Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journals
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Ergativity in President Buhari\u27s (2015) Inaugural Speech: A Systemic Functional Approach
No full textUnderstanding the language use in political discourse especially inaugural speeches is crucial because of the complex dynamics of power, ideology and communication in play in politics. This study investigates the ideological and pragmatic implications of ergative choices made in President Buhari’s 2015 inaugural speech. The speech was purposively selected because the 2015 inaugural speech is a speech that marked transition from the ruling party to the opposition. Due to the nature and size of the data, content analysis under qualitative research design was adopted. Findings reveal that in the speech, the choice of Medium over Agent and the use of “middle” clauses, made agency not be accounted for in some instances. Also, the use of some descriptive words in the relational process such as terrifying force, mindless group, immediate concern, to describe Boko Haram while words such as eccentric and unorthodox used to describe the founder of Boko Haram suggests the communication of mixed messages. This paper concludes that linguistic choices made in political text are structured in such a way where the audience needs to pay attention to fully understand the actual message being communicated. This is usually the case because the language used in political text is designed to convey a surface meaning as well as a deep meaning
Investigating the Effect of Semantic Broadening and Narrowing on Ecological Terminologies
No full textThis study investigates 20 ecological terminologies to assess the impact of semantic broadening and narrowing, and analyzing how such changes shape systematic communication, public perception, and policy formulation. It adopts MAK Halliday’s systemic functional theory to analyze the secondary data using a qualitative analytical approach to examine the semantic change of broadening and narrowing in a few ecological terminologies. Through corpus analysis and discourse evaluation, we identify patterns of semantic shift in key ecological terms such as “environment”, “climate justice”, “biodegradables”, “green”, “biodiversity,” etc., and assess their implications for clarity and conceptual coherence in ecological research. The findings reveal that most familiar ecological terminologies undergo broadening compared to narrowing. While certain word formation processes, such as broadening, can undergo semantic narrowing, it risks ambiguity, whereas narrowing fosters precision but may restrict contextual relevance. The study underscores the need for balanced lexical evolution to maintain terminological rigor in ecological science while accommodating dynamic environmental discourse
The Context of Election Memes: A Study of Nigeria\u27s 2015 Presidential Elections
No full textInternet memes, deployed for various purposes during the Nigerian 2015 presidential election, manifested in different media, including Nairaland Forum. Existing studies on 2015 presidential elections focused on campaign strategies, hate speech-related issues and socio-linguistic features, paying little attention to the use of Internet memes in projecting issues raised by the election. Therefore, this study investigates the deployment of Internet memes in the discourse on Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election on Nairaland Forum, to determine the contexts evoked. Kress and van Leeuwen’s Multimodal Theory and Mey’s Pragmatic Acts Theory was adopted. 12 out of 24 data samples were purposively selected for analysis. The contexts evoked includes the historical-religious context referring to history and religion as solutions to the leadership problems of the country. The war context depicted violence as a recurring feature in Nigeria’s election. While the educational context exposed the inadequacies of a candidate’s academic qualifications; the economic context exposed the country’s economy. The sporting context engaged showed the electoral process as a competition; whereas the socio-political context projected the electorate’s involvement and enthusiasm during and after the election. Verbal and non-verbal modes were identified to include text structures, colour and gaze. They form the basis for the communication and comprehension of the relevance of the Internet memes, hence, projecting how memes can be deployed to project the state of affairs of a nation during elections.
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Response Evaluation of Mild Steel Corrosion Rate in H2SO4 to the Synegistic Influenceof Exposure Time and Steel Weight Loss
No full textThe response of mild steel corrosion rate in 0.5M H2SO4 (while in contact with an indicator- Hibiscus Sabdariffa) to the synergistic influence of exposure time and weight loss of the steel has been successfully evaluated. The predictive evaluation was carried out using a derived empirical model;
ξ = Ϧ (- ẞɤ2 + Ҽɤ - Nτ2 + Фτ+ Ǧ)
Prior to derivation of the empirical model, mild steel was submerged in 0.5M H2SO4 containing an inhibitor; sabdariffa leaf extract which strived to resist corrosion of the steel. In the course of the model derivation, applied ranges of values of the process parameters: corrosion rate, exposure time and weight loss were 0.6916 – 0.7086 mm/yr, 0.00548 – 0.0164yr and 0.0799 -0.2456g respectively. Results generated were based on weight-loss method. The validity of the derived model is strongly rooted on the core model structure; (ξ/Ϧ) – Ǧ ≈ - ẞɤ2 + Ҽɤ - Nτ2 + Фτ.. The model-predicted results agree with previous research on the polynomial relationship between the corrosion rate and exposure time & mild steel weight loss, while inhibitor concentration is constant. The standard error associating model prediction of corrosion rate, relative to the experimental results was 0.0076%, implying over 99% model confidence level. The corrosion penetration depth on the mild steel per unit exposure time for experimental & model-predicted results were evaluated as: 4.406 x 10-4 mm and 4.509 x 10-4 mm, while corrosion rate per unit weight loss of the steel were 1.304 and 1.335mm/yr/g respectively. Evaluated correlations between corrosion rate and exposure time & weight loss of steel, as obtained from both results were all > 0.96. Deviational and statistical analyses of evaluated results indicate that the overall maximum discrepancy of model-predicted mild steel corrosion rate from experimental results was 2.4%
Women Against Fundamentalism: The Journey of Zoya in the Struggle for Afghan Women\u27s Freedom
No full textZoya’s Story: An Afghan Woman’s Struggle for Freedom is a compelling biography that chronicles the life of Zoya, a brave young Afghan woman navigating the socio-political turbulence and gendered oppression under fundamentalist rule (Taliban-ruled Afghanistan). Born into a society where women\u27s voices are systematically silenced and their rights dictated by patriarchal norms, Zoya\u27s journey is one of resistance, loss, and firm resilience. She endures personal tragedies, including the deaths of family and friends, while confronting a regime that enforces violence and denies women autonomy. Her pursuit of education and liberation becomes both a personal mission and a collective crusade, as she works to enlighten others, echoing the philosophical awakening described in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. Anchored in postcolonial feminist theory, this narrative critiques the local and global structures perpetuating women\u27s subjugation, emphasizing the intersection of culture, politics, and gender. Through grassroots activism and community empowerment, Zoya transforms her pain into purpose, becoming a symbol of hope and resilience for Afghan women and oppressed women globally. Her transformation from victim to activist accentuates the power of solidarity and the agency of women in resisting systemic injustice. Her story surpasses geographic boundaries, symbolizing the universal struggle for female dignity, autonomy, and equality. Finally, Zoya is not merely a survivor but a beacon of defiance and hope, an embodiment of resistance that inspires women to confront oppression not for visibility but for genuine emancipation in the ongoing fight against fundamentalism
Transitioning from Traditional to AI-Based Educational Assessment in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges
No full textThis paper explores the potentials of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform educational assessment in Nigeria system historically challenged by inconsistency, lack of students’ feedback, bureaucracy, and examination malpractices. Drawing on secondary literature and employing the AI-Ethical Assessment Transformation (AI-EAT) Model, the paper conceptualizes assessment reform as a process mediated by AI innovations that enhances validity, reliability, and efficiency, and ethical and policy enablers promote fairness, accountability, and inclusiveness. The paper espoused that automated scoring of essays, adaptive testing, and learning analytics have the potential to raise the level of objectivity and individualized feedback, yet such initiatives are doomed to fail in the case of weak governance frameworks covering the problem of data privacy, algorithm bias, and inequality in access. The educational measurement theory, sociotechnical systems theory and algorithmic governance ethics to depict that the combination of technological innovation, institutional preparedness and ethical control is needed in order to achieve sustainable AI use in assessment and evaluation in Nigeria\u27s educational system were incorporated. Thus, it is concluded that an inclusive policy designed to align with the international standards of transparency and educational equity is critical for effective AI integration in assessment practices
Transforming Adult Education in the 21st Century through Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria: Innovation, Impacts, and Ethical Considerations
No full textThe 21st century has witnessed a significant transformation in socio-economic, politics, religion, commerce and particularly adult education which is driven by technological innovations, advancements and modernization. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a major innovation in adult education, offering personalized learning experiences, feedback mechanism, adaptive assessments, accessibility and enhanced learner-centered engagement and participation. This article explores the potential of AI in transforming adult education in Nigeria, the challenges and its impact on learning outcomes, and ethical considerations that arise. Finding revealed that AI is an inevitable modernization and transformation in all human endeavors particularly in adult education by providing tailored learning pathway, improving accessibility, proximity, and fostering lifelong learning at the comfort of the learners. The paper reveals that transformation of adult education in Nigeria through AI driven education would reduce educational inequality and digital illiteracy, increase access to teaching and learning, instill managerial skills, solve personal problems, enhance lifelong activities, and reduce illiteracy both in the urban and rural areas. On the basis of this, the paper recommended the need for careful consideration of ethical issues, such as data privacy, bias, and transparency among others
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY AND BUSINESS GROWTH IN ARIARIA INTERNATIONAL MARKET, ABA, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
No full textThe study explored digital transformation strategy and business growth in Ariaria international market, Abia State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study determined the effect of online marketing on sales optimisation of businesses. The study further ascertained the effect of voice of customer analytics on customer service excellence of businesses in Ariaria international market, Abia State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted to collect data from the respondents with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Arithmetic mean was used to analyse respondents’ responses and the hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression analysis with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 27). Hypothesis one revealed that there is a statistically significant positive effect of online marketing on sales optimisation of businesses. Hypothesis two indicated that voice of customer analytics significantly affects customer service excellence of businesses. The study concluded that there is a statistically significant positive effect of digital transformation strategy on business growth in Ariaria international market, Abia State, Nigeria. Based on the conclusion, the study recommended that businesses in Ariaria international market need to prioritise online marketing strategies to optimise sales, achievable through targeted digital advertising, social media engagement, and search engine optimisation (SEO). Also, business owners in Ariaria International Market need to leverage Voice of Customer (VoCA) to excel in customer service, through feedback collection, sentiment analysis, and complaint resolution
JOB AUTONOMY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF EMPLOYEES IN PRIVATE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NASARAWA STATE
No full textThis study examines the effect of job autonomy on the performance of employees in private tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, focusing on decision-making autonomy and work scheduling autonomy. The study’s population comprised all academic and non-academic staff in registered private tertiary in Nasarawa State: Bingham University (New Karu), Ave Maria University (Piyanko), and Mewar International University (Masaka). The sample size was determined using Cochran’s (1963) formula, which produced 384 respondents; to account for possible non-responses, the sample was increased by 30%, resulting in a final sample of 499 respondents. A multistage sampling technique was employed, using proportionate allocation across the universities, stratified random sampling to group staff into academic and non-academic categories, and simple random sampling to select respondents from each stratum. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). This study shows that both decision-making autonomy and work scheduling autonomy had a positive and statistically significant effect on employee performance. The findings showed that both dimensions had a positively and significantly affect employee performance. Based on the findings, the study recommends that private tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State adopt policies that enhance employee participation in decision-making and provide flexible scheduling arrangements to boost motivation, engagement, and productivity
Assessment Of Socio-Economic Effects of Boko Haram Insurgency on Pastoralists in Yobe State, Nigeria
No full textThe study assessed the effects of Boko Haram insurgency on the socio-economic lives of the pastoralists in Yobe State. A three multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 300 pastoralists. Primary data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages and mean while regression was used in testing the study’s hypothesis. The results show that 93% of the pastoralists were male and (59%) of the pastoralist were married with an age range of 30-39 years (38%). Also, the pastoralists had an annual income of above N500,000 in the study area. Based on the study findings, the study concluded that the terrorizing effect of the fundamentalist sects of Boko Haram insurgency on the socio-economic characteristics of pastoralists in Yobe state of Nigeria has become devastating livestock activities and livestock industry in the study area the results indicated that low level of education, abject poverty and absent of good government were the major causes of Boko Haram insurgency. The results further showed loss human lives and loss of livestock were the major effects of Boko Haram insurgency and the pastoralists employed crop cultivation. The study further recommends dialogue as a mean of solving insurgency in the study area and multi-dimensional security operatives should be used to curtail insurgency and restore peace and harmony experienced in the area for decades