Nigerian Scholars Research Articles

The Morphological Study of Colour Terms in Nigerian English

The paper investigates the nature of morphological processes of colour terms among the users of English in Nigeria and their syntactic usages using a multi-dimensional approach in data gathering. The data was drawn from one hundred subjects across ten ethnic groups, including Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba as well as fifteen textual materials written in English by Nigerian scholars. The paper adopts a cognitive linguistic multidimensional framework. The paper reveals that the colour systems and usages among Nigerians contrast with the system within the native speakers of the language. For instance "fresh leave green", "pale blue", "blood red", "yolk yellow", "black black", "dark so and so", "charcoal", "flesh", , "dirty green", "dudu" and so on are formed through several morphological processes such as coining, clipping, blending, borrowing, compounding, reduplication and affixation as well as usage in various syntactic operations as in nominals and adjectives: "The shirt is dark so and so." and "The yellows ran out of the scorching sun." which serves as adjective and nominal plural respectively. Hence the paper concludes that morphology and syntax of most colours in Nigerian context have been influenced by many indigenous languages in the country. Hence, the hierarchy of the basic colours violates the Berlin and Kay"s evolutionary sequence and Kay and Maffi"s Trajectory model of Colour terms within the circle of the native speakers of English.

Historicising the dynamics of intergroup relations between the Kuteb and Ichen people of Southern Taraba in North-eastern Nigeria, 1900-2022

Research on inter-group relations in the Southern part of Taraba State, Nigeria is relatively new because Nigerian scholars are more concerned with researching global topics or major ethnic groups while they neglect or give little attention to minority ethnic groups. This has made literature on the subject matter of intergroup relations scarce, hence the need for this study. The study adopts the historical method of research which involves the use of primary and secondary sources for data collection. Primary sources include oral interviews and materials from the National Archives Kaduna. Secondary sources used are published books, undergraduate project reports, and internet materials. The findings of this study reveal that the Kuteb and Ichen people of Southern Taraba have for a long time been engaged in inter-ethnic relations which has significantly impacted their development as a people. This study contributes to the broader argument on intergroup relations by providing empirical evidence from the Kuteb and Ichen people. It demonstrates how marriage, economic interactions, and social contacts collectively enhance social cohesion, cultural exchange, and economic interdependence, which are crucial for peaceful and productive intergroup relations. These findings support the view that interdependence and cooperation are inherent in human societies and essential for their development and stability.

Application of emerging technologies for research support in Nigerian academic libraries: Trends, problems and prospects

Academic libraries in the modern era are often asked to justify their existence in tertiary institutions by showing how the institution and society at large have benefited from the library services. One main area that librarians often point to is the research productivity of members of academic institutions. However, studies have shown that research productivity among Nigerian scholars is low, which means that academic libraries have to be more innovative in supporting researchers in their domains. Emerging technologies offer innovative ways of supporting research activities by providing tools and resources that streamline the research process and ensure proper visibility for research outputs of academic library clients. This article, which is based on a review of previous studies, explores various areas where academic libraries in Nigeria can apply emerging technologies, the likely challenges, and strategies that can be adopted to ensure sustainable use of emerging technologies in academic libraries. It has been found that emerging technologies can enhance existing library services and create new ones, such as data mining, data management, and scholarly communication, among others. However, although steps are being taken by academic librarians in Nigerian tertiary institutions to leverage technology in providing the needed support for researchers, the pace of technology adoption is still slow and the range of technologies being adopted is limited compared to available options. This state of affairs has been attributed to challenges such as lack of infrastructure, librarians’ skills, and a negative attitude towards change. The study recommends a multidimensional approach to the application of emerging technologies in Nigerian academic libraries

The role of Nigerian scholars in improving the Arabic language in the future in Nigeria

This research seeks to investigate the efforts of Nigerian Arabic scholars in developing and attracting people to learn Arabic. The aim is for local people to understand religion properly and correctly through Arabic. This research uses a qualitative descriptive research method. The data source was obtained from field observations, strengthened by data from books, journals, and literature related to the research object. This research found that Nigerian Arabic scientists use seven fields to introduce and attract people to learn Arabic: teaching and learning, national harmony, national development, state security, foreign policy, economics, media, and communication. From all these fields, it is proven that people are very enthusiastic about studying Arabic, and the Arabic language in Nigeria will develop better in the future.

Power in University Archives: Imperialism and Disparities in Nigeria and the United States

This article examines the structural disparities between the archives at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Michigan State University (MSU). While Nigerian archivists work to preserve their institutions’ local content, they must contend with cultural and infrastructural constraints foreign to their American counterparts. To elucidate these differences, this analysis builds upon Stoler’s ‘archival turn’ framework which shifts the gaze on archives to consider them as subjects of inquiry rather than mere sources of data. Reflecting on my own experience working with physical archives at UNN and MSU, along with digital artifacts from these institutions’ websites, I analyze the contents and accessibility of hardcopy and digital collections at both universities. In conclusion, I argue that the ongoing and uneven footprint of imperialism, both socio-cultural and infrastructural, results in an unequal distribution of Trouillot's ‘archival power’ amongst global institutions like UNN and MSU. Additionally, I highlight means by which some Nigerian scholars have contested imperialism to reclaim ownership over their own archival contents and narratives.

Leadership and power dynamics in crisis management: implication for brain-drain behaviour – Singaporean government experience during Covid-19

PurposeThis study explored how the Singaporean government responded to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis from early January 2020 to the end of May of the same year. It evaluated the capability of Singapore's leadership management in a crisis during the peak and ravaging period of the Covid-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilised a systematic design analysis approach, analysing Singaporean cases on the Covid-19 crisis using a systematic and narrative approach to underscore the country's response to the pandemic attack from January 2020 to May 2020.FindingsAgainst the backdrop of Singapore's peculiar political system of government dominated by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and culture of bureaucracy, the government has increasingly executed several control measures, including strict travel bans, contact tracing, the circuit breaker–lockdown, mask-wearing, social distancing orders as well as financial support to businesses and employees from top to the bottom in the country. However, the treatment and health issues of the migrant workers in the dormitories continue to be the major concern among academics and scholars. At the same time, policy inadequacies truncate the excellent measure of Singapore's response to Covid-19. The case point review concluded that the mortality rate in Singapore remains low compared to other nations of the world. Singapore's case points unveil fundamental learning that an excellent leadership-driven harmonised strategic model is essential for crisis management in any society. The finding of the analysis demonstrated that Singapore adopted a contingency and value-based leadership model to advance good governance and tackle the spread of the deadly coronavirus in its country.Originality/valueThe study has demonstrated a profound analysis that has not been conducted hitherto. Investigation of the Singapore case point is not a popular analysis among Nigerian scholars. Therefore, from Nigeria's perspective, the study has showcased the good and the wrong sides of a coin in Singapore's leadership and power dynamic in crisis management.

The role of the Church in the quest for political restructuring in Nigeria

The present political structure of Nigeria has proved unfavourable to Nigerians. This has led to catastrophic situations in Nigeria. This article evaluates the role of the Church in the fight to curb these catastrophes in the form of rising spates of insecurity, corruption, separatist agitation and marginalisation. These challenges have led to serious underdevelopment, poverty and unemployment, mostly in South-East Nigeria. Nigeria’s inefficiency as a nation stems from a long history of poor leadership from the time of colonial rule until today, partly because of the unbalanced political structure in the country. The history of poor leadership has denied Nigerians the opportunity of achieving a new Nigeria like other countries of the world. The study uses a descriptive historical approach to investigate this challenging situation. As a result of the lack of true federalism demonstrated in the lack of a proper political structure in the country, the study advocated for restructuring the country’s political structure to meet the immediate and long-term needs of all, especially in South-East Nigeria.Contribution: Many Nigerian scholars have researched on the need to restructure Nigerian polity, but there is a paucity of literature on the role of the Church to achieve this, leading to a dire want of research materials in this regard. This research, therefore, contributes its quota to the search for the lingering problems of Nigeria as a nation.

Online media and global communication research in Nigeria

Abstract The growth of global online media necessitates a better knowledge of how these media affect the world. Communication researchers have examined how rhetoric and globalization interact dynamically; how information spreads through cross-cultural interactions, and how a growing global media landscape affects culture, society, economy, and politics. However, no study has aggregated the areas of focus of such studies in order to establish a trend of the discussion of online media and global communication scholarship in Nigeria. In this essay, we offer a pathway for understanding approaches to scholarship in online media and global communication in Nigeria. We review all articles on online media and global communication that were published in two Nigerian academic journals, The Nigerian Journal of Communication and the Journal of Communication and Media Research between 2015 and 2021 using our content categories of authorship, theory/theories used, study population, method of study and research focus. We found that social media, which has proved to be a very hot area of research among scholars worldwide, also occupied the pride of place among Nigerian scholars and that collaboration in research, which is a major way of growing and advancing knowledge, was also significantly common among Nigerian communication researchers. On the low side, however, we found, among others, that lack of funding was a major issue in Nigerian communication research as none of the 73 articles that we analyzed was funded.

Further explorations of connected speech in Nigerian English

AbstractThe article begins with the assertion that much research has now been done on the once‐neglected suprasegmental phonology of Nigerian English. A principal area of interest in this field is connected speech, and several Nigerian scholars have addressed many of the issues involved, not least the patterns of intonation structure. Building on these studies, and taking the British descriptive tradition developed notably by A. C. Gimson and Alan Cruttenden as its theoretical base, the article seeks to offer fresh perspectives on certain issues that have hitherto not received attention. With the aid of the interlinear method of transcription, it shows the differences between two contrasting systems, on the one hand that of native speakers, and on the other Popular Nigerian English (PNE), a concept first developed by Jowitt (1991) and denoting features characteristic of relatively younger and less educated Nigerians.

The role of the Church in the quest for political restructuring in Nigeria

The present political structure of Nigeria has proved unfavourable to Nigerians. This has led to catastrophic situations in Nigeria. This article evaluates the role of the Church in the fight to curb these catastrophes in the form of rising spates of insecurity, corruption, separatist agitation and marginalisation. These challenges have led to serious underdevelopment, poverty and unemployment, mostly in South-East Nigeria. Nigeria’s inefficiency as a nation stems from a long history of poor leadership from the time of colonial rule until today, partly because of the unbalanced political structure in the country. The history of poor leadership has denied Nigerians the opportunity of achieving a new Nigeria like other countries of the world. The study uses a descriptive historical approach to investigate this challenging situation. As a result of the lack of true federalism demonstrated in the lack of a proper political structure in the country, the study advocated for restructuring the country’s political structure to meet the immediate and long-term needs of all, especially in South-East Nigeria. Contribution: Many Nigerian scholars have researched on the need to restructure Nigerian polity, but there is a paucity of literature on the role of the Church to achieve this, leading to a dire want of research materials in this regard. This research, therefore, contributes its quota to the search for the lingering problems of Nigeria as a nation.

Proverbs and African Modernity: Defining an Ethics of Becoming

African proverbs have, for good reason, attracted considerable attention from scholars, both African and non-African. One notable testimony to such attention is the international conference in South Africa from which came a monumental collection of scholarly articles now available on CD and in print. Another evidence of the interest the subject has enjoyed among African scholars is the wealth of publications they have produced in recent years, for example, Adeleke Adeeko’s monograph Proverbs, Textuality, and Nativism in African Literature; Ambrose Adikamkwu Monye’s Proverbs in African Orature: The Aniocha-Igbo Experience; Kwesi Yankah’s The Proverb in the Context of Akan Rhetoric: A Theory of Proverb Praxis; and my Yoruba Proverbs. In addition, there have been influential articles by Ayo Bamgbose, Lawrence. A. Boadi, Romanus N. Egudu, Kwame Gyekye, Yisa Yusuf, and a host of others whose omission from this rather abbreviated list is not meant as a slight. In a recent conversation, the preeminent paremiologist, Wolfgang Mieder, called my attention to the lineup of articles in the most recent issue of Proverbium [23: 2006], in which four of the five lead articles are by Nigerian scholars (Abimbola Adesoji, Bode Agbaje, George Olusola Ajibade, and Akinola Akintunde Asinyanbola) and on African proverbs, an indication, he said of the present effervescence of, and future potential for, proverb studies and publications on them on African soil. Because of these efforts we now know a good deal about proverbs as a cultural resource, their functionality and the protocols for their usage, but also their artistry-structure, wordplay, imagery, and so forth, especially after calls such as Isidore Okpewho’s (1992) that scholars pay due attention to the aesthetic dimensions of traditional oral forms.

David Tuesday Adamo's Academic Context: Nigerian Biblical Studies Navigating between African Interpretive Concerns and Western Scholarly Traditions

The essay focuses on some aspects of Nigerian biblical studies, that is, Prof David Tuesday Adamo's immediate academic context. The core question of the essay is how the balance between African interpretive concerns and Western scholarly traditions has developed over the last four decades in the Nigerian guild of critical biblical studies. First, the 1980s were characterised by a more or less Western dominance but it saw the beginning of an institutionally and hermeneutically self-conscious Nigerian biblical studies. Second, the early 2020s are still characterised by Western dominance but it sees an increasing interest for interpretive concerns as those voiced by Nigerian biblical scholars. Professor Adamo has been part of the Nigerian guild of biblical studies throughout these four decades and his academic publications serve as an illustration of the material.

Drumming as a means of Communication and Culture in Nigeria. A Study of Talking Drum

Drumming is an activity characterised by percussive instruments with different functions. This study evaluated the communicative and cultural significance of drumming in Nigeria using the talking drum. The study was evaluated using the Uses and Gratification theory. This study was analysed with the aid of secondary data on drumming and talking drum from Nigerian scholars and online websites. The analysis revealed that the talking drum is an established tool of communication and culture in Nigeria despite the upsurge of digital technology revolutionizing societal outlook. Drumming however no longer only exists in the physical space but can now be accessed through the internet and digital media. The study recommends that, drumming should be taught in schools and promoted through popular culture.

TETFUND GRANTS: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF TETFUND FUNDING ON THE SCHOLASTIC SKILLS OF SCHOLARS

The establishment of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund is aimed at promoting education in Nigeria. It is achieving its objectives today by providing funding that enhances teaching and learning in tertiary institutions. This study aims to examine the impact of this funding on Nigerian scholars teaching and research abilities. Seventy-two academic staff of two Institutions of Higher Learning participated in the study. Data was collected using a self-developed instrument designed to ascertain Tetfund fundings influence on the lecturers motivation and commitment to teaching and research. The result of the simple regression analysis conducted revealed that Tetfund funding statistically significantly predicted teaching and research. The study concludes that Tetfund financing is crucial in teaching research in Nigerias academia. It is recommended that tertiary institutions encourage their academic staff to access the funding fully.

UNITY IN DIVERSITY: THE PRESERVED ART WORKS OF THE VARIED PEOPLES OF ABEOKUTA FROM 1830 TO DATE

Much has been written on the history of Abeokuta and their artworks since their occupation of Abeokuta. Yoruba works of art are in Museums and private collections abroad. Many Museums in the Western part of Nigeria including the National Museum in Abeokuta also have works of art on display, however, much of these are not specific to Abeokuta. In particular this research unravels a mix up in international documentation of Abeokuta works. Writers on Abeokuta works of art include both foreign and Nigerian scholars. This research uses Historical theory to study works of art collected and preserved on Abeokuta since inception of the Egba, Owu and Yewa (Egbado) occupation of the town and the implications for development in the 21st century. The study involved the collection of data from primary sources within Abeokuta in addition to secondary sources for information on the varied works of art including amongst others Ifa and Ogboni paraphernalia, as well as records of artefact collected through wars. The research unravelled germane works that have not been written on.  However, the study also unravels that very little is done to improve on the indigenous technologies through the introduction of modern machinery for production. Recommendations are given for better production without undermining the cultural identity of the people to promote tourism and industrialisation for the development of the town and mass employment of millions of its teeming youths

A Study on Selected Texts of the Islamic Poetry in Northern Nigeria in the 17th and 18th Centuries | دراسة تحليلية لنصوص مختارة من الشعر الإسلامي بشمال نيجيريا خلال القرنين السابع عشر والثامن عشر الميلادين

Nigerian Scholars, like their counterpart in West Africa, studied Arabic in other to understand Islam. This research studied selected text from Islamic poetry composed in Arabic by the Borno Kingdom and Hausaland poets in the eighteen and seventeen centuries in Northern Nigeria. The aim is to panoramically bring to fore the social, political, economic, educational and religious features embedded in the poetry as well as ascertain its quality. Hence the paper discusses, after introduction, Nigeria and the advent of Islam vis a vis Arabic Language, highlights selected poems, studied and criticized its contents based on the theory of Al-Adabul Islami (Islamic Literature). Descriptive method was adopted to analyse the selected poems. At the end of the study, it was discovered that the poetry of this era conformed to the theory of Al-Adabul Islami in its forms and contents, because the poets who composed it adhered strictly to Islamic teachings in their ideas, selection of themes and modes of expression. The language used is also of high standard and derived it strength from the Quran, Sunnah and other Islamic sources.

Study Of Translation Techniques In "Forest Of The Thousand Demon" By Mashood Jimba/ أساليب الترجمة في الرواية اليورباوية لمترجمة العربية "الصياد الجريء في غابة العفاريت" لمشهود جمبا انموذجا

The Nigerian Nation has witnessed a multifaceted development in various field of knowledge; Translation studies is not an exemption. The Translation scholars' contributions in the applied translation are highly commendable, though, at the expense of the field of translation studies. They (Nigerian scholars) have shown much academic prowess in translating from Indigenous languages into foreign languages and vice versa to showcase Nigerian heritage in cultures, values, and enjoyable characters. Some engage in scientific translation while another group is dealing with the genre of literary translation. The present research is an appraisal of D.O. Fagunwa's novel " Ogboju ode in Igbo Irunmale" translated by a translation scholar Mashood Mahmud Muhammad Jimba. Using a contrastive survey analytical method in showing manners of equivalence in translation within the selected samples, the work focused mainly on the procedures established by Vinay and Darbelnet for translation from and into another language. The method employed pointed out aspects of a suitable translation procedure, the results of which replicate the same situation as in the original demonstrated by the author of the texts analyzed. The study thus appraises the scholar's work objectively

Primordial Niger Delta, Petroleum Development in Nigeria and the Niger Delta Development Commission Act: A Food For Thought!

The historic and geographic ethnic minority Delta region of Nigeria, which may be called the Nigerian Delta region or the Niger Delta region, has been in existence from time immemorial, as other primordial ethnic nationality areas and regions, which were in existence centuries before the birth of modern Nigeria. In the early times, the people of the Niger Delta region established foreign relations between and among themselves, as people of immediate neigbouring primordial areas or tribes. They also established long-distance foreign relations with distant tribes that became parts and parcels of modern Nigeria. The Niger Delta region, known as the Southern Minorities area of Nigeria as well as the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria, is the primordial and true Delta region of Nigeria. The region occupies a very strategic geographic location between Nigeria and the rest of the world. For example, with regard to trade, politics and foreign relations, the Nigerian Delta region has been strategic throughout history, ranging, for instance, from the era of the Atlantic trade to the ongoing era of petroleum resources development in Nigeria. Ancient Niger Delta represents a distinct area of primordial African civilisation. So, the existence of the oil-rich ethnic minority Delta region predates petroleum resources development operations in Nigeria, which operations commenced with the discovery of commercial quantities of crude oil in the oil producing communities of the region in the late 1950s. Thereafter, when petroleum resources were discovered in the communities of neighbouring States of the true Niger Delta region, namely Abia and Imo States of the Igbo major ethnic group, and Ondo State of the Yoruba major tribe, these three oil producing States became integrated into the framework of the true Delta region, by virtue of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (Establishment, Etc.) (NDDC) Act, 2000 (as NDDC States). This Act made the Niger Delta region to be synonymous with petroleum resources development. It is significant to highlight that ceaseless agitation of citizens and citizen-groups of the oil-rich ethnic minority Delta region helped to persuade the Federal Government (FG) to take appropriate steps to address the age-long problems of neglect, marginalisation and deprivation of the region. The agitation of interest groups of the Niger Delta region stems from the fact that whereas the region has been the goldmine of Nigeria, it is experiencing paradoxes associated with unsustainable petroleum resources development operations. These paradoxes made the Delta region to become endangered and crises-ridden as well as generated the region’s historic ‘resource control’ movement, which advocates that the region deserve to have maximum benefits from petroleum development operations in its oil-rich communities. Consequently, through the National Assembly, the FG led by President Olusegun Obasanjo had to take key steps, one of which was the enactment of the NDDC Act that formally repealed the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission Decree (OMPADEC) Decree, No. 23 of 1992, and dissolved the Commission established thereby. Therefore, the aim of this study is to demonstrate that the true Niger Delta region is distinct and thus improperly categorised with other oil producing States and areas in the context and framework of the NDDC Act. This is a food for thought that warrants serious consideration, analysis and evaluation. Consequently, the study recommends that there is a need for the FG, through the National Assembly, to further amend the NDDC Act, to make its provisions align more with petroleum resources development and that meanwhile the erroneous manner of referring to or considering the Niger Delta region as the ‘Nigerian Niger Delta region’ or the ‘Niger Delta region of Nigeria’, should, at least, be corrected in the parlance of the knowledge industry, by stakeholders of the industry, particularly scholars, beginning with Nigerian scholars . Keywords: Ancient; Primordial; Niger Delta; Delta; Petroleum Resources; Petroleum Development; Nigeria; NDDC; Ethnic Minority; Ethnic Minorities; Ethnographic, Historic and Geographic; Ethnic Nationality; Ethnic Nationalities. DOI: 10.7176/DCS/10-3-10 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

What Happens If We Start from Nigeria? Diversifying Histories of Geography

This article asks this question: What if, rather than starting from the United States or the United Kingdom in histories of geography, we start from Nigeria? Focusing on Nigerian geographers working in Nigeria’s first university from 1948 to 1990 and drawing on archival evidence and new oral history interviews, this article argues that the view from Nigeria offers significant new perspectives on the history of geography. First, it highlights the intellectual contribution of Nigerian scholars, illustrating the partial and exclusionary nature of many traditional histories. Second, it illuminates the as yet unacknowledged impact of the Cold War on the discipline far beyond the United States and Soviet Union. Third, this new perspective makes it possible to consider afresh the contemporary Anglo-American hegemony of international geography, providing evidence of the consequences of this hegemony for scholars working beyond the West and revealing the less hierarchical alternatives that at some moments appeared possible. Fourth, by highlighting the shifting structures that facilitated and foreclosed opportunities for participation in the international geographical community, the article provides an original insight into the conditions of academic labor and considers the crucial question of what, for the work of constructing a more equal academic community in the future, we might learn from this earlier period. Key Words: academic labor, Anglo-American hegemony, Cold War, decolonization, history of geography, Nigeria.

Salafism in Nigeria: Islam, Preaching, and Politics

Salafism in Nigeria: Islam, Preaching, and Politics