Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journals
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Contextualization of African Traditional Drama: A Study of Owu Festival of Amimo Etiti Omuma
No full textThis discourse, Contextualization of African Traditional Drama: A Study of Owu Festival of Amimo Etiti Omuma, Imo State examines Owu Festival as a dramatic work within its context. It attempts to place it side by side with any other dramatic work elsewhere, with the core elements of drama inherent in the festival. The core elements of drama are examined in this study, and they are character/characterisation, stage and audience, which bring together all other elements such as costume, setting, plot etc. The theory used in this study is culturalism. The researcher relied on interviews, observation, discussions, audience participation during the festival and library materials in conducting this research. The necessity of this research lies in the fact that traditional festivals are gradually going into extinction; therefore, such should be documented for the coming generation. The researcher realized that Owu festival has several acts and scenes, different spaces of performances, characters, audience, setting, and climax, so it is a complete dramatic work when measured with all of these elements and placed in its origin
A Discourse Analysis of the Campaign Speeches of Selected 2023 Nigerian Presidential Candidates
No full textThis study is a discourse analysis of campaign speeches of three selected presidential candidates in 2023 election in Nigeria. The study anchored is on Fairclough’s (1992) three dimensional models of linguistic communications, Van Dijk’s (1998) ideological model and Chilton’s (2004) representational model. The data from this study were speeches of the three selected major candidates purposively obtained online, downloaded and transcribed for the purpose of this study. The three selected presidential candidates were Ahmed Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP). The data obtained were analyzed through Construction and ideological interest. The findings revealed that from their campaign speeches, the candidates used different rhetorical devices known as inter-textuality, to persuade and appeal to the audience on national issues. The study concluded that, campaign speeches by politicians are ideologically motivated and often invested with the tendencies to convince, persuade, dominate and control the minds of the electorate
Autobiographical Projection: The Juxtaposition of Texts and Contexts in Alice Walker\u27s Novels
No full textBefore Alice Walker and other notable African-American female writers like Toni Morrison began to write about black experience in America, a battle of images had been raging between writers of pro-slavery South and the Abolitionist Movement. The black in America, generally speaking, was perceived as a subhuman species of mankind by whites. But the case of the black woman was particularly precarious. She was not only black, she was also female in a race-conscious society. This compounded the negativity that was associated with her image. The coming of Alice Walker into the struggle for the emancipation of black women in America heralds a radical shift in the age-old struggle. Her approach to the struggle is known to be defiant and unapologetic. It is worthy to note that one of the defining features of her works, particularly her novels, is their autobiographical undertone. She uses this mode of narration for her stories to have direct and immediate impact on her audience and the society they represent. It is for this reason that she employs conscious motives in selecting particular characters and situations in the depiction and projection of her ideas. She has even admitted in some interviews that she uses events in her novels to project herself and her views. This paper establishes how aspects of the writer’s personal life and outlook find their way in the delineation of her characters. In other words, part of our effort here dwells on the notion of linkage between life and art. The paper also highlights the fact that Walker is a good representation of the fact that no writer writes outside his experience. Part of our effort here therefore consists in looking into the role experience plays in the novelist’s creative imagination. This is illustrated with some of her interviews with notable critics. Through the interviews, the origins and motives of the author are illuminated. The paper also brings to the fore the use made of autobiographical materials in the novelist\u27s writings. The paper establishes in the end that Walker creates characters who, despite racial and sexist inhibitions, are able to assert themselves
Sociological Reflections and Egalitarian Impulse in Tess Onwueme’s The Desert Encroaches
No full textLiterature serves as a reflective mirror that illuminates societal paradigms while concurrently wielding the transformative potential to challenge and reshape prevailing socio-political and cultural constructs. Placing Nigeria as a microcosm of the larger African society, this study examines Tess Onwueme’s play, The Desert Encroaches with a view to exploring the nexus between her dramatic art and the African societal realities. Through the highly allegorical characters and their interactions, Onwueme highlights the tension between the lesser and higher animals, a metaphor for the various social strata in the society. It also reflects on the imperatives of socio-political change. The broad theoretical framework for this study is the sociological theory of literary criticism and Marxism as a subset. The study employs the qualitative method of content analysis to examine the themes and characters of the play. Findings from the study show that the themes of the play are relevant to contemporary issues, while the allegorical characters exemplify how Onwueme uses individual experiences to illustrate broader societal concerns. The study concludes that The Desert Encroaches is a powerful work of literature that offers a commendable insight into the challenges facing Nigerian society and strives towards egalitarianism
Influence of Comprehension of Directive Words in Essay Questions in English Language Examinations on Students’ Academic Achievement
No full textThis research assessed the impact of comprehension of directive words in essay questions in English Language examinations on the academic achievement of sandwich English Language Education students in Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. The research designs were survey and ex post facto. From a population of 131, a sample of 79 students were selected from 2023-2024 academic session using a Two-stage sampling technique. Anchored on Bloom’s Taxonomy, students’ Cumulative Grade Point Average and a researcher-developed cognitive test were used for data collection. The cognitive test was validated by five experts and when pilot-tested to ensure reliability, a coefficient of 0.808 was obtained. The test was administered and the scripts were marked and scored. Analysis was done using students achievement means and the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique. Results revealed that the sandwich students were unable to identify single, double and phrasal directive words in essay questions in English Language examinations. They were also unable to understand the meanings of directive words irrespective of level of study. Furthermore, lack of comprehension of directive words in essay examinations had a positive significant relationship on academic achievement in English Language. It was concluded that sandwich English Language Education students understudied were unable to understand the demands of directive words in essay questions in English Language examinations. It was recommended that it is better for them to be trained and encouraged to undergo self-improvement through personal studies on types of directive words, their expected demands in essay questions and the application of this knowledge in responding to essay questions in examinations
Oceanography and Creative Writing in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
No full textThe ability to psychologically reflect on past and present experiences, subject the mind to critical thinking and express oneself for entertainment, education, purgatory and other purposes is crucial in creative writing. Observations, personal feelings and thoughts could be communicated through literary writings such as poetry, prose and drama. This study, therefore, examines oceanography and creative writing in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. It focuses on the heroic battle of a solitary fisherman with a giant Marlin and nature in the oceanic ecosystems. The study adopts Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory which focuses on the underlying factors that can spark up a writer’s imagination and creativity. The research is library based since the materials are not gathered through fieldwork but from critical and primary texts. The primary text chosen for this study was purposively selected by the researchers based on its thematic relevance to the objectives and subjected to qualitative (literary) analysis. Findings reveal the struggle of the protagonist against the Marlin and sharks, waves, current, climatic condition, and other elements in the oceanic ecosystems. Despite of the battle that lasted for three days in the marine world, Santiago is able to emerge victorious, arriving home with a giant Marlin of about eighteen feet tall. Ernest Hemingway has creatively expressed his observations in the ocean through fiction, thereby interfacing the inter-disciplines of oceanography and literature (literary writing). The study concludes that personal experiences and observations in the physical world can spark imagination and creativity as evident in Hemingway’s novella
Entertainment Education as a Tool for Community Empowerment and Development in Nigeria
No full textThis paper centred on the role of entertainment education (EE) as a tool for community empowerment and development in Nigeria. The paper explored the transformative potential of EE in fostering socio-economic growth, literacy, health awareness, political participation, and cultural preservation within Nigerian communities. It traced the historical evolution of EE in Nigeria, highlighting its increasing relevance in modern educational and developmental initiatives. The study identified major challenges hampering effective EE implementation, including limited funding, cultural sensitivity issues, inadequate infrastructure, shortage of skilled professionals, political and regulatory barriers, and audience engagement difficulties among others. To address the challenges, the paper proposed strategic interventions such as promoting inclusive content creation, multimedia integration, strengthening collaborations among artists, adult education facilitators, and policymakers, embedding life skills into EE content, increasing government support, enhancing teacher training, and revising curricula. Furthermore, the paper suggested establishing community-based EE centres, integrating EE into all educational levels, encouraging localized content, setting up rural media platforms, and involving youths in programme design and implementation. It emphasized the need for supportive policies and sustained public-private partnerships to harness EE’s full potential. The paper therefore affirmed that EE is a powerful instrument for empowering individuals, promoting inclusive community development, and building a culturally vibrant, socially conscious, and economically resilient Nigerian society
Assistive Technologies Used in Teaching Adult Learners with Learning Disabilities in the 21st Century
No full textThe phenomenon of assessment and evaluation concerns all practitioners of education. Their predominant concern is accommodation of people with special needs, cultural issues and creating alternative practice with equivalent standard. This paper examined the various ways by which evaluation of adult learners with disabilities is enhanced using ultra-modern scientific devises with a view to creating assessment balance between the disabled and normal learners in a typical learning environment. The paper also gave a definition of learning disabilities and clear description of who the learning disabled are. The definition extended to technology of teaching and assessment and some of the devises on the basis of how they can be used to enhance the education and assessment of the disabled learners. The challenges inhibiting the use of these devises were highlighted upon which recommendations and conclusions were made
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF LAFARGE CEMENT COMPANY PLC, AKPABUYO CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA
No full textArtificial intelligence enhances operational performance in cement companies in Nigeria by optimizing production processes, reducing energy consumption, and improving predictive maintenance for machinery. Therefore, this study focused on the nexus between artificial intelligence and operational performance in Lafarge Cement Company Plc, Akpabuyo, and Cross River State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between the robotic automation process and operational efficiency. The study adopted a survey research design. The population comprises the top management cadre (64) and the middle management (108). Convenience sampling techniques and Taro Yamenes’ formula were used to determine the sample of 120. With the aid of SPSS IBM version 25, Pearson Moment coefficient correlation analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Results obtained from the test of the formulated hypothesis shows that the robotic automation process has a significant and positive relationship with operational efficiency in Lafarge Cement Company plc (P < 0.05; r =.214). The study concluded that the integration of robots in cement manufacturing can lead to significant improvements in efficiency, safety, and quality. The study recommended that leveraging automated processes will boost operational efficiency
CAREER PLATEAU AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA
No full textThe study examined the relationship between career plateau and employee performance in Anambra state public tertiary institutions. The specific objectives of this were to examine the relationship between static salary and skills enhancement and determine the relationship between reduced motivation and continuous improvement. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and data were obtained from primary sources using a structured questionnaire. The Sample size was derived with Taro Yamane\u27s sample size determination formula and the hypotheses were tested with Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27. The results revealed that there is a significant negative relationship between static salary and skills enhancement. Results further indicated that there is a negative significant relationship between reduced motivation and continuous improvement. The study\u27s findings unequivocally revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between career plateau and employee performance in Anambra state public tertiary institutions. The study recommended that tertiary institutions need to adopt performance-based pay structures, adjusting salaries to reflect employees\u27 expanding skill sets and professional growth. Also, institutions need to prioritize employee motivation to drive continuous improvement.