International Journal of Arts, Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies
International Journal of Arts, Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies (JOLLS), is a referred journal published by the Editorial Board of the Department of French, Faculty of Humanities, Imo State University. The E-ISSN is : 2636-7149
ASSESSMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE FOR THE UTILISATION OF OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES BY ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN EBONYI STATE OF NIGERIA
The world is now digital, and all human activities are following the path of integrating and applying digital technologies. Digital technologies increasingly shape educational processes and access to learning resources. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess the digital competence of English Language students for the utilization of open educational resources (OER) using tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The survey research method of the correlational type was adopted with a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection, which was face-validated and pilot-tested, with a reliability index of r=0.78 before use. 273 respondents completed the questionnaire, and the findings revealed that students of English Language in Ebonyi State have requisite digital competence, acquired the skills through self-directed learning and trial and error practices, use OERs poorly, and a significant relationship was found between digital competence and the utilisation of OERs. Thus, the study concluded that the students have satisfactory digital competence, but this did not translate into effective utilisation of the OERs, which has implications. In view of that, the study recommends that continuous efforts should be made through seminars and workshops for maintaining and further enhancing the digital competence of the students; that capacity enhancement programmes should be conducted for English Language students of tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State on the importance, availability, and use of OER for actualization of learning objectives, academic performance, and lifelong learning. In addition, librarians in tertiary institutions are urged to provide expert support in facilitating the availability and accessibility of learning resources, and governments at state and federal levels should continuously support the development and management of digital infrastructure at various public institutions for enabling unlimited access to digital technologies and services.
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ORALITY AND NARRATIVE REVOLUTION IN NGUGI WA THIONG’O’S DEVIL ON THE CROSS
Orality preserves the sociological and historical relevance of developing societies; especially in the Global South; as an instrument with which oral culture is handed over across generations. Concerted efforts are explored in literary discourses to ensure that orality as depicted by the exigency of storytelling in Africa evolves and still retains its traditional flavour in a technological world. While writers like Chinua Achebe and Ayi Kwei Armah revolutionize orality through the voice of the writer, Ngugi wa Thiongo’o adopts the Narrator through whom he expresses a reformed African oral culture. Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s novel, Devil on the Cross depicts a modernized orality that magnifies, embellishes and remodels the role of the traditional narrator, the major actor in the oral culture, who is a gicaandi player. Ngugi achieves this by conferring on the Narrator the aesthetic roles that resonate with and appeal to the sensibility of the younger generation. This ensures that the Agikuyu orality remains relevant in the modernist era. This work attempts to recognize that many other oral cultures are becoming extinct in the presentation of orality because it no longer fits into the technological age. Ngugi leverages on the role of the narrator to project a story on capitalism and brutality of the citizenry which reflect the postcolonial reality of the Kenyan people and by extension Africans; while remodeling the Agikuyu orality to retain its significance across all generations. Using textual analysis research approach, the paper introduces magical realism in the Agikuyu oral culture through the narrator to depict an important component of the spiritual worldview of Africans. Through a postcolonial prism, the paper also validates the supernatural elements as the legitimate depiction of African beliefs and practices in contemporary times.
STANDARDISING NAIJÁ PHONOLOGY: A PREFERENCE GRAMMAR (PG) TECHNIQUE
Nigerian Pidgin is a commonly used English-based creole, which has many social and regional varieties. These varieties make it difficult to develop a standard sound system, especially for spelling and literacy. This study examines the sound patterns of Nigerian Pidgin using Preference Grammar (PG). The aim is to show how PG can help identify and select the most appropriate sound forms from different varieties influenced by Nigerian indigenous languages. The study uses a qualitative method and draws samples from spoken data in the Naija Corpus. Selected speech patterns are analysed and presented in tableaux to show how preference procedures apply. The findings indicate that Nigerian Pidgin has many variations that make standardization challenging. This study submits that Preference Grammar (PG) provides a clear method of choosing consistent sound forms and developing a more stable phonological system for Nigerian Pidgin. These findings are useful for improving pronunciation and spelling systems and supporting computational applications of the language.
REIMAGINING MASCULINE IDENTITY: FEMINIST AGENCY AND THE SURRENDER OF TRADITION IN JONATHAN MBACHAGA'S WIDOW'S MIGHT
This research examined the reconfiguration of masculine identity in Jonathan Mbachaga's play Widow's Might (2018), focusing on how feminist agency compels men to relinquish hegemonic positions, assume domestic responsibilities, and ultimately surrender patriarchal traditions. Employing summative content analysis as the methodological framework and R.W. Connell's theory of hegemonic masculinity as the theoretical lens, this study analyses the textual and thematic elements of Mbachaga's drama to demonstrate how feminist resistance precipitated a crisis in traditional masculine authority. The findings revealed that Mbachaga constructs a narrative trajectory wherein patriarchal structures, initially presented as immutable, progressively yield to organized feminist activism. This surrender manifested in three distinct phases: the displacement of men from positions of public authority, their reorientation toward domestic labour, and the formal renunciation of harmful traditional practices. The play thus served as a literary intervention that envisions the possibility of transformed gender relations within African cultural contexts, suggesting that masculine identity is neither static nor essential but subject to reconstruction through feminist pressure and collective action.
THETA ROLES AND THEMATIC RELATIONS OF TIV VERBS
The study examines theta roles and thematic relations of Tiv verbs. These describes the semantic roles an argument plays in respect to a verb. These roles include Agent, Theme, Goal, Experiencer, and Instrument. They are assigned by the verb. Theta role is linked to argument positions where theta criterion is put to use. This exploration of theta roles and thematic relation has widely been handled in other languages but scarcely in Tiv grammar. This work, therefore, aims to examine how many argument(s) a verb selects, grammatical roles and functions that a given Tiv verb can assign to its argument(s) and the types of verbs employed for use. Data are collected from adult native speakers who are competent speakers of the language. The researcher employed introspection in the translation of the interview and to ascertain the grammaticality of those sentences made. Theta theory of Government and Binding (GB) of Chomsky (1981) is adopted. The study reveals that Tiv verbs are categorized as transitive, intransitive and ditransitive which require either one or more argument(s) to which thematic role(s) are assigned, Theta grid shows the subcategorization of those verbs given extra explanation to the analysis. The study concludes that Tiv verbs are of three kinds and can selects argument and assign roles base on the type of verb. A piece that adds to the existing works on Tiv grammar as well as create a niche for further studies.
DISCURSIVE STRATEGIES OF POWER IN SELECTED SPEECHES OF FORMER NIGERIAN PRESIDENTS
Previous studies on pronouns have largely focused on their grammatical functions as substitutes for nouns, noun phrases, or other pronouns, with limited attention given to their ideological and power-related functions in political discourse. This study addresses this gap by examining how pronouns are strategically deployed in political speeches to construct, negotiate, and reflect power relations. Specifically, the study investigates the types of pronouns used in selected political speeches and analyses how these pronoun choices reveal underlying power dynamics and ideological positions. The study adopts Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), drawing on Fairclough’s (1989) framework, to analyse four political speeches delivered by two Nigerian Heads of State—one military and one civilian—during their respective administrations. Through a qualitative analysis of the speeches, the study identifies the recurrent use of personal pronouns such as I, we, you, and they as discursive resources for legitimizing authority, creating solidarity, assigning responsibility, and establishing distinctions between leaders, followers, and perceived opponents. The findings reveal that pronouns function beyond their traditional grammatical roles; they serve as powerful linguistic tools for constructing political identities, reinforcing ideological positions, and negotiating power relations between political actors and their audiences. The analysis further demonstrates that military and civilian leaders employ pronouns differently in line with their leadership styles and political objectives. The study contributes to knowledge by extending the understanding of pronouns from a purely grammatical category to a significant discourse-pragmatic resource in political communication. It also enriches Critical Discourse Analysis scholarship by providing empirical evidence on the role of pronoun choice in the construction and maintenance of power relations within the Nigerian political context.
CONCEPTUALIZING LOVE AS A FORCE IN MUGITHI SONGS: A COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS APPROACH
Mugithi songs play an important role in Gìkùyù cultural preservation by conveying social meanings through metaphorical expression. Despite this linguistic richness, limited research has examined metaphors of love conceptualized as a force in mugithi songs from a cognitive linguistic perspective. Most studies on Kenyan music have focused on socio-cultural and historical concerns, leaving cognitive analyses underexplored. Against this backdrop, this study employed the principle of conceptual mappings within Cognitive Linguistics to analyse metaphors of love as a force in mugithi songs. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Primary data were collected from 44 purposively sampled Gìkùyù native speakers selected by gender and age. An interview schedule elicited interpretations of metaphorical expressions in the songs. The songs were also purposively sampled based on richness in metaphoricity. The Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit (MIPVU) was used to identify metaphors. The identified metaphors were translated into English and presented in tabular form. Eight metaphors conceptualizing love as a force were identified. The findings reveal that the abstract emotion of love is understood through concrete domains. The study concludes that mugithi songs reflect structured cognitive patterns in conceptualization of love and contributes to cognitive linguistics and Gìkùyù music discourse.
LES ENJEUX PRAGMATIQUES ET CULTURELS DE LA TRADUCTION DES EXPRESSIONS FIGEES : UNE ETUDE COMPARATIVE ENTRE LE FRANÇAIS ET L’ANGLAIS
Résumé La traduction des expressions figées constitue l’un des défis majeurs de la traductologie en raison de leur forte charge culturelle, sémantique et pragmatique. Ancrées dans les réalités socioculturelles d’une communauté linguistique, ces expressions ne peuvent généralement pas être traduites de manière littérale sans entraîner une perte de sens ou une mauvaise interprétation du message. Cette étude examine les enjeux pragmatiques liés à leur traduction et met en évidence le rôle fondamental du contexte, de l’intention communicative et des références culturelles dans le processus traductif. En s’appuyant sur la théorie interprétative et l’approche pragmatique, l’analyse montre que la recherche d’équivalences idiomatiques exige du traducteur une compétence linguistique et interculturelle approfondie. À partir de quelques exemples d’expressions françaises traduites en anglais, cette étude démontre que la traduction des expressions figées dépasse le simple transfert lexical pour devenir une opération de médiation culturelle et communicationnelle. Elle conclut que la flexibilité, l’interprétation contextuelle et l’adaptation culturelle demeurent essentielles pour préserver les effets de sens ainsi que l’intention du texte source dans la langue cible. Abstract The translation of fixed expressions is one of the major challenges in translation studies due to their strong cultural, semantic, and pragmatic significance. Anchored on the sociocultural realities of a linguistic community, these expressions generally cannot be translated literally without causing a loss of meaning or a misinterpretation of the message. This study examines the pragmatic issues related to their translation and highlights the fundamental role of context, communicative intent, and cultural references in the translation process. Hinging on the interpretative theory and a pragmatic approach, the analysis shows that the search for idiomatic equivalence requires the translator to possess a deep linguistic and intercultural competence. Based on a few examples of French expressions translated into English, this study demonstrates that the translation of fixed expressions goes beyond simple lexical transfer and becomes an operation of cultural and communicative mediation. It concludes that flexibility, contextual interpretation, and cultural adaptation remain essential to preserving the meanings and intentions of the source text in the target language.
ECOLOGICAL PERSONIFICATION IN LUTSOTSO ENVIRONMENTAL DISCOURSE: A RELEVANCE-THEORETIC ANALYSIS
The problems of ecology have now been recognized as not only scientific but also cultural and linguistic, and conveyed through discourse in the face of ecological crisis. This study examines how ecological personification is used as a cognitive-pragmatic resource in Lutsotso discourse to construct meaning and raise awareness about the environment. The study is based on Relevance Theory (1986, 2016) developed by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson. The research was designed with a qualitative discourse analytic approach. The expressions of ecological personification were selected purposively from spoken interactions, storytelling, and eco-conversations among the Lutsotso speech community, yielding a total of 15 expressions. The expressions were chosen because they often described the natural world in a way that made it seem like a person and clearly expressed environmental issues that reflected the community's lived experience with the environment. Their selection was based on how often they appeared, their context, the inferential meaning they conveyed, and their representation of human attributes assigned to environmental elements. The selected expressions were then analysed in relation to the principles of Relevance Theory to examine how interlocutors derive other contextual and ecological interpretations from them. It was found that natural persons, including rivers, forests, soil, rain, lakes, grass, earth, and others, are often attributed with human emotions, memory, speech, intentions, and moral judgment. These personifications convey inferential meanings about environmental degradation, climate change, ecological trauma, moral responsibility, and conservation awareness. Ecological personification in the text of Lutsotso is not just a stylistic tool but a cultural and communication strategy that helps, among other things, deepen emotional involvement, cognitive interpretation, and environmental consciousness. The results suggest that indigenous ecological expressions need to be embedded in EE, communication, and governance processes. The study not only addresses issues in cognitive pragmatics, ecolinguistics, and environmental communication but also preserves indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable environmental management.
ECOCRITICISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN HELON HABILA’S WAITING FOR AN ANGEL, MEASURING TIME AND OIL ON WATER
The relationship between literature and the environment is one of the latest developments in interdisciplinary studies that respond to increasing environmental challenges, arising from industrial activities, conflicts, violence and other human activities. Ecocriticism, as a critical theory, attempts to incorporate the principles of ecology in literary analysis. Hence, postcolonial scholars have begun to engage the ideas of ecocriticism in existing literature. However, much of ecocritical ideas that have emerged over time appear grounded in Western epistemologies and do not sufficiently reflect the authentic African experience. Only a few scholars have highlighted the peculiarities of environmentalism in Africa. Thus, this study explores this gap and illustrates the examination of emerging ideas in postcolonial ecocriticism in three works of Helon Habila – Oil on Water, Measuring Time and Waiting for an Angel. Using the qualitative, content-based analytical method, this study highlights the vivid representation of environmental issues, including the dynamics of place, the realities of displacement and the revolutionary dynamics that have emerged as the result of eco- devastation. This study highlights how the texts portray the complicity of oil corporations, political institutions and military regimes in the destruction of the environment of Nigeria’s Niger Delta oil-rich areas. The study concludes that the environmental issues in oil-rich regions and beyond can only be addressed when the relevant stakeholders realize the transgenerational consequences of their neglect. This work is a significant contribution to the body of knowledge because it illustrates the application of Afrocentric ecocritical tenets to the works of a contemporary writer.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GENDERED ECO-ACTIVISM IN IMBOLO MBUE’S HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE AND BEN OKRI’S EVERY LEAF A HALLELUJAH
As the fight against ecological crisis became more intense in the 21st century, gendered voices have gained prominence in African literature. In the fiction genre, novels such as How Beautiful We Were and Every Leaf A Hallelujah have typified this trend. While existing critiques of these novels tend to focus on the consequences of environmental degradation, they fail to recognise the complexity of gender dynamics in eco-activism. This paper addresses the gap by undertaking a comparative study of gendered voices in eco-activism, demonstrating how societal gender attitudes intersect with environmental concerns. This study adopts a qualitative comparative approach, employing ecofeminist and postcolonial ecocritical lenses to analyse gendered eco-activism. Using character juxtaposition as a comparative literary method, the analysis juxtaposes key female characters, Thula and Mangoshi, with male figures, Excellency, Wajo Beki, and the Manager. Through the analysis, the paper finds that women are portrayed as more committed, organised, and effective eco-activists while men on the other hand, are depicted as neocolonial agents conniving with multinational corporations in causing environmental degradation, with their actions motivated by greed, corruption and individualism. Drawing on ecofeminist and postcolonial ecocritical perspectives, the paperhallenges patriarchy's denial of women's authority and leadership despite their proven potential to lead and deliver results. It submits that nature’s conservation and women's emancipation from patriarchy are two projects that intertwine. The article recommends acknowledging environmental crisis as a gendered issue and advocates the importance of women's participation in decision-making, especially in environmental policy, considering their closer relationship with nature.
HOMOSEXUALITY, CONVERSION THERAPY AND JUDE DIBIA’S WALKING WITH SHADOWS
This paper analyses the depiction of homosexuality and the issue of immutability in Jude Dibia’s Walking with Shadows. This study examines the protagonist Adrian’s journey as a battleground for debating the treatability of same-sex desire in modern Nigerian society, utilising Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of psychosexual development and Edmund Bergler’s conversion therapy paradigm. Dibia’s narrative delineates Adrian’s formative experiences, internal struggles, and the societal pressures that drive him towards a heterosexual marriage, providing a nuanced exploration of how familial expectations, religious tenets, and cultural stigma function as significant catalysts for repression and efforts at conformity. The novel presents Adrian’s six-year marriage as a temporary triumph for Bergler’s theory of mutability, illustrating how external influences and therapeutic measures can momentarily suppress same-sex attraction. The inevitable revival of Adrian’s repressed inclinations complicates any assertion of permanent transformation, indicating that immutability is neither an absolute biological reality nor a definitive therapeutic result, but rather a condition influenced by context, memory, and trauma. The study posits that by contextualising Adrian’s inner experiences within wider social and institutional frameworks, Dibia opposes homophobic practices, including coercive conversion efforts and moralistic ostracism, while also engaging in psychoanalytic discussions regarding the origins and permanence of sexual orientation. Ultimately, Walking with Shadows serves as a literary exploration that defies simplistic conclusions: it portrays identity as a continuous negotiation among desire, societal expectations, and the repercussions of repression, thereby highlighting literature’s ability to reveal the moral and psychological intricacies of queer life in Nigeria.
TRANSMISSION OF HAUSA CULTURE THROUGH PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA: TRENDS, CHALLENGES, AND PEDAGOGICAL ISSUES
This study examined trends and issues in the transmission of Hausa culture through primary school education in North Central Nigeria, driven by concerns over the declining and inconsistent integration of indigenous cultural values in formal schooling. The purpose was to assess the extent of Hausa cultural integration in classroom practices and school activities, identify teachers’ instructional strategies, and examine the challenges affecting effective cultural transmission. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised primary school teachers and head teachers in public schools within Hausa-speaking communities, and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on a 4-point Likert scale and analyzed using mean scores. Findings show generally positive use of culturally responsive strategies, including storytelling (3.46), proverbs (3.52), practical demonstrations (3.73), and cultural clubs (3.67), with an overall strong use of multiple strategies (4.08). Hausa language inclusion in timetables (4.00) and cultural activities (4.00) reflected strong institutional support, but Social Studies showed weak integration of Hausa culture (2.26). Key challenges include inadequate teacher preparation, limited instructional materials, curriculum overload, Western cultural influence, and low parental support. The study recommends improved teacher training, enriched cultural materials, curriculum reform, and stronger school–community collaboration.
INTERTEXTUALITY AND THE DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES IN SPEECHES OF ORTOM AND TOR-TIV V ON HERDERS-FARMERS CONFLICT (HFC) IN BENUE STATE
In a conflict situation such as the Herders Farmers Crisis in Benue State, language becomes a tool for the expression of grievances and concerns. For instance, parties in conflict situations could employ various discursive strategies to canvass support, mitigate crisis or reinforce other intentions towards the crisis. Thus, this study examines how speeches of Ortom and Tor Tiv V utilise intertextuality to construct institutional roles and practices in the context of the Farmers-Herders Conflict in Benue State. An earlier study has focused on ideologies and power dynamic in Tor-Tiv V's speech. However, this study shifts its focus to intertextuality and how it functions as a mechanism for the representation and legitimisation of the roles of social institutions in the context of the conflict. This study adopts Kristeva's Intertextuality and Fairclough's three-dimensional model of CDA. Qualitative method and descriptive research design were adopted to analyse speeches of Ortom and Tor-Tiv V. The findings reveal that the speakers reference legal, historical, media and global economic realities alongside institutional directives to represent varying roles and positions of state, federal, traditional, media, political and security institutions. Ortom's speech reference global economic practices to justify ranching law and the State government's restriction of open grazing, legalising the action as modern, global and sustainable practice. Whereas, Tor-Tiv's speech alludes to and evokes historical memory and nationalist discourse as well as counter narratives to mobilise support, counter misinformation and condemn actions of complicit political elites, underscoring how traditional authority represents the moral voice of the people. The study concludes that intertextuality functions as a discursive mechanism that legitimises social actions, mobilises support and inspires intervention in the context of conflict.
The study explores the structure of the Àrùm verb phrase with a view to determining its syntactic configuration. The study is descriptive, and employs the use of interviews to generate the data. Data were sourced through interview with native speakers as well as observation. A Voice Recorder as an instrument was used to record the data during the interview sessions. Lexical items belonging to the verbal domain in the Summer Institute of Linguistics Comparative African Wordlist were helpful in the collation of data. From the data analysed, it was discovered that in Àrùm, the verb, just as in other languages, is the only obligatory element in a verb phrase. The verb is, therefore, the head of the Àrùm verb phrase (henceforth, VP). The study also revealed that a verb can occupy the VP slot (that is, a verb can stand alone in a VP). It was further discovered that the VP slot can be occupied by a sequence of two verbs, a verb and a noun phrase (henceforth, NP), a verb and two NPs, a verb and an adverbial phrase (henceforth, ADV.P), verb and a prepositional phrase (henceforth, PP) and a verb and an adjectival phrase (henceforth, ADJ.P) The study concludes that the structure of the verb phrase in this language is as follows: VP→V + (NP) + (ADV.P) + (ADJ.P) + (PP), where the verb is obligatory, while other elements are optional. In transitive verbs, however, the object is also an obligatory element. This study also concludes that the verb phrase in Àrùm is structurally systematic and linguistically significant within the grammar of the language. The study suggests future studies on the morphosyntactic properties of tense, aspect, and mood (TAM) in Àrùm and a comparative study of verb phrase structures across the different dialects of Àrùm. This study contributes to the hitherto scanty literature on the language, and specifically to the syntax of the language.
THE IMPACT OF MOTIVATION ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN ARABIC GRAMMAR IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA
This study investigated the influence of motivation on students’ performance in Arabic grammar among NCE II students in selected Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey and correlational research design to examine students’ levels of motivation, determine the relationship between motivation and academic performance, and assess the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on achievement in Arabic grammar. A sample of 60 students was selected through stratified random sampling technique, while data were collected using a structured motivation questionnaire and an Arabic Grammar Achievement Test. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools, including mean scores, standard deviations, Pearson correlation coefficient, simple linear regression, and ANOVA.The findings revealed a moderate level of student motivation and a significant positive relationship between motivation and academic performance in Arabic grammar, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The study further showed that extrinsic motivation exerted a stronger influence on students’ learning outcomes than intrinsic motivation. In addition, traditional teaching methods, inadequate instructional materials, and limited learning resources were identified as factors affecting students’ motivation and engagement in Arabic grammar learning. The study therefore recommended the adoption of learner-centred instructional approaches, motivating classroom practices, and improved instructional facilities to enhance students’ motivation and academic achievement in Arabic grammar.
EPISTEMIC DECOLONIZATION OF AFRICAN HISTORIOGRAPHY IN AHMADOU KOUROUMA’S WAITING FOR THE WILD BEASTS TO VOTE
Epistemic decolonization of knowledge in Africa is a clarion call that beckons at African scholars in all disciplines. The African literature, especially the novel is highly committed to this engagement. Ahmadou Kourouma’s novel Waiting for the wild Beasts to Vote provides a springboard for analysis of African historiography. Employing an interdisciplinary methodology that combines literary criticism, historical analysis, and postcolonial theory, this article analysis how Kourouma reimagines African history by challenging Eurocentric narratives. The central problem addressed is the marginalization of African perspectives within dominant historical discourses, which have often distorted or silenced the continent’s historical experiences. In addition, the major thrust of the paper is to fill in the research gap in the scholarly exploration of how African literary narratives serve as tools for reconstructing a decolonized historiography. To this effect, the study highlights the role of the griot-narrator in Kourouma’s novel as a medium for reclaiming African culture, history and civilisation. In our findings, it is noted that Kourouma’s work not only deconstructs colonial historical accounts but also critiques post-independence authoritarianism in Africa, offering a nuanced perspective on the continent’s historical trajectory. The paper recommends a continuous systematic integration of African literary texts into historiographical studies to broaden understanding of African history. Furthermore, it advocates for the recognition of oral traditions as legitimate sources for reconstructing and interpreting African pasts, thus contributing to a more inclusive and decolonized historical discourse.
SHADOWS, MASKS AND POSTCOLONIAL IDENTITIES IN KENJO JUMBAM’S THE WHITEMAN OF GOD AND TSITSI DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
The intersection between the concepts of shadows and masks often exemplify the complexities of postcolonial identities which lack a firm sense of self because characters can no longer develop and maintain a strong, fixed and integrated sense of personal identity. The shadow in this paper represents what is hidden, suppressed, marginalised or cast aside by the colonial narrative. It also symbolises the lost part of a colonised's identity as characters move toward Westernization, their traditional self becomes a shadow which is always present but difficult to manifest. With the position of the shadow, which is clearly identified as the problem, the objective of this paper is to use the notion of masks in Kenjo Jumbam’s The White Man of God and Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, to disguise and accept other forms of identity that was placed on the postcolonial subject. The mask often represents mimicry which is the effort of the colonised to adopt the language, manners, and values of the coloniser to escape the backwardness associated with their own culture. The paper grounds on the hypothesis that, in the situation of postcolonial identity crisis, the different personalities that individuals wear behind the mask serve as an antidote to shadowed identities when individuals are caught between their indigenous heritage and the imposed culture of the coloniser. Analysis from this paper draws interpretations from the postcolonial theory, particularly, from the works of Franz Fanon and Homi Bhabha.
FRACTURED SELF: THE BURDEN OF IDENTITY CRISIS IN TOPE FOLARIN’S A PARTICULAR KIND OF BLACKMAN
The contemporary African diaspora has emerged as a significant area of study as African writers have increasingly turned their attention to the subject. Writers concerned with the formation of an African identity, shaped by a complex interplay of factors including cultural traditions and racial dynamics, have found the subject of diaspora worthy of literary representation. Such literary representations capture the experiences of Africans in the diaspora and their grappling with issues of identity, displacement, loss, hybridity, etc. This paper examines the burden of identity crises within the context of diaspora and the resulting fractured self in Tope Folarin’s A Particular Kind of Blackman as it deliberates on the concepts of home and identity. Using the postcolonial approach, the paper assesses Folarin’s handling of the diaspora experience with its attendant issues of identity and displacement. This paper also examines how individuals in the diaspora negotiate and construct their identity across racial lines in the context of a foreign society with its associated issues of racial discrimination. The study argues that, despite the challenges faced by the African diaspora, returning home and reconnecting with ancestral roots remain an even greater challenge, especially for second-generation immigrants born in the diaspora. Their complex hybrid status amplifies this difficulty. The paper concludes that diasporans experience social and psychological crises which facilitate the formation of new identities as they navigate existential realities in host lands. However, identifying and reconnecting with ancestral roots could proffer a solution to the psychological wandering and ambiguous views of home and identity that these individuals endure.
NTULE ỤFỌDỤ AJỌAGWA NDỊ NTOROBỊA MAKA NKWALITE OMENALA NA EZI NDỤ: MGBAKWASỊ ỤKWỤ N'AKWỤKWỌ EJIJE IGBO ATỌ.
Ụmịedemede Ụmụ na-eto eto bụ ọdịnihu ezinụlọ na obodo ọbụla. N'ihi nke a, e kwesịrị ịlebanye anya nke ọma n'ebimndụ na akparamagwa ha ka ha ghara iji ume okorobịa mehie ihe ga-ebutere ha nnukwu ọdachi na ndụ ha. Ọ bụ iji gbochie nke a ka e ji bagide nchọcha a. Nganga na mpako dịka ihe mkpuchi anya na ajọ akparamagwa nke aṅaghị ntị ezi ndụmọdụ na-ebutere ọtụtụ ndị ntorobịa ọdachi dị egwu tinyere ọghọm dị n'enyeghị nwata ezi ọzụzụ kpalitere mmụọ ọchọcha. Nchọcha a ji akwụkwọ ejije atọ ndị a họọrọ bụ Ọjaadịlị, Nwata Bulie Nna Ya Elu na Nganga Bụrụ Ụzọ wee mere ebe mgbakwasị ụkwụ ma jirikwa ihe mere na ndụ Ọjaadịlị, Emuka na Igolo wee tụlee ụfọdụ agwa ọjọọ ụmụ na-eto eto na-akpa n'oge ugbua ma gosipụtakwa ọghọm dị na ime mpako. Mbunuche nchọcha a bụ ime ka ụmụ na-eto eto mata na ọdịda bụ ụgwọ ọrụ nganga na mpako nakwa na, ebe nnukwu uru dị bụ n'inwe obi umeala na ịnabata ezi ndụmọdụ, tinyere ngosipụta na ejije na-enye aka n'ụzọ dị egwu n'ebe o metụtara nkụzi na mgbazi ezi ụzọ. Atụtụ a gbadoro ukwu wee mee nchọcha a bụ atụtụ mkpakwasị agwa ebe e ji usoro nkọwasị were tụchaa njantụle bụ nke e nwetara site n'ọba akwụkwọ, intaneeti, na akwụkwọ ejije atọ ndị e ji mee nchọcha. Nchọcha a chọpụtara na ọ bụ nganga Ọjaadịlị kaara idula ya mmụọ, ejighị ezi ndụmọdụ kpọrọ ihe chụpụrụ Igolo na di, ebe mpako Emuka mere ya ọ laa akụ nna ya n'iyi. Arọ nchọcha a na-atụ bụ ka ọhaneze tumadi ụmụ na-eto eto gbara nganga na mpako ọsọ, nabata ezi ndụmọdụ ma were obi umeala mezie ihe ọbụla nganga na mpako mebiere ha tinyere ka ndị nne na nna jikọọ aka ọnụ nye ụmụ ha ezi ọzụzụ ma gbaziere ha ezi ụzọ n'agbanyeghị ma ọ bụ otú nwa ma ha adị ọtụtụ. Abstract Young people are the pride and future of every home and society. Hence, there is need for extra care, watchfulness and nurturing in their upbringing as it pertains to their behavior and lifestyle so that they will not truncate their future out of youthful exuberance. Moreso, non-adherence to good counsel and lack of good moral child grooming coupled with the high level of regret which is the resultant effect of pride and pomposity prompted this research topic with the aim of profering solution. This research work is of the view that humility, good upbringing/child training and adherence/compliance to good counsel will be of immense help. Data for analysis were obtained from the library, the internet and the three drama texts namely Ọjaadịlị, Nwata Bulie NnaYa Elu and Nganga BụrụỤzọ by Ọdụnke Artists, InnoỤzọma Nwadike and IjeomaNwaogu respectively. In conclusion, the research work opined that young people should desist and flee from pride for it leads to destruction but embrace good godly counsel and advice that will help build their life, career and future. The research therefore, advocates the need for young people to have a receptive heart and responsive attitude towards good counsel, constructive criticism and redemptive approach to life/issues.
A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SEMIOTIC RESOURCES AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES IN THE 2023 APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CAMPAIGN POSTERS
This paper examines semiotic resources and political ideologies in the 2023 APC presidential primary campaign posters through a multimodal discourse analysis. The paper investigates how verbal and visual semiotic resources; including colour, typography, imagery, layout, and slogans interact to construct political meanings, project candidate identities, and persuade voters. The paper adopts Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) as its theoretical framework. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 4 purposively sampled APC presidential primary election campaign posters circulated across online platforms. The findings reveal that the posters strategically deploy national colours (green, white, red) to evoke patriotism and unity, while slogans such as “Renewed Hope” function as emotional and aspirational appeals. Visual hierarchies position the presidential candidate as the decisive leader, with complementary imagery of the running mate reinforcing unity. Contrasting designs, ranging from minimalist, technocratic aesthetics to vibrant grassroots rally posters demonstrate how multimodal choices are tailored to different audiences and political contexts. The study concludes that APC presidential primary campaign posters operate not merely as promotional tools but as ideological constructs that embed socio-political realities, negotiate ethnic and religious diversity, and respond to public desires for economic renewal and competent governance.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE MORPHO-SYNTACTIC STRUCTURES OF ENGLISH AND WUKARI DIALECT OF JUKUN
Human language, as varied as they are, still share some similarities with one another in relation to Universal Grammar by Chomsky. Jukun language, the language spoken by the descendants of Kwararafa kingdom, even though separated into many dialects yet majority are mutually intelligible. This study aims to conduct a morphosyntactic analysis of English and the Wukari dialect of the Jukun language. The study adopted a descriptive research design since the study aimed at undertaking a morpho-syntactic analysis of English and Wukari dialect of Jukun language. The researcher also conducted an informal interview with native speakers of Wukari dialect of Jukun language. The analytic method that was employed for data analysis was descriptive in nature. From the analysis, it was discovered that every language has its own grammar, some noun phrases in Wukari dialect of Jukun language conform to English grammatical rules when translated directly. While determiners in Wukari dialect of Jukun language are mostly bound inflectional morphemes and are usually post-modifiers, the English language determiners are free morphemes and pre-modifiers. In addition to that, what constitutes a word in Wukari dialect of Jukun language may become a phrase or a sentence in English when translated directly. The study concludes that even as there are many instances of dissimilarities between the English and Wukari dialect of Jukun language, there are also several similarities between them.
DISILLUSIONMENT IN VONANI BILA’S POLITICAL POETRY
With the transition to multiracial democracy in 1994, South Africans, especially non-whites, had looked forward to a new era of social equality, economic justice, and political liberation. This sensibility gave birth to what a critic once described as a “honeymoon literature” in the country. Not long after the emergence of this literary trend, another form developed, which resonates with the political consciousness of social injustice and oppression of the apartheid era and the disenchantment noticeable in the literature of post-independence sub-Saharan African countries up north. This article examines the representation of disillusionment in the poetry of Vonani Bila, a notable political poet of the post-apartheid era. Using Frantz Fanon’s theoretical insights about post-Independence elites, aptly described as the national bourgeoisie, the article examines selected five political poems in Handsome Jita, a collection of the poets’ select works, to show that social injustice is at the root of disillusionment with multiracial democracy in South Africa. Furthermore, the article shows that the social injustice in the new South Africa is an issue of class, rather than race. The article concludes by calling attention to the similarity between this development and what obtains in sub-Saharan African countries up north shortly after their independence.
DEMESURE GUERRIERE ET HEROÏSME DANS L’EPOPEE AFRICAINE
Résumé La guerre est fondamentalement la circonstance de l’expression épique. Le héros qui la conduit est d’autant plus un être élogieux sur les hauteurs de ses pouvoirs que lorsqu’il réalise des actes sanglants qui sont parfois de vicieux adjuvants de sa quête. Cette forme d’héroïsme, sous la férule des guerres et batailles, questionne, de cette manière, la morale enfouie dans la peinture littéraire des hécatombes. Démesure et épopée deviennent-ils des termes analogues, au regard de la valeur que la notion de guerre et de crise leur attribue ? La guerre peut gêner, mais seul le processus qui mène à la victoire et le triomphe final lui confèrent sa beauté littéraire. La sociopoétique est le champ d’analyse qui montre comment les représentations de l’épique structurent la dynamique littéraire et les actions du héros/antihéros. Dans cet article, quelques épopées africaines amènent à comprendre que la guerre est une permanence, un nom de rechange des formes d’expressions épiques qui a pour avantage de dissimuler la cruauté au service des exigences du genre. Abstract At its core, war is the setting for epic expression. The hero who wages it is all the more worthy of praise when he is at the height of his powers and carries out bloody deeds that sometimes aid his quest in vicious ways. This form of heroism thus calls into question the morality buried within literary depictions of mass slaughter. Are excess and epic synonymous, given the value that the concepts of war and crisis attribute to them? While war may be disturbing, it is only the process leading to victory and the final triumph that confer literary beauty upon it. Sociopoetics is the field of analysis that demonstrates how representations of the epic shape literary dynamics and the actions of heroes and anti-heroes. This article uses a selection of African epics to show that war is a constant and a form of epic expression that conceals cruelty in the service of the genre's demands.
GENDER REPRESENTATION IN AFRICAN PLAYS: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF FEMI OSOFISAN’S ALTINE’S WRATH AND JOHN KOLOSA KARGBO’S LET ME DIE ALONE
This article undertakes a critical examination of gender representation in African drama, with specific focus on Femi Osofisan’s Altine’s Wrath and John Kolosa Kargbo’s Let Me Die Alone. Employing feminist literary theory, including both foundational Anglo-American frameworks and African feminist scholarship, as its analytical architecture, the study explores how these plays portray, contest, and in some instances inadvertently reproduce traditional gender roles, stereotypes, and asymmetrical power dynamics in African societies. Through close textual analysis supplemented by contextual and ideological reading, the article examines five thematic categories of gendered representation: the sexual objectification of women, patriarchal authority and its social enforcement, feminist consciousness and women’s self-empowerment, misogynist masculinity, and the instrumentalisation of marriage, culture, and religion in the subordination of women. Situating these themes within postcolonial and African feminist debates, the analysis reveals that while both playwrights deploy their dramatic craft to critique patriarchal dominance, their works also reflect the contradictions and tensions inherent in representing gender from within societies and literary traditions that bear the imprint of colonial and indigenous patriarchal ideologies. The findings affirm the significance of African theatre as a site of social commentary and ideological contestation, and contribute to ongoing scholarly conversations in African theatre studies, postcolonial theory, and gender criticism.
SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSITIVITY PATTERNS IN VICTOR S. DUGGA’S GIDAN JUJU
Despite growing scholarly interest in transitivity studies across literary genres, Victor S. Dugga’s Gidan Juju remains underexplored in terms of its linguistic structures and ideological formations. This study examines transitivity patterns in Victor S. Dugga’s Gidan Juju within the theoretical framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Guided by Halliday’s (1994) transitivity framework, the study adopted a qualitative research design. Data comprised purposively selected passages from the play. Analysis was conducted at the clause level to identify the six process types of transitivity patterns (material, mental, relational, behavioural, verbal and existential), their associated participant roles and the contextual circumstances. Findings reveal a striking dominance of material and verbal processes across the text to foreground thematic concerns in Gidan Juju material processes foreground physical acts of conflict, corruption and manipulation. Participant role analysis demonstrates consistent alignment with socio-political power structures: figures of authority are systematically encoded as actors and sayers, while subordinate characters occupy goal, recipient, or senser positions. The study concludes that transitivity analysis constitutes an indispensable linguistic lens for uncovering the ideological and thematic underpinnings of African dramatic literature. The study recommends that literary scholars should integrate Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and transitivity analysis to uncover linguistic mechanisms of meaning-making beyond traditional thematic interpretations.
AUDIENCE INTERACTION WITH DIGITAL SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCES: A STUDY OF SOKOTO'S ONLINE POETRY
This paper examines how audiences receive and interact with spoken word poetry performed in digital spaces, using the online performances of Sokoto, a Kenyan Bukusu spoken word poet, as a case study. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of oral performance studies and digital communication, the study analyses audience engagement as evidenced through comments, likes, shares and subscriptions on social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. The study analysed Sokoto’s six spoken word performances through careful and repeated watching of selected performances. The researcher transcribed and translated the poems into English. The analysis of the psychographic data was a two-way transactional process where the researcher read the audiences’ reaction and analysed accordingly. The paper argues that the physical distance inherent to virtual performance does not impede the bilateral exchange between performer and audience; rather, digital feedback mechanisms constitute a new form of participatory spectatorship. The findings demonstrate that audiences are not passive consumers but active co-creators of meaning who influence the volume, pace, content and mood of spoken word performance. The study further highlights how performance in indigenous languages in this case Lubukusu does not restrict audience reach but can, in fact, extend a poet's influence across ethnic, national and international boundaries. Implications for oral literature scholarship and digital performance practice are discussed.
TRADITIONAL DRAMA TECHNIQUES AND AI TECHNOLOGIES IN ARABIC LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS: EVIDENCE FROM UMARU SANDA AHMADU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, MINNA, NIGERIA
This study was motivated by the persistent challenges facing Arabic language instruction in many Nigerian Colleges of Education, particularly the use of conventional teacher-centered methods, inadequate instructional facilities, low student engagement, and limited integration of modern educational technologies. The study therefore investigated the integration of traditional drama techniques and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in Arabic language classrooms at Umaru Sanda Ahmadu College of Education with the aim of examining their effects on students’ Arabic language achievement, classroom engagement, digital literacy, cultural understanding, and self-regulated learning. A quantitative quasi-experimental research design was adopted involving students from the Department of Arabic Language, where drama-based instructional strategies such as role play, storytelling, dialogue performance, and simulations were combined with AI-supported language learning tools including ChatGPT, Duolingo, and ArabicPod101 during classroom instruction. Data were collected through pre-tests, post-tests, and structured questionnaires to evaluate students’ performance and learning experiences. The findings revealed a significant improvement in students’ post-test scores, demonstrating enhanced speaking, listening, vocabulary acquisition, communication skills, motivation, classroom participation, digital literacy, cultural understanding, and independent learning abilities. The study concluded that the integration of traditional drama techniques with AI technologies creates a more interactive, collaborative, and student-centred environment for teaching and learning Arabic language in Nigerian Colleges of Education. The study therefore recommended the provision of adequate digital learning facilities, continuous teacher training on AI-supported instructional methods, curriculum review to incorporate innovative teaching strategies, and institutional support for the effective integration of drama and AI technologies into Arabic language classrooms.