Journal of Language Studies and Arts (JOLSA) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering critical dialogue in the fields of language, linguistics, literature, and the arts. The journal provides a dynamic platform for academics, researchers, educators, and practitioners to share cutting-edge research findings, theoretical insights, and innovative practices that illuminate the intersections between language, culture, and creative expression.
JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE STUDIES AND ARTS, VOLUME 4 NO 2, 2026
The Child’s Voice as Witness: Diasporic Trauma and Memory in We Need New Names
This paper examines the representation of migration and diasporic identity in NoViolet Bulawayo’s We Need New Names, focusing on how the child protagonist, Darling, embodies the fractured experience of displacement from Zimbabwe to the United States. Through close textual analysis, the study explores how the novel negotiates themes of cultural dislocation, memory, nostalgia, and the struggle for belonging in a foreign space. Drawing on diaspora theory and postcolonial frameworks, the paper argues that Darling’s narrative voice highlights the liminal state between home and host culture, revealing the tensions, negotiations and psychological ruptures inherent in the immigrant journey. The novel illustrates how migration disrupts identity formation, particularly for young migrants who must navigate conflicting cultural expectations. The work concludes that We Need New Names portrays the diaspora as both opportunity and loss, forming a nuanced discourse on the complexities of transnational mobility in contemporary African fiction.
Child’s voice, Witness, Diasporic trauma, We Need New Names
Cultural Heritage Preservation through Proverbs and Oral Traditions among the Urhobo People of Delta State, Nigeria
The preservation of cultural heritage through oral traditions and proverbs constitutes a critical dimension of intangible cultural heritage management in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates the role of proverbs and oral traditions in the preservation of cultural heritage among the Urhobo people of Delta State, Nigeria. Employing a qualitative research design anchored in ethnographic fieldwork, the study engaged sixty (60) purposively selected participants comprising community elders, traditional rulers, herbalists, market women, and schoolteachers across four Urhobo communities: Warri, Ughelli, Sapele, and Abraka. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation, and were thematically analysed using an interpretive framework informed by Cultural Memory Theory and the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003). Findings reveal that Urhobo proverbs and oral narratives function as multidimensional repositories of moral instruction, social governance, conflict resolution, environmental wisdom, gender identity, and historical memory. The study further identifies eight principal threats to oral heritage transmission, including Western cultural assimilation (88.3%), youth disengagement (85.0%), and the absence of institutional documentation frameworks (76.7%). The study concludes that the systematic integration of proverbs and oral traditions into educational curricula, digital archiving platforms, and community cultural festivals is imperative for sustainable heritage preservation. These findings have significant policy implications for cultural heritage management across multilingual and multi-ethnic African societies.
cultural heritage preservation; Urhobo proverbs; oral traditions; intangible cultural heritage; Delta State; ethnography; cultural memory
Contrastive Analysis of the use of palatalisation in Hausa & Kanuri languages
This study investigates palatalisation in Hausa and Kanuri languages with particular attention to their phonological and morphophonological structures and functions. Drawing on Feature Geometry Theory, the study examines the typological similarities and differences in the distribution, conditioning environments, and outcomes of palatalisation between the two languages. Data were obtained from published literature and supplemented by native-speaker intuitions from the authors, who are native speakers of Hausa and Kanuri. A comparative descriptive approach was employed to analyse both automatic and non-automatic palatalisation processes. The findings reveal significant cross-linguistic variation in the nature and productivity of palatalisation. Hausa exhibits both automatic and non-automatic palatalisation, with morphologised palatalisation functioning productively across morpheme boundaries in processes such as plural formation and derivation. In contrast, Kanuri demonstrates a predominantly automatic and phonologically conditioned type of palatalisation that is largely restricted to assimilatory environments involving high front vowels and palatal glides. Unlike Hausa, Kanuri lacks extensive morphologised palatalisation and exhibits multiple palatalisation outcomes, including full palatalisation, affrication, and context-dependent consonantal alternations. The study further shows that while palatalisation is attested in both languages, the phonological segments involved, the conditioning environments, and the resulting palatal sounds differ considerably. Hausa illustrates a more advanced stage of phonologisation in which historical palatalisation has become integrated into morphological processes, whereas Kanuri retains a more conservative and primarily allophonic system.
Palatalisation, Morphophonology, Hausa, Kanuri, Automatic Palatalisation, Non Automatic Palatalisation
Umar Muhammad-Gombe; Salisu Alhaji Yusuf
Generational Differences and Language Shift in Contemporary Urban Settings: A Sociolinguistic Analysis
This paper examines the relationship between generational differences and language shift in contemporary urban environments, where rapid demographic mobility, multilingual contact, and digital communication have intensified intergenerational divergence in linguistic behaviour. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of language shift, the apparent-time construct, social network theory, and the ethnolinguistic vitality model, the study argues that the city functions as a primary engine of linguistic change because it concentrates speakers of differing ages, origins, and communicative repertoires in dense, fluid contact. The analysis surveys empirical evidence indicating that younger urban cohorts frequently lead in adopting prestige varieties, code-switching practices, and innovative features, while older cohorts often serve as custodians of heritage and minority languages. It further considers the mediating roles of attitudes, identity, education, and digital media, and reflects critically on the methodological challenges of distinguishing genuine generational change from age-grading. The paper concludes that generational stratification is not merely a by-product of urbanisation but a structural mechanism through which language maintenance, attrition, and shift are negotiated, with significant implications for language policy and minority-language preservation.
language shift, generational variation, urban sociolinguistics, code-switching, language maintenance, apparent-time, ethnolinguistic vitality
Religious Discourse: A Study of How to Maintain a Spirit-Filled Life by Rev. Dr. David Ogbueli
The study examines religious discourse through a critical analysis of a sermon titled "How to Maintain a Spirit-Filled Life," delivered by Rev. Dr. David Ogbueli. The study adopts the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). It explores how linguistic choices in the sermon construct spiritual authority, reinforce doctrinal beliefs, and shape the identity of the audience. Data were collected from YouTube. The analysis focuses on the use of rhetorical strategies, biblical references, imperative structures, and evaluative language in the sermon. It investigates how the preacher engages the audience through inclusive pronouns and persuasive appeals, delegitimizes secular solutions, while simultaneously positioning himself as a spiritual authority. The study also highlights how the sermon reflects broader socio-religious contexts, particularly within contemporary Nigerian Christianity. Furthermore, the research explores how religious discourse functions as a medium for ideological transmission, emphasizing themes such as spiritual discipline, personal transformation, and divine relationship. The findings reveal that the sermon employs strategic linguistic features to legitimize its message, delegitimize secular solutions, and sustain religious ideology. Ultimately, this study contributes to the understanding of how religious discourse operates not only as a form of communication but also as a powerful mechanism for shaping belief, identity, and society at large.
Religious discourse, spirit-filled, life, Ogbueli
Masqueraded Identities: Explicating Queer in Damilare Kuku’s “Beard Gang”
This paper examines the representation of queer consciousness and performative identity in Damilare Kuku’s short story “Beard Gang,” a story in the collection Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad. Drawing on queer theory, particularly Judith Butler’s concept of performativity, the study explores how characters construct masqueraded identities in order to conform to heteronormative expectations enforced by culture, religion, patriarchy, and social surveillance. Through qualitative textual analysis, the paper interrogates themes of secrecy, emotional fragmentation, performative masculinity, and social camouflage, revealing how queer individuals negotiate survival within an environment hostile to non-normative sexualities. The study finds that Kuku portrays queer concealment as a survival mechanism necessitated by societal intolerance and demonstrates that performative heterosexuality often produces emotional instability, fractured relationships, and psychological isolation. The paper further finds that patriarchy negatively affects both queer individuals and women who become participants in deceptive social arrangements designed to maintain public respectability. The study concludes that “Beard Gang,” is an important contribution to contemporary African queer literature because it humanizes marginalized identities while critiquing the rigid structures that suppress authenticity and emotional freedom. The paper recommends increased scholarly engagement with African queer narratives, greater literary openness toward marginalized identities, and the promotion of inclusive social conversations that encourage empathy, visibility, and human dignity.
Queer consciousness, beard, identity, masculinity, secrecy
Conflicts, Their Resolution and Social Development in Cornel Ujowundu's Nemesis
In literary parlance, conflicts exist between protagonists and antagonists when their relationship is built on mutual hatred, suspicion, distrust, opposition, and rivalry. And the resolution of such conflicts is achieved when either the protagonist or antagonist surrenders, is defeated, disappears, or dies. In this premise in Cornel Ujowundu's Nemesis, these conflicts are identified: Okoli and his native doctors, the native doctors and members of the community, Uzoma and Okoli. While some of these conflicts were positively resolved, others got a negative resolution. For instance, the conflict between Okoli and his family was resolved by Uzoma through Okoli's truthful confession against his initial act and the abandonment of the imbecile in the bush behind his house to die, which brought countless deaths to his household. The conflict between Mike and his father over the annual sacrifice to the gods as a means of survival, which does not conform to Mike's beliefs, and finally, the conflict between Okoli and the Christian religion, which exposed his past crime that led to the salvation of his entire family in the limelight. Uzoma's conversion to Christianity made these possible. On the whole, conflict acts as a challenge to human intellect, and its resolution catalyzes peace and social development, as evidently demonstrated in Nemesis.
Conflicts, Resolution, Social Development, Education, Belief
Authors’ Socio-Economic Background and the Deployment of Literary Devices in Contemporary Nigerian Novels
This study examines the influence of authors’ socio-economic background on the deployment of literary devices in contemporary Nigerian novels. The research explores how the social, economic, political, and cultural experiences of Nigerian writers shape their thematic concerns and stylistic choices in literary works. Contemporary Nigerian literature reflects various societal realities such as corruption, poverty, unemployment, migration, gender inequality, insecurity, and political instability. Nigerian authors therefore employ literary devices such as realism, satire, symbolism, irony, imagery, flashback, metaphor, code-switching, and personification to portray these realities and communicate their ideological positions. The study adopts the sociological approach to literature, which views literary works as products of society and reflections of social experiences. Through textual analysis of selected contemporary Nigerian novels by writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Helon Habila, Sefi Atta, Ben Okri, and Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, the study reveals that literary devices are not merely decorative elements but important instruments of social criticism, cultural preservation, and artistic expression. Findings from the study show that authors’ socio-economic backgrounds significantly influence their worldview, language use, characterization, narrative style, and choice of literary devices. Writers who experienced poverty, political oppression, and social instability often use realism and satire to expose societal injustice, while writers with cosmopolitan exposure and educational privilege tend to employ symbolism, fragmented narration, and transnational themes to portray identity crises and globalization. The study further establishes that literary devices enhance meaning, strengthen emotional appeal, preserve African cultural identity, and improve the artistic quality of literary works. The research concludes that contemporary Nigerian literature remains closely connected to societal realities and that literary devices serve as effective tools for documenting experiences, criticizing social problems, and advocating social transformation.
Socio-economic background, literary devices, contemporary Nigerian novels, realism, satire, symbolism, Nigerian literature
Ajami-based Orthography Innovation for English Pronunciation Teaching: A Second-Phase Pilot Study
This study investigates the effectiveness of an Arabic-based ajami script as a pedagogical tool for teaching English pronunciation to adult Hausa and Kanuri learners who are literate in Arabic through intensive learning of the holy Qur’an and other Islamic theology texts. Building on a prior pilot study, this second-phase implementation involved learners from two proficiency levels at the Centre for Research in Qur’anic Studies, Yobe State University. Using a pre- and post-instruction design, the study evaluated learners’ production of selected English consonants and vowels represented through adapted ajami orthography. Findings indicate that consonant acquisition was generally successful, particularly where stable sound-symbol correspondences were established. Vowel production was, to some extent, successful; however, it required iterative refinement of orthographic representations due to mismatches between Arabic phonological structures and English vowel complexity. The study demonstrates that ajami can significantly reduce orthographic ambiguity and support pronunciation learning, provided that systematic modifications and pedagogical scaffolding are applied. The findings contribute to discussions on orthographic innovation, cross-linguistic transfer, and literacy-based approaches to second language phonology.
ajami, English pronunciation, cross-linguistic transfer, orthography
Umar Muhammad-Gombe; Clifford Irikefe Gbeyonron
A Sociolinguistic Study of Pidgin and Creole in Nigeria: Language Use and Social Identity
Language is a fundamental aspect of human society essential for building relationships, conveying information, sharing knowledge and shaping culture. There is hardly any human activity that does not happen in the arena of language. In Nigeria, language plays a crucial role in shaping social identity, mediating interaction, and reflecting ethnic, economic and sociocultural realities. This paper examines how Nigerian Pidgin and creole language function as a tool for communication and identity construction within a multilingual, multifaceted and multiethnic country like Nigeria. Nigerian Pidgin developed as a contact language during trade interactions between Europeans and various Nigerian ethnic groups. Over time, it has expanded beyond its initial utilitarian function into a widely used lingua franca, especially in urban centers such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Warri. Because pidgin and creole languages are mostly spoken by poor and illiterate descendants of slaves, there has been a lot of stigmatization and disrespect for both pidgin and creole as manifested in expressions like broken English, bastard Portuguese, etc. Despite the stigmatization, Nigerian Pidgin has gained significant prestige in informal domains, media, music, and youth culture. From a sociolinguistic perspective, language choice in Nigeria is deeply tied to identity. Nigerian Pidgin allows speakers to project solidarity, informality, and cultural authenticity. For instance, its use among youths often signals modernity, street credibility, and resistance to elitist norms associated with Standard English. In contrast, Standard English is typically employed in formal settings such as education, governance, and professional communication, reflecting power and institutional authority. The paper opines that language is crucial for expression of thoughts, culture and identity and also for social engineering. History can shape language including how it is perceived and language in turn shapes culture and identity.
English Language, pidgin, creole, social identity
The Past as The Present: Social Transformations in Proverbial Expressions
The proverb is a wise saying based upon a people’s experience and is a reflection of the social values and tradition of the people. The African proverb also serves a veritable medium for the projection of a variety of social goals. Traditional proverbs were communally owned with no known authorship. Postproverbials on the other hand are modern proverbs coined from existing proverbs or created from social interaction mostly in urban areas. These proverbs subvert traditional proverbs and are meant to elicit laughter at social gatherings. Postproverbials are not ethnic based and do not also have a known ‘originator”. Most of the postproverbials are circulated in online communities. It should be emphasised that in both the traditional and modern context, the African proverb has remained relevant. The paper is inspired by the works of Aderemi Raji-Oyelade (1999, 2012) who describes postproverbials as “ultramodern alternative to the typical conventional proverb”. The focus of this paper is to examine the tenets of the postproverbials used by comedians and entertainers in urban Warri and its environs in Delta State of Nigeria. Using the functionalist theory, part of the objectives of the paper is to analyze the socio-cultural content and context of postproverbials indicating the traditional proverb, its postproverbial and the pidgin version.
Proverbs, Postproverbials, Tradition, Pidgin Proverbs, Past, Present
Staging Patriarchy: Gendered Power and Female Devaluation in Alex Roy Omoni’s Morontonu
This study interrogates the dramatic representation of patriarchal authority and female devaluation in Alex Roy-Omoni’s Morontonu through the theoretical lens of African Feminism, supplemented by insights from Radical Feminism. While African Feminism provides a culturally grounded framework for examining gender relations within indigenous social structures, Radical Feminism sharpens the critique of patriarchy as a system of institutionalized male dominance. The paper argues that the play stages patriarchy not merely as a background social condition but as an active organizing principle that regulates power, worth and identity within the polygamous household. Through dialogue, characterization and domestic conflict, male authority is normalized, while female value is measured in relation to obedience, fertility and competition for masculine validation. The study further contends that polygamy functions in the play as a dramatic site where jealousy, rivalry and betrayal are not accidental moral failings but structural consequences of gendered hierarchy. By exposing how women internalize and reproduce patriarchal logic even as they suffer under it, the play reveals the cyclical nature of female marginalization within culturally sanctioned systems. In essence, this paper demonstrates that Morontonu offers a critical theatrical interrogation of gendered power, making visible the cultural mechanisms that sustain female subordination in traditional African society.
Patriarchy, Identity, Conflict, Marginalization, African, Society
Poetics and Prose of Resistance: Marginalization and Agency in Jack Mapanje’s The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison and Tendai Hunchu’s the Hairdresser of Harere
This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of Jack Mapanje’s The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison and Tendai Huchu’s The Hairdresser of Harare, two influential works from East and Southern Africa that reflect critical currents in contemporary African literature. The researcher adopts postcolonial theory as theoretical anchor, using primary and secondary sources of data collection. While Mapanje’s poetry arises from the claustrophobic confines of political imprisonment under Malawi’s authoritarian regime, Huchu’s novel explores the vibrant yet morally rigid society of post-independent Zimbabwe. The study discovers how both writers use distinct literary forms—poetry and prose—to critique oppressive systems and illuminate personal and collective struggles. Despite their divergent historical and political contexts, both works exemplify the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring role of African literature as a tool for resistance. This comparative study discovers the relevance of both texts within African literary traditions to the ongoing conversations about voice, agency, and liberation in postcolonial Africa. The paper concludes that literature remains a powerful site for resistance and transformation.
Literature; Truth-Telling; Resistance; Reflection; Transformation
Cornel Onyema Ujowundu & Doris Paschal-Mbakwe
End Bad Governance Protests Utterances in Nigeria-A Pragmatic Act Analysis
This study examined language as social action in the 2024 End Bad Governance protests in Nigeria using Pragmatic Acts Theory (Mey, 2001). Adopting a qualitative approach, twenty purposively selected utterances from protest speeches on YouTube and Instagram were analysed. The study identified key pragmatic acts such as complaining, lamenting, requesting, appealing, warning, and asserting rights. These acts were realised through various practs, including experiential, emotive, directive, rhetorical, and moral-legitimising practs. The findings reveal that protest language is strategically used to express grievances, mobilise support, legitimise demands, and negotiate power within a socio-political context. The study concludes that language functions as a powerful tool for resistance and social change, and it contributes to pragmatic scholarship by demonstrating the relevance of Pragmatic Acts Theory in analysing protest discourse in Nigeria.
Pragmatic Acts, Protest Discourse, Language, Social Action, Nigeria
Nzubechukwu Shalom Nnamekwe & Martina C. Uche
Activity Type and Pragmemic Conflict in Three Selected African Plays
This study examines how conflict in African dramatic discourse is structured through context-bound pragmatic configurations. While African drama has been extensively analysed from thematic and sociopoltical perspectives, relatively limited attention has been paid to how conflict is organised as situated pragmatic action within recognisable activity types. Drawing on Mey’s Pragmatic Acts Theory, particularly the concepts of pragmeme and activity type, the study analyses selected dialogues from Ahmed Yerima’s Hard Ground, Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s The Black Hermit, and Akeem Ajibade’s The Thinking Head. Through qualitative textual analysis, the study identifies recurrent pragmemes that emerge within activity types such as political mobilisation, militant resistance, communal negotiation and generational contestation. The findings demonstrate that conflict is not merely a thematic construct but a contextually regulated interactional process shaped by sociocultural norms, participant roles and ideological positioning. The paper argues that activity type functions as a structuring mechanism that constrains and enables specific pragmemic realisations, thereby organising dramatic conflict as socially meaningful action. The study contributes to pragmatics and African literary studies by foregrounding activity type as a crucial analytical bridge between linguistic configuration and thematic construction in dramatic discourse.
Pragmatic Acts Theory, activity type, pragmeme, conflict, African drama, discourse
Rita Ifeyinwa Igwenagum & Ephraim A. Chukwu
Literature and Resistance: A Study of Christie Watson’s Tiny Sunbirds Faraway
The Niger-Delta region in recent times has been experiencing the politics of local resistance which has remained decisively violent, and the indigenes as a result, have been compelled to perceive the oil environment as a metaphor for death and no longer as a source of improved life. This research work explored the violent contestation around a historically construed sense of grievance, injustice, and inequality experienced through wanton exploitation and devastating impoverishment by both the government and trans-national oil companies. Using Christie Watson’s Tiny Sunbirds Faraway, this study further showcased how the degradation and exploitation of the Niger-Delta environment in the course of oil exploration by both the government and oil companies led to the present conflict which has escalated from ethnic minority protests to fully blown insurgency that has attracted worldwide attention. The transition from resistance as mere protests to militancy as represented by attacks on innocent citizens and oil companies, the effects on the female members of the indigene communities and how these women cope are also critically analyzed in the study. The duo of eco-feminism and Marxist feminism are the theoretical frameworks used in the course of this research. The study concludes by recommending that both the government and the oil companies in the region should, as a matter of policy and urgency provide employment and award contracts to the indigenes of the host communities. This way, the youths’ restiveness in the region which is mostly caused by joblessness will be nipped in the bud.
Resistance, Militancy, Protests, Degradation, Conflicts
Multimodal Humour in Nigerian Tiktok Protest Discourse During The #Endbadgovernance Movement
This study examines how Nigerian TikTok users employ multimodal resources in comment sections to construct humour within protest discourse during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance movement. Focusing on the interaction of textual language and emojis, the research explores how humour mediates the expression of political critique, social frustration, and collective identity. Using qualitative content analysis informed by Multimodality and Relief Theory, the study analyses selected comments to reveal patterns of sarcastic Pidgin, phonetic stylisation, impersonation, exaggeration, and emoji-mediated affect. Findings show that humour in TikTok comments emerges through semiotic layering of text and emojis, allowing users to express dissatisfaction in socially and emotionally negotiable ways. The study demonstrates that TikTok comment sections are not mere reaction spaces but active sites of meaning-making where political critique, civic engagement, and national identity intersect. The findings have implications for digital activism, civic education, and the study of multimodal political communication in Nigeria.
Multimodal humour, Tiktok, Nigeria, Protest, Endbadgovernance
Excel Chimudinma Amaechi & Ephraim A. Chukwu
Conflict of Piety and Personal Desires in Nigerian Literature: A Study of Okey Ndibe’s Foreign God INC…
This study examines the glaring conflict between piety and personal desires as represented in contemporary Nigerian literature, with particular focus on Okey Ndibe’s Foreign Gods, Inc... The research explores how the author dramatizes the tension between cultural or religious devotion and the individual pursuit of personal aspirations. Using textual analysis, the study investigates the socio-cultural, religious, and economic factors that contribute to this conflict, as well as the psychological and emotional consequences experienced by characters that grapple with such dilemmas. In the text, the conflict is clearly illustrated through Ikechukwu Uzondu’s attempt to reconcile his financial desperation with his inherited reverence for ancestral piety, thereby exposing the tension between tradition, modernity, and global capitalist exploitation. The study reveals that Nigerian literature does not merely portray these conflicts as personal struggles, but as reflections of broader societal realities. Issues such as religious orthodoxy, cultural identity, economic pressures, and patriarchal structures significantly shape the choices and inner turmoil of the characters in the text. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the psychological and emotional burdens of negotiating between piety and desire often result in alienation, guilt, and tragic consequences. By interrogating these themes, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of how Nigerian literature mirrors and critiques societal norms, while also giving voice to the struggles of individuals caught between devotion to faith or culture and the longing for personal gratification.
Piety, Pious, Desire, Religion, Conflict
A Study of Loanwords in Tiv Domains of Communication
Despite the growing presence of loanwords in the Tiv language, the phenomenon remains understudied. Existing literature on Tiv linguistics has largely focused on phonology, morphology, and general grammatical structure, with little systematic attention given to lexical borrowing. This study examines loanwords in Tiv domains of communication. The study aims to identify the loanwords borrowed into the Tiv language and analyses the domains in which they are borrowed. Specifically, the study identified the loanwords that have been borrowed into Tiv communication, analyses the different domains in which the Tiv people have borrowed loanwords, examine the grammatical classes of the borrowed words in Tiv communication. The study adopts the Language Contact Theory, developed by Uriel Weinreich in 1953, which explains that language contact is a central force of linguistic change, leading to the transfer of vocabulary and other linguistic features between languages. This study is library-based research. The data are gathered primarily from secondary sources, including published and unpublished works, academic journals, and online publications on the Tiv language. Additionally, the researchers’ intuitive knowledge as a native Tiv speakers was instrumental in data collection and validation. Findings reveal that Tiv has integrated a significant number of loanwords from other languages, particularly in domains such as agriculture, food, and household tools. These borrowings are shown to be concentrated in areas where new concepts or items have been introduced through cultural contact. The study concludes that lexical borrowing is a common and natural process that enriches Tiv by providing the linguistic resources needed to name new realities. The study recommends the systematic documentation of Tiv loanwords through written records and digital archives. This will preserve the borrowed lexicon and provide a resource for linguistic research and cultural education.
Loanwords, Tiv, Domains, Communication, cultural contact, cultural education
Culture Intricacies and Igbo Worldview in George Ndubuisi’s Woes of Ikenga
Culture is seen as the totality of a people’s way of life. It showcases their customs, traditions, value, systems, norms, beliefs, world-views, superstitions and even taboos. So this paper entitled “Culture Intricacies and Igbo Worldviews in George Ndubuisi’s Woes of Ikenga” set out to explore aspects of the culture of the Igbo’s and their worldview of life. The objectives of the study seek to investigate the culture intricacies and Igbo worldview in George’s Ndubuisi Woes of Ikenga. The theoretical framework for the study is sociological criticism which maintains that literature has a relationship with society and should bring changes. Data for the study was from two main sources, primary and secondary sources. The text under study is the primary source, while library texts, journals and internet formed the secondary sources. The findings include the use of proverbs to pass on a message, the ritual of new yam festival and its meaning to the Igbo culture, and the nuances of kinship ties and spiritual belief in the Igbo society. The study portrayed the Igbo society as it was before the coming of the white men and how after they left changed and affected the Igbo view of the world.
Culture, Fate, Customs, Superstition, Supernatural, Reincarnation
Lovina I. Madu, Chinomso P. Dozie, Obianuju O. Nnedu
Fate and Predestination in Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are not to Blame
Fate and Predestination have turned out to be one of those things human beings do consider in their lifetime. It is believed that in African cosmology that one is a product of his “chi” who serves as his protector, shield and the writer of his fate. This divine being plays a major role in the life every average African man. Having the divine being as the supernatural force over the affairs of man, yet man is given an opportunity to choose his fate. Once the fate of is chosen, it cannot be altered. This is the reason why when someone faces a kind of misfortune or a mishap, people tend to tell him that his “chi” is not actually with him. This work then helps to bring out the roles of this fate and predestination through the play understudy. At times some people tend to change their fate, but no matter what they do, they must end up fulfilling that their predestined fate and that is what the Igbos call “o mere ma chi ekweghi” meaning that the person tried but his personal divine being thwarted his efforts. The theoretical framework used is existentialism which has to do with the absurdity of human life. From the work it is observed that though everyone is created by a Supreme Being, yet we should not overlook the roles of this Supreme Being because whatever it predestines, comes to pass; and failure to abide by its laws might result in disaster.
Fate, Predestination, Freewill, Determinism, Fatalism.
Sex Slavery and Exploitation of Women in Ikechukwu Asika’s Tamara
In a patriarchal society, women are faced with all sorts of dehumanisation ranging from deprivation, negligence, maltreatment, marginalisation, oppression, subjugation, exploitation, humiliation and even isolation, all of which emanate from aspects of the people’s culture. As a result, women now cry out for such aspects of the culture that undermine their well being and emancipation to be eradicated. They, therefore, struggle for equality and emancipation in the male dominated society, especially the African society under study here. In fact, in the African society, women are seen as mere tools of necessity-housewives, child bearers, gratifiers of men’s sexual passion; and worst of all, not consulted in the decision making processes in their communities. The women as wives are expected to be submissive, obedient, unquestioning and servile while any challenge to these attributes attracts social disfavour. So the clearly defined roles for women are passed on to the girl-child as she grows. Data for this study is from two main source, primary and secondary sources. The novel under study is the primary sources, while library texts, journals, scholarly articles, the internet are the secondary sources. The theoretical framework for the study is feminism. The novelist wants the men to reconsider their negative notions about women and to also appreciate their contributions in the well-being of their societies, their families and the upbringing of the children.
Patriarchy, Exploitation, Disillusionment, Sexuality, Dehumanization
Ifeoma Chinwe Okwuchukwu, Juliet Nonye Eziuzor
Linguistic Stylistics Study of Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
The aim of this study is to investigate linguistics stylistic features in Chimamanda Adichie Purple Hibiscus. The specific objectives of the study are to discuss the syntactic features used by the author in this novel and identify the various morphological features the author has used in the novel. Areas of linguistics to investigate on are syntactic and morphology. The study is anchored on Language Variation Theory. Syntactically, it was discovered that Adichie used epizeuxsis, anaphora, asyndeton, parenthesis as the syntactic devices in Purple Hibiscus. For morphology, acronyms, abbreviation, compounding words, initialisms were used to put these elements together to pass a message that is relevant to the study. The researcher also explored the cultural and linguistic background and how they have helped the style of the writing.
Language, Linguistics, Syntax, Morphology, Stylistics
Immigration and Race Relations in Selected Stories in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's The Thing Around Your Neck
In recent times, it has been observed and recorded that the number of Africans migrating to countries such as Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand etc. is increasingly high because these countries are perceived as the most ideal places to live on earth. These perceptions are enhanced by what they see in movies where the best sides of these countries are shown. The Africans who already reside in these countries also contribute to this situation as they give the impression that life is easy over there. Though not far from the truth, there is no doubt that the material conditions and social utilities in developed countries have reached higher levels compared to Nigeria. However, the real picture of life abroad is rarely portrayed. It is the recent fictions the show the negative sides of the picture. The researcher with the aid of five short stories in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's The Thing Around Your Neck, exposes immigration and race relations in order to understand issues surrounding immigrants' lives there. Concentrating on Nigeria and the United States of America, this study adopts racial theory as it looks at what led to African migrations. Enhanced through the use of data gotten from secondary sources, this study therefore explores the intricacies of immigration and discomfitures encountered by individuals who find themselves in foreign nations.
Immigration, Race Relations, Africa, Immigrants, Discrimination
Egbuchiem Lizzy-Jane Onyebuchukwu, Mba Chinwoke
Gender and Violence in Chinelo Okparanta's Under the Udala Trees
Gender and violence are often recurring study interests in literary studies, and thus, there is a plethora of critical papers and research based on the subject matter. However, there has been no study of gender and violence in Chinelo Okparanta's Under the Udala Tree. This paper examines the concepts of gender, sex, and gender-based violence, and the events in Okparanta's text connected to the topic. Set during the Nigerian-Biafran civil war, Under the Udala Tree presents the coming-of-age story of Ijeoma as she deals with the abuses inflicted on her by the war and her patriarchal culture.
Gender, Sex, Violence, Abuse, Queer, War
The Role of Codification in Language Revitalization: A Study of Endangered Languages in Nigeria
Language endangerment poses a significant threat to Nigeria's rich linguistic diversity, with numerous languages facing extinction due to various socio-economic, cultural, and political factors. This paper undertakes a comprehensive examination of the critical role of codification in revitalizing endangered languages in Nigeria. Codification, the systematic process of formalizing a language's structure, including its grammar, vocabulary, and orthography, is essential for language preservation, education, cultural identity, and modern communication. This study investigates the multifaceted factors contributing to language endangerment in Nigeria, including socio-economic pressures, urbanization, cultural assimilation, lack of institutional support, and globalization. It further explores the significance of codification in language revitalization, highlighting its role in preserving linguistic structure, facilitating language teaching, ensuring consistency in language use, and promoting cultural identity. The paper also discusses strategies for effective codification, including community involvement, technological integration, government policies, training and capacity building, and promotion through media and literature. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of collaboration between linguists, community leaders, and government agencies in codification efforts. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations are made for the implementation of a national language preservation policy, public awareness campaigns, international collaboration, research and documentation centers to support language codification and revitalization efforts in Nigeria. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on language endangerment and revitalization, highlighting the crucial role of codification in preserving Nigeria's linguistic diversity for future generations.
Codification, language revitalization, endangered languages, standardization, cultural identity
Odochi S. Akujobi , Chinenye E. Samuel-Enogwe
The Mistakes of Sarah: Lessons for Modern Relationships
This article explores the timeless lessons that can be gleaned from the biblical story of Sarah, particularly in the context of modern relationships. By examining Sarah’s mistakes and their consequences, this study aims to provide insights into the complexities of human emotions, relationships, and spiritual growth. Through a mixed-methods approach, incorporating biblical exegesis, psychological analysis, and sociological perspectives, this research identifies key takeaways for fostering healthier, more resilient relationships in contemporary society. However, this article proffers solution to the mistake of Sarah that still takes place in our society. It was discovered that people still make the mistake of Sarah as a result of circumstances surrounding them, such as traditions and culture, greed and circumstantial pressures.
Mistakes, Sarah, Lessons, Modern Relationships
Style, Lexical Choice, and Media Ideology of Select Newspaper Reports on IPOB Crisis
The study investigated the style, lexical choice, and media ideology of select Nigerian newspaper reports on the IPOB crisis. Framing theory by Erving Goffman (1974) served as the framework for the study. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study. Population of the study comprised select Nigerian newspaper reports between January to December, 2017. The sample size was selected using purposive sampling method and the data for the study were sourced from printed newspaper copies as well as online publications from the digital archives of these selected newspapers. The data were analysed qualitatively using content analysis. The findings of the study reveal that evaluative, manipulative, and persuasive styles are predominantly employed to portray IPOB negatively, framing the group as a violent and destabilizing force against national security. Through strategic lexical choices and certain linguistic features, the findings suggest that these framing techniques contribute to a broader ideological agenda that prioritizes state control and security over alternative political expressions. It also discussed the implications and recommendations based on the findings of the study.
Media Ideology, Framing, Journalistic style, Lexical choice, IPOB crisis
Destiny Jachike Onyebuchi , Odochi S. Akujobi
The Quest for a National Language in Nigeria: A Critical Analysis of Language Policy and its Implications
Nigeria’s linguistic diversity poses significant challenges to national unity and development. This study critically examines the country’s language policy, exploring the historical, social and political factors shaping the quest for a national language. Through a critical discourse analysis of existing language policies and literature, this research investigates the implications of language policy on national identity, education and socio-economic development. The findings highlight the complexities and tensions surrounding language policies in Nigeria, underscoring the need for a nuanced approach that balances linguistic diversity, with national cohesion. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on language policy and national development.
National Language, Critical Analysis, Language Policy, Implications