ESTAGA: JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES

Africa’s Perception of China: A Descriptive Discourse on Its Determinants

Anas Elochukwu — 2025-05-21

Perception is critical to understanding the type of relationship existing between individuals, groups or states. This element, moulded by different factors, is in a continual flux, since how A perceives B today is liable to change tomorrow. This paper is primarily about the two of the factors that have moulded Africa’s perception of China in the past seven decades, namely history and soft power. The discussion of these two determinants exposes the perceptual shift that has occurred since the end of the Cold War. Africa’s perception of China has tangibly changed since the end of that credible nuclear threat-backed ideological rivalry. During that war Africa regarded China as a friend and ally. After all, China had supported its independence politically, morally and with arms. However, since the three decades when it ended, Africa has regarded China differently---both as a competitor and as a neocolonialist predator. This paper, sourced with secondary data, discusses China’s use of history and soft power in an effort to build a positive image for itself in Africa.

Grammatical Errors in Selected Nigerian Newspapers and their Implications for Communication

Nwosu, Ngozi Juliet — 2025-05-21

The Nigerian newspapers are regarded as one of the mediums for, not only having access to current news but also learning good grammar. It is believed that before any information is published, the newspaper editors will ensure that it is error free. However, this view has not been entirely true as most of the newspapers are awash with various grammatical errors. This study therefore, made a grammatical analysis of errors in two selected Nigerian newspapers. The purpose was to identify the errors and their effects on the readers. To achieve this, the researcher adopted qualitative method of research in analyzing the data collected from the selected newspapers. Three research questions were raised for the research. Error Analysis Theory by Pit Corder was adopted in the study because of their relatedness. The researcher discovered grammatical errors such as morphological errors, tautology, concord errors, punctuation errors, among others. It was concluded that these errors have negative effects, such as reduction in readership and commercial patronage, on the newspaper organizations. Based on the findings, the study recommended that, sanctions should be made on the newspaper organizations that fail to properly edit their works to avoid misleading the reading public, since newspapers are the sources of information and education, too; newspaper organizations should employ grammar experts who will check for errors and make correction before they publish their works.

A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Placards and Visual Symbols in the 2024 End Bad Governance Protests in Nigeria

Esther Chika Anyanwu, Ph.D. — 2025-05-21

This study examines how Nigerian protesters used both words and images during the 2024 End Bad Governance protests to speak out against poor leadership and hardship. It focuses on the placards (signs) they carried and the symbols they used to send powerful messages. The research used Multimodal Discourse Analysis to study how words and visuals work together to create meaning. Pictures and news reports from the protests were used as the main data. The study is based on the Social Semiotics theory by Kress and van Leeuwen, which helps explain how different signs (words and images) carry meaning. The findingsshow that many of the messages on placards expressed pain, hunger, and the need for change. Protesters often used English, Nigerian Pidgin, and local languages to reach a wide audience. These messages helped bring people together and push for action. The study shows that combining language and visuals is a powerful way to protest. It suggests that schools and civic groups should teach young people how to use words and images to speak up for their rights.

Discourse Features and Patterns among Nigerian Students

Chukwunyere Daberechi Goodness — 2025-05-21

Discourse encompasses the complex interplay of language, context, and social dynamics in communication, shaping how individuals convey meaning, and construct shared understanding within various contexts. This paper investigated the various strategies employed by Nigerian students with a focus on discourses of students of Grace Court International School, Awka. It sought to find out how the discourse participant that initiates a talk can affect a conversation. Data were collected through recordings of random conversations of students outside the classroom, in the classroom and telephone conversations. Adopting Conversational Analysis as its theoretical framework, the study identified some features such as turn taking and move as well as some discourse genres. Through qualitative analysis of spoken interactions, the study uncovers patterns, linguistic strategies, and cultural influences shaping communication within this demographic. The findings contributed to understanding the dynamics of Nigerian student discourse, shedding light on language use and social interactions. The findings in this study among others are: (1) follow up move is a reinforcement tool as it helps in developing confidence in students. (2) In a conversation, certain participants may transition from one topic to another abruptly, as they feel that the topic is either not fitting, intrusive or impolite.

Language, Women and Education in Nigeria

Dr. Martina C. Uche — 2025-05-21

Frankly speaking, Language helps in women’s education. Education is to teach a person how to live his life by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality of life. When someone is educated, automatically, there is the possibility of a good life but Nigerian women today, and over the last twenty years, are facing a multifaceted crisis in the matter of education. Across the continent, there are still millions of women without access to education. This article is focused on language, women and education in Nigeria. The article adopted a conceptual study method and was guided by four objectives, which sought to know how language have been of importance to women’s education, the main purpose of education, state the barriers to Nigerian women’s access to education opportunity, and education as a master key for empowering Nigerian women. The study adopts a qualitative descriptive method, and also uses the communicative competence theory propounded by Dell Hymes in 1966. The study finds out that language helps women in their education. The study also finds out that there are barriers that made women not to have access to education and that most Nigerian women were not educated which made them feel so inferior. Some recommendations were made

Digital Humanities and Metaphor Theory: Developing New Methods for Analyzing Online Discourse

Ifunanya Laurencia Ebekue, PhD — 2025-05-21

This paper explores the intersection of Digital Humanities (DH) and metaphor theory as a means of developing innovative methodologies for analyzing online discourse. As digital communication takes a central role to contemporary life, understanding the metaphors imbued within digital language and platforms is essential for interpreting how users conceptualize their experiences in online spaces. Grounded in the conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, the study argues that metaphors are not merely stylistic features but cognitive tools that shape digital thought and behavior. Relying on examples from social media, online forums, and digital interfaces, the study examines how metaphors such as “networks,” “sharing,” and “virality” encode specific ideological and cultural meanings. These metaphors influence user interactions, structure narratives of connectivity and participation, and reveal underlying power structures in digital environments. By integrating computational tools with close textual analysis, this research proposes a hybrid DH methodology that bridges qualitative interpretation with large-scale data analysis. Ultimately, the paper contends that metaphor theory offers a critical lens for uncovering the rhetorical and cognitive frameworks that govern online discourse, providing scholars with new strategies to interpret digital culture in both granular and systemic ways.

Lexico-Grammatical Study of Nigerian Pidgin Used among Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) Undergraduate Students

Adejuwon Titilayo Rebecca — 2025-05-21

This study investigates the lexico-grammatical study of Nigerian Pidgin used by the undergraduates of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, in Nigeria, with the prospect of depicting some agreeable inference regarding the use of Pidgin among Nigerian university students. Data for this study were obtained primarily from casual speech of the students, through participant observation and recording of their interactions. Some flexible interviews were equally conducted to ascertain the variety spoken in their campus setting. Discussions on topical issues trending in Nigeria polity were initiated. These include the skyrocketing in the price of fuel, resulting from subsidy removal and consequently, hike in prices of virtually everything in the country, and how the government intends to relief people of the pains and anguish, through palliative measures were debated. The paper adopts Bales (1950) Social Interaction Theory as its theoretical framework. The study sought to investigate linguistic peculiarities of Nigerian Pidgin, especially the variety spoken in JABU. A qualitative method is employed for the analyses of the data. A descriptive analysis of the work is given. The findings reveal that JABU students communicate among themselves in pidgin language in an informal setting and that the lexicogrammatical structure of the

The Role of the Church in Anambra State in Promoting Decent Work and Economic Growth: Prospects and Challenges

Chigbo, Chiamaka Nkemdilim — 2025-05-21

The study sets out to x-ray the past and the present contributions of the Church in the economic development of Anambra state. A holistic query into the historic development of the state and indeed many states of Nigeria points to the elaborate contributions of the Church. Decent work and economic growth as the focal of this research is fortunately the number eight in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Undoubtedly, this goal highlighted has tremendous impact and connection to some other goals for sustainable development even more so for Africa. This research is however poised to search out those areas that the Church has continued to reinforce and affect opportunity for work and positive economic growth. This clearly goes with emphasis on provision of alternatives for unemployment. The method of this qualitative research is historical and analytical as it considers those challenges mitigating expected result and growth. It identifies inadequate collaboration and partnership, corruption, decline in morality and insecurity as those obstacles. Findings showed that collaboration, integrative ethical education strategy, adequate funding as well as monitoring of these schemes and projects founded by the Church will improve the probability of the success.

Audio-Visual Animations as an Efficient Tool for Fostering Lifelong Learning in Young Minds: A Study of Greg Bailey's Arthur and Jay Jeon's Cocomelon

Dr. Stella Uchenna Nwofor — 2025-05-21

The traditional mode of learning which is concerned with direct teacher-student communication has continued to experience constant hitches in the process of learning, this is because parents, teachers and tutors are yet to fully understand the core benefits of making use of the audio-visual mode of teaching and learning, which is concerned with the use of sound, speech, pictures and videos to teach children in other to make memorable and exciting. However, this study explored audio-visual communication as an efficient tool for fostering lifelong learning in young minds, using two animated films Arthur (1996) and Cocomelon (2018) as case studies, selected through the purposive sampling technique of qualitative research method for critical evaluation. The study utilized the multimodal learning theory for analysis and its findings reveal that the utilization of audio-visual mode of communication will not only help in the simplification of the learning process for young minds but also make teaching more enjoyable for the parties involved. The researchers recommend that in the bid to teach young minds with the use of audiovisual means of communication, tutors should review properly the audio and visual materials they intend to show these young minds to ensure it is age –appropriate.

Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): An Analysis of Social Inequalities and Material Consequences of Discourse in our Contemporary Society

Doris, Paschal-Mbakwe — 2025-05-21

Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is an interdisciplinary research field that critically examines how discourses perpetuate social inequalities and material consequences of discourse. It is composed of multiple yet distinct theoretical and methodological approaches used for critically describing, interpreting, and explaining the ways in which discourses construct, maintain, and legitimize social inequalities. The study critically analyses the basic approaches or techniques and the relationship between techniques and critical discourse. Each approach has its own particular agenda, yet despite this diversity, CDA scholars commonly view language as a form of social practice, and are concerned with systematically investigating hidden power relations and ideologies embedded in discourse. They are likewise dedicated to examining the social and material consequences of discourse. According to T. S. Elliot, “Criticism is as inevitable as breathing.” Semiology is the theoretical approach used for the study. The study attempts to clarify what it means to say that one is doing critical discourse analysis and sheds light on the principles underlying the concept. It also examined the characteristics of CDA and its main aim which is to look beyond the literal meaning of language and explore the links between language use and social practice. The methods and techniques that CDA draws on, as well as the focal approaches to it as have been put forth by many prominent scholars are also analyzed. The study discovers that critical discourse is conditioned by the methods and techniques associated with literature. These methods and techniques of critical discourse provide valuable tools for the study of written texts, with objectivity and precision. The paper concludes with James Reeves idea and assertion that, “We shall enjoy literature (spoken or written) more if we enjoy it critically”