellow-Yellow, a Nigerian literary work that interrogates the place of trauma and oppression in Nigerian society. It explores the various forms of trauma and degradation evident in the text and the wider social context. This analysis will be carried out through a close textual reading of the primary text. Situations depicted in the novel foreground the traumatic and exploitative tendencies of the ruling class/bourgeoisie and the adverse effects of their actions on the lower class. The development of trauma theory was precipitated by studies on neurosis and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Foundational contributions were made by nineteenth-century neurologists such as Sigmund Freud, Joseph Breuer, Pierre Janet, and Jean-Martin Charcot, whose therapeutic studies on shock and hysteria helped shape the field. Trauma theory will therefore be used to investigate the psychological distress experienced by victims of oppression, exploitation, and social disruption as portrayed in the novel. The study demonstrates the devastating impact of trauma on characters subjected to unbearable conditions imposed by forces beyond their control. It also draws on Cathy Caruth’s insights into the unspeakable and repetitive aspects of trauma, including the unknowing reenactment of traumatic experiences by victims. Kaine Agary’s Yellow-Yellow represents her literary engagement with the experiences associated with crude oil exploitation in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region and its numerous destructive consequences for the inhabitants, with particular emphasis on the plight of women as victims.
disillusionment, trauma, exploitation, dehumanization oppression
Sylvanus Onyeachulam C. & Celestine Onyemakaosinaeme Opara
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IN NIGERIA'S DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE, 1999-2008
This paper therefore seeks to describe and analyze those issues and developments in the current democratic dispensation that are contentions and therefore antithetical to the attainment of genuine democracy in Nigeria. To address this paper is divided into four sections. The first conceptualizes democracy, in the second section a brief historical exposition on the quest for democracy is highlight, followed an analysis of the programmes of the fourth Republic that tend to run foul of genuine democratic culture. Finally concluding remarks are made.
READING PROBLEMS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: SOME OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS
In this paper, ten typical reading problems in secondary schools and six possible sources of these problems are discussed, with particular reference to Nigerian secondary schools. The discussion is based mainly on the evidence obtained by observation and research findings. The importance of teaching reading as a subject in the secondary school curriculum is indicated, and recommendations are made to ensure the provision of facilities for both remedial and developmental work in Nigeria's primary and post-primary institutions of learning, as a means of minimizing the problems and facilitating communication and learning.
QUO VADIS NIGERIA? A PHILOSOPHICAL INTERROGATION OF A NATION IN GRIP OF POLITICAL INCOMPETENCE
Why are the Nigerian youths, in great numbers, migrating to Western nations and many other African countries today? Again, why does the rate of insecurity in Nigeria continue to increase daily? In many parts of the country, citizens cannot sleep with both eyes closed due to the menace of bandits, unknown gunmen, and deadly Fulani herdsmen terrorists. These groups kill innocent Nigerians in Benue, Jos, Kogi, Enugu, and Ebonyi, while widespread kidnappings occur in many other areas, with perpetrators demanding ransom payments. Boko Haram terrorists are also unleashing deadly attacks on citizens, pushing the Nigerian state closer to stagnation and near collapse – what some described as the threshold of a failed state. Inflation is alarmingly high, reflected in the soaring prices of goods and services, the high cost of food items, chronic electricity shortages, and skyrocketing fuel and diesel prices. The exchange rate of the Naira to the Dollar is equally disturbing. Nigeria is often referred to as the “Giant of Africa” due to its land mass, abundant human capital, and rich natural and human resources. However, these advantages have not translated into improved living conditions for the average Nigerians. This paradox is largely attributable to poor leadership, systemic corruption, and political incompetence among Nigeria’s ruling elites. Yet, amidst the current calamity and widespread hardship, the All Progressive Congress (APC) - led government appears unbothered. Rather than focusing on alleviating the sufferings of people, their preoccupation seems to be securing victory in the year 2027 general elections. This is deeply troubling as it raises the question, how many citizens will still be alive by then, if the present situation remains unchanged? Using Philosophical analysis as our methodology, this paper undertakes a critical interrogation of the Nigerian state, guided by the Latin question: “Quo Vadis?” (Where are you going?). In our analysis, we examine the fundamental causes of the Nigeria’s decline and propose viable solutions and the way forward. With these recommendations - centered on ethical leadership and productive governance- we hope that, like St. Peter who, upon asking Jesus this question, turned back and embrace the crucibles of the discipleship, Nigeria too will turn back from the brink and move towards genuine democratic leadership, good governance, and economic prosperity for its citizens.
AN ANALYSIS OF HATE SPEECH DISCOURSE IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGN SONGS DURING THE 2023 ELECTION IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
This study examines the discourse of hate speech in political campaign songs used during the 2023 elections in Benue State, Nigeria. The research is anchored on Tajfel and Turner’s Social Identity Theory, which provides a framework for analyzing how political actors use hate speech to categorize and maintain social identities. The study adopted a case study design and employed purposive sampling to select relevant data. Data were sourced through secondary means by transcribing audio recordings of campaign songs from the APC and PDP. Findings reveal that hate speech is a dominant feature of political campaign discourse in Benue State, reinforcing negative stereotypes and deepening social divisions. The songs extensively employ social categorization and stereotyping, fostering an “us versus them” mentality that sustains the normalization of hate speech among party supporters. The study concludes that hate speech in campaign songs poses serious threats, including political polarization, incitement to violence, and the erosion of democratic values.
The importance of territory in international law explains the fact that it represents one of the main reasons for inter-ethnic, as well inter-state conflicts, in which all sides claim their own rights to the territory. Because of this, geographical claims, in the nature of Irredentism, have been raised throughout history. In Africa, there have been series of such claims, including those of Cameroon and Nigeria over Bakassi, Eritrea and Ethiopia over Badme, Morocco against Mauritania and the Sahahawi People’s Democratic Republic, Somali claim over Somaliland (Djibouti), and many more claims. The reasons for these claims have been attributed to a number of factor ranging from economic disparity of boarder States, historical nexus and demographic overlap. This situation has given rise to loss of lives and unfriendly diplomatic relationship. This paper therefore analyzed the irredentist claim vis-à-vis the international principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of States, as well and the principle of self-determination. Using the doctrinal method of research approach, the paper analyzed provisions of some international legal instruments and domestic laws of some States. Findings revealed that the inviolability of territorial integrity of States cannot be compromised under the guise of agitation for self-determination. At best a referendum maybe conducted with the full consent of the States. It is only through this way that a successful irredentist claim can be recognized.
Agbara, Daniel Obodoechi,; Okaphor Ejike Francis PhD & Ngene Lilian Adannaya
A PHILOSOPHICAL INVESTIGATION OF IBRAHIM TRAORE’S QUINTESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT: A CRITQUE OF CORRUPT LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA
This paper explores the persistent challenge of underdevelopment in Africa, attributing it largely to poor leadership and entrenched corruption. Despite long standing effort by African leaders to drive development, corruption remains a major impediment. The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International ranks Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kenya’s William Ruto among the most corrupt leaders globally, highlighting the need for a fundamental change in leadership mentality. The paper argues that any meaningful and sustainable development in Africa must begin with the transformation of the African mind – emphasizing holistic human development across social, political, religious, and ethical domains. As a counter example to prevailing leadership failures, the paper highlights Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso, whose leadership under a military regime has demonstrated a tangible progress in several sectors. Traore’s call for a united Sahel and a broader united Africa is presented as a viable part towards a true independence from lingering Western neo - colonial structures. Using Philosophical analysis as its methodology, the paper calls for a rethinking of leadership, development and identity in Africa.
VARIATIONS IN SPEECH STYLE IN CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S PURPLE HIBISCUS
The focus of this paper is on the use of variations in speech style by interlocutors in dialogues. Interactants engaged in verbal discourse employ different speech styles on different occasions. This is largely informed by the fact that no one speaks in exactly the same way on all occasions. Many factors inform these shifts such as the speaker, the addressee, the setting, the topic of discourse and the purpose of discourse. Using Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, this study seeks to identify the variations in the speech style in the dialogues of the characters and the motivations for the shifts. It also seeks to determine the way the shifts affected the relationships between the characters as well as the power structures that are at play. To achieve these objectives, eight sample excerpts purposively selected from the text were used as data while ethnography of communication was used as the theoretical framework. Findings revealed that the different speech style variations identified were influenced mainly by the situation and social distance.
INFORMAL BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA: EXPLORING THE ROLE OF LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Informal businesses constitute a significant portion of Nigeria's economy, providing employment, income, and essential goods and services in the face of limited formal job opportunities. This study explores the role of local entrepreneurship within the informal sector as a driver of economic development in Nigeria. It examines how small-scale, unregistered businesses contribute to poverty reduction, innovation, and community resilience, while also addressing the challenges they face, including limited access to finance, regulatory constraints, and infrastructural deficits. Using qualitative and descriptive method of data analysis, the research highlights the adaptive strategies of informal entrepreneurs and their potential to spur inclusive growth. The findings underscore the need for supportive policies that recognize the value of informal enterprises and facilitate their integration into broader economic planning. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the informal economy's role in national development and offers policy recommendations to harness its full potential for sustainable economic progress.
Daniel Chukwuma Nzereogu, PhD & Chiamaka Esther Nzereogu