Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journals
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN ZENITH BANK PLC, AWKA METROPOLIS, ANAMBRA STATE
No full textThe study examined the relationship between crisis management and organisational performance in Zenith Bank Plc in Awka metropolis. The specific objectives are to determine the relationship between information technology and employee productivity; to determine the relationship between crisis risk reduction and market share in Zenith Bank Plc in Awka metropolis. This study made use of descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised of 167 staff from selected Zenith Bank Plc branches in Awka metropolis. Census sampling technique was deployed in order to collect data from every member of the target group. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to the sampled participants. Test of hypotheses was done with the use of Spearman\u27s Rank Order Correlation, The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 23 was employed for these analyses. The findings include that information technology significantly and positively influences employee productivity of Zenith Bank Plc in Awka metropolis (rho = 0.449, p-value = 0.000). The study concludes that crisis management serves as a key mechanism for learning and adapting, allowing Zenith Bank to better prepare for future challenges and to align its resources and actions with its overarching objectives. Information Technology (IT) department of Zenith Bank Plc continues to invest in and enhance the bank\u27s technological infrastructure in order to support further improvements in employee productivity by providing advanced tools that facilitate better communication and operational efficiency
INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN SELECTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN THE SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA
No full textThe study examined the extent to which innovation influence competitive advantage in the selected manufacturing firms in the South-East, Nigeria. This study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population in this study was 2002 staff in the selected manufacturing firms in Southeast, Nigeria. Random sampling was used to obtain a sample size of 322 respondents. Primary data were collected with the use of structured questionnaire. Pearson Product-moment Correlation was used to test the hypothesis, which revealed that: innovation exerts a moderate statistical influence on competitive advantage in selected manufacturing firms in Southeast, Nigeria (r = 0.61, p < .01). In conclusion, innovative firms are likely to enjoy competitive advantage more than those who maintain old ways of doing business. The study recommends that manufacturing firms should continuously review and improve their product offerings by introducing innovative features and attributes that set them apart in the industry.
 
Socio-Demographic Variables as Predictors of Academic Resilience among In-School Adolescents in Imo State
No full textThis study examined socio-demographic variables as predictors of academic resilience among in-school adolescents in Imo State. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The correlation survey research design was adopted for this study. The population for this study comprises of 22, 159 SS 2 in-school adolescents in government owned secondary schools in Imo State. The sample for this study comprised 387 SS 2 in-school adolescents drawn from the six education zones in Imo state. This sample size was estimated using the Taro Yamane formula. The instruments for data collection are the student’s socio-demographic information and the academic resilience questionnaire which contains 12 items. The instruments were subjected to face and content validity by experts. The instruments for data collection were subjected to reliability test. Kuder-Richardson formula was used to establish reliability for the student’s socio-demographic information and yielded a coefficient of 0.73. The academic resilience questionnaire yielded a reliability index of 0.89. The administration of the instrument for data collection was done through direct delivery approach. Data relating to research questions 1-2 were analyzed using simple regression analysis, while research question 3 was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Similarly, simple and multiple regression analysis were used also to test null hypotheses 1-3. The findings of this study revealed that in-school adolescents’ age is a significant predictor of their academic resilience in Imo state. Parent’s educational level is a significant predictor of academic resilience of in-school adolescents in Imo state. Socio-demographic variables (in-school adolescents’ age, parent’s educational level) significantly predict academic resilience of in-school adolescents in Imo State. Conclusions were drawn and it was recommended among others that conferences and seminars should be organized for teachers to enlighten them on the different traits possessed by in-school adolescence. The conference will also throw light on the teaching strategies and management techniques for different skills
Selected Motivational Books by Nigerian Authors: A Pragma-stylistic Analysis of Blurbs
No full textA Blurb refers to a summary or promotional piece accompanying a creative work. It is usually deployed to function as a marketing or persuasive strategy aimed at getting the potential customers to buy and read a book. This study examined the blurbs of motivational books through pragma-stylistic approach. It investigated various pragma-stylistic devices deployed in the selected blurbs in relation to the contexts in which they are used. Blurbs of motivational books written by Nigerian authors constituted the data for the study; the blurbs were selected because the books discuss various topical issues that are of interest to Nigerians. Furthermore, motivational books were considered appropriate for this study, because virtually everybody wants to be motivated in every area of life. The data for this study were drawn from purposively selected blurbs of ten (10) motivational books written by Nigerian authors. The data were analysed with insights drawn from Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics. The study showed that the pragmatic features – reference, deixis, inference and allusion – play a prominent role in the composition of blurbs of motivational books written by Nigerian authorPragmatic features are employed in blurbs by Nigerian authors of motivational books as persuasive tools to convince readers to gladly buy the books. The study notes that the blurbs of motivational books by Nigerian authors are replete with reference, deixis, inference and allusion that play a great role in their structures
Language and Identity in Computer-Mediated Communication: A Study of Select Blockchain Communities
No full text
The rapid proliferation of blockchain technology has not only transformed financial systems but has also fostered the emergence of distinct online communities. Research has primarily focused on the technical, ethical, and financial aspects of blockchain technology, with limited attention given to its linguistic dimension. These communities exhibit unique linguistic practices that both shape and reflect their members\u27 identities. Therefore, this study is aimed at investigating the interplay between language and identity within select blockchain communities, to understand how linguistic behaviours in computer-mediated communication (CMC) contribute to identity construction and community cohesion. This study is framed by Gerry Philipsen\u27s Speech Codes Theory, which offers a framework for analyzing the cultural codes embedded in communication. It employs a netnography research design, using data sampled from distinct social media groups dedicated to blockchain discourse. Textual data from posts, comments, and interactions were subjected to content analysis to identify speech codes and their functions in constructing community identity. The findings reveal that blockchain communities utilize a distinct lexicon, marked by technical jargon, memes, and ideologically charged phrases. Additionally, language usage reflects underlying tensions between inclusivity and exclusivity, particularly in the negotiation of novice versus expert identities. The study concludes that language is central to identity construction in blockchain communities, functioning as both a tool for social bonding and a mechanism of gatekeeping. This research contributes to understanding the role of language in digital identity formation and offers insights into the cultural dynamics of emerging technological communities
Post-Colonial Humour, Displacement, and the Illusion of Self in V.S. Naipaul’s Miguel Street
No full textPostcolonial literature frequently explores themes of displacement, fractured identities, and cultural alienation, often using humour as a means of critique and survival. V.S. Naipaul’s Miguel Street exemplifies this narrative approach, depicting the lives of marginalized individuals in a post-colonial society grappling with the residual effects of colonialism. This study examines the intersection of humour, displacement, and the illusion of self in Miguel Street, highlighting how Naipaul employs satire, irony, and caricature to interrogate post-colonial identity formation. The study addresses a critical gap in post-colonial literary studies by exploring the complex relationship between humour and the psychological effects of displacement. While existing scholarship has primarily focused on the socio-political dimensions of Miguel Street, this study shifts the focus to the novel’s portrayal of self-perception and existential alienation within a post-colonial framework. The theoretical foundation for this research is drawn from post-colonial theory, particularly the works of Homi Bhabha on hybridity and mimicry, Frantz Fanon’s insights on colonial subjectivity. Methodologically, this study employs a close textual analysis of Miguel Street, focusing on narrative structure, character development, and thematic representations of humour and identity. Comparative literary analysis is also employed to position Naipaul’s work within broader post-colonial discourses. The findings reveal that humour in Miguel Street serves as both a coping mechanism and a subversive tool that challenges colonial and post-colonial power structures. The study further demonstrates that displacement in Naipaul’s narrative extends beyond physical dislocation, encompassing psychological and existential estrangement. By bridging the gap between post-colonial identity studies, this study contributes to the growing discourse on the role of narrative techniques in post-colonial literature. It further reveals the necessity of re-examining humour as a fundamental narrative device that not only reflects but actively constructs post-colonial subjectivities. The study ultimately enriches scholarly understandings of identity, displacement, and the performative aspects of selfhood in post-colonial contexts
Racial-Economic Disparities and Environmental Suffering in Postcolonial Africa: A Reading of Mbue’s How Beautiful we Were: Racial-Economic Disparities and Environmental Suffering in Postcolonial Africa: A Reading of Mbue’s How Beautiful we Were
No full textThis study examines racial-economic disparities and environmental suffering in postcolonial Africa through Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful we Were, drawing on Graham Huggan and Helen Tiffin’s theory of Postcolonial Ecocriticism. It explores how colonial legacies and neocolonial exploitation shape Kosawa’s socio-economic and ecological struggles, focusing on racial injustice, economic exclusion, and corporate greed. A qualitative analysis highlights the impact on Kosawa’s residents and their resistance, reflecting wider postcolonial African issues. Findings show that Kosawa’s Black residents suffer from Pexton’s oil pollution; tainted water, barren land, and illness, while being denied economic gains. Environmental racism, backed by a corrupt government and divide-and-rule tactics, weakens community unity and silences locals. Yet, Thula’s rise as a revolutionary reveals resilience amid tragedy, mirroring systemic inequities across postcolonial Africa. The study is significant for amplifying marginalized voices, linking literature to real-world African struggles, and advocating for policy reform and educational integration to foster equity and sustainability. It fills a research gap by analyzing the global silence on African environmental suffering and grassroots resistance, bridging postcolonial ecocriticism with racial-economic discourse.The study concludes that How Beautiful we Were exposes how historical exploitation fuels modern environmental and racial-economic injustices. Recommendations include stronger environmental regulations, community empowerment via education and activism, and political reform to end corruption and exploitation. Integrating postcolonial literature into education is also advised to raise awareness, aiming for a just and sustainable postcolonial Africa
Henry James and the Heightening of the Illusion of Reality in the Novel Form
No full textThe argument as to whether the serious idea of the novel appealed to no one among the English novelists before Henry James ventured into the novel form is a familiar one in the development of the novel as an art form. The received impression in a number of literary circles at the time James came into the scene was that the novelists before him were mere chroniclers who paid no attention to technical innovations that truly make a novel pass for a serious work of art. Indeed, the orthodox narrative was believed to be damagingly preoccupied with carefully developed illusion of sequentiality and formal characterization. In the light of this, James came to be widely believed to be the first English novelist who took the novel form seriously. This paper delves into this argument with a view to establishing its veracity or otherwise. It pays detailed attention to the innovations that James introduced to the novel form and juxtaposes them with what prevailed before him. The paper considers the difference between the ways the innovators represented by James told their story and how the earlier novelists like Daniel Defoe told theirs. However, while crediting James with a number of technical innovations that took the novel form to a new height, the paper recognizes at the same time that the novelists before James operated according to the dictates of the mode in their age and time and cannot therefore be dismissed as unskilled artists
Beyond the Literal: Pragmatic Modulation in the 2023 Nigerian Presidential Campaign Speeches of Peter Obi of Labour Party
No full textPolitical campaign discourse extends beyond literal meanings, relying on pragmatic strategies to shape public perception and influence voter behaviour. This study examines pragmatic modulation in the 2023 Nigerian presidential campaign speeches of Mr. Peter Obi, focusing on how linguistic strategies such as implicature, presupposition, metaphor, euphemism, and lexical pragmatics were employed to construct political narratives. The research adopts a qualitative discourse-analytic approach within the framework of Speech Act Theory and Relevance Theory in analyzing two purposively selected speeches: Obi’s pre-election address at Chatham House and his post-election speech following the Supreme Court judgment. The study identifies how Obi strategically adjusted his language to maximize contextual relevance, minimize cognitive effort, and enhance audience engagement. His pre-election speech emphasized reformist ideals, employing presuppositions and metaphors to frame governance challenges and solutions. His post-election speech, in contrast, modulated tone and implicature to manage political disappointment while reinforcing a continued political movement. By examining these shifts, the study highlights how pragmatic modulation is instrumental in shaping campaign rhetoric and post-election discourse. Findings contribute to political discourse and Nigerian political communication studies, offering insights into how candidates navigate sociopolitical realities, voter expectations, and electoral outcomes through language. The study underscores the need for further research into pragmatic strategies in African political discourse and their broader implications for democratic engagement.
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Women Organisations as Drivers of Grassroots Political and Social Participation in Niger State
No full textThis study investigates the role of women organisations in driving grassroots political and social participation in Niger State, Nigeria. While women groups have become central to civic engagement, their contributions at the local level remain under-documented. A descriptive survey design was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The population comprised leaders and members of women organisations, community development officers, and selected political office holders. Using multistage and stratified sampling, 600 respondents were drawn from six purposively selected local government areas across the three geopolitical zones of the state, ensuring representation from both rural and urban communities. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Expert validation confirmed the suitability of the instruments, and reliability was established with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.82. Quantitative data were analysed with descriptive statistics such as means and percentages, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Findings show that women organisations significantly enhance voter education, encourage female candidacy, and facilitate grassroots political dialogues. They also promote social development by spearheading vocational training, maternal health advocacy, poverty alleviation, and environmental sanitation. However, challenges including inadequate funding, cultural restrictions, weak institutional support, and limited media visibility hinder their broader impact. The study concludes that women organisations are indispensable to grassroots democracy and community development in Niger State. It recommended that there is need to increased public funding, the creation of gender units in local governments, stronger leadership capacity building, and strategic collaboration with male allies and traditional institutions to amplify their effectiveness