A Pragmatic Analysis of Selected Obituaries In Nigerian Newspapers

Since the inception of Pragmatics as an independent approach to meaning has independent linguistic study, the approach to meaning has encountered an enormous change. Meaning has been perceived beyond the sentence level. The aim of this paper was to do a pragmatic analysis of selected obituaries in Nigerian newspapers; Nigerian Tribune, The Nation and The Punch. These papers were purposively selected because obituaries were regularly published and publicized through them in a mournful manner and this called for a critical linguistic study by analyzing the mournful use of language with a view to finding out their effects on the decoders. The study of language has been extended significantly beyond mere description of linguistic properties to the various ways which individual communicators convey meanings in different socio-cultural contexts. The theoretical framework for this study is pragmatics. This is because pragmatics has been able to account for social meanings and give new insights to the understanding of literary texts and thus, helping in formulating strategies for the teaching and learning of language. Three Nigerian newspapers namely Nigerian Tribune, The Nation and the Punch were purposively selected for data collection. Relevant texts on obituaries were extracted from them and were critically analyzed for the purpose of this study. It was found out that relatives and friends of the deceased publicized the death of the deceased as memories and sympathy for the departed souls. It is recommended that obituaries should be used for the teaching and learning of English as a Second Language because funerals and obituaries are a significant aspect of African culture.

Like as an Approximative Adverb in Formal Quantificational Contexts in Nigerian English Usage

Some of the occurrences of like in Nigerian English usage reveal diverse linguistic dimensions that are different in forms and functions from conventionally known discourse markers. This study investigates the use of like as an approximative adverb in the formal speech situations of selected educated Nigerians with the aim of highlighting the implications that this speech mannerism may hold for English usage in Nigeria. The study adopts Labov's variability theory which explains language variation in relation to social variables. Relevant data on the use of like were drawn from purposively sampled radio and television programmes. Qualitative data were subjected to sociolinguistic analysis while quantitative data were analysed, using frequency count. Findings revealed the occurrence of like as a substitute for the approximative adverb – about. There were structures which showed the occurrence of like alone as a substitute for about; like occurring after for; and like co-occurring with about either side by side or at some point within the sentence or utterance. There were more occurrences of like as a substitute for about in the speech samples of the graduate participants than there were in those of the undergraduate participants. English usage in formal contexts by educated Nigerians reveals that like has an extended meaning in formal contexts as a synonym for the approximative adverb – about – a pattern which is unacceptable in formal English usage.

PROSTATE CANCER IN RURAL NIGERIA: DIMENSIONS, CULTURAL INTERPRETATIONS, COSTAND CARE

In connection with the global prevalence of prostate cancer, the incidence of prostate cancer in Nigeria is an emerging burden that requires urgent attention. While most health policies have focused on the female gender and children, it has left most men at significant risk of health problems and challenges which are dire. In the general context of cancer and its predominance in the population of people aged 40 and over, middle aged and older men have been found to be increasingly at risk. Hence the paper examines the dimension of prostate cancer in rural Nigeria. Although socio-cultural and economic factors play significant role in the health-related decisions of the human population, the paper discusses the cultural interpretations associated with prostate cancer. It also engages previous studies being a review paper on the cost and care for people affected with the disease. In conclusion, the lack of commensurate coping resources, rural dwellers are disproportionally impacted, both by the disease and the socio-economic burdens of prostate cancer, hence the need for more policies/action to address prostate cancer prevalence and incidence in rural areas of Nigeria

Inflation and Stock Returns: Implication for Nigerian Stock Exchange Market

Understanding various hypotheses often dictates the nexus between inflation and stock returns and over the years studies have failed to establish which among these hypotheses are examined in Nigeria. Therefore, this present study examines the long-run relationships and dynamic interactions between stock returns and inflation in Nigeria using quarterly data of the All Share Price Index from the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Inflation rate together with other selected macroeconomic variables such as interest rate, exchange rate and growth in real GDP from 1985Q1 to 2018Q4. The analytical technique of Vector Error Correction Model, Johansen Co-integration technique and Granger Causality test were exploited. From the results, it is evident there exists a long run relationship between stock returns and inflation in Nigeria. The short run dynamic model also revealed that the speed of convergence to equilibrium is moderate implying that there is a short run relationship between stock returns and inflation. However, in order to establish the causal links and its directions between inflation rate and stock returns, the Johansen co-integration shows that there exist a unidirectional relationship between stock return and inflation rate. This is attributable perhaps to the instability of prices of stocks noticed over time and also the study supported the Proxy hypothesis. Based on the above, it is a perfect avenue for investors to use in an attempt to hedge against inflation.

Analysis of Savings and Investment Patterns Among Rural Farming Households in Yewa Division, Ogun State, Nigeria

This study examined the analysis of savings and investment patterns among rural farming households in Yewa Division of Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was based on primary data obtained in a cross-section of 120 farming households drawn by multi- stage random sampling.Results showed that 44.2% were males with age bracket 31 – 40 years. The famers were mostly married 90.8% and 52.5% practice Islamic religion. The percentage of those that were educated was 64.2% and majority of these farmers (37.5%) had a farming experience of about 6-10years. The income level earned by these farmers was majorly between N20,000.00–N40,000.00 which is approximately (50%) of the entire sampled households.The Regression 2 Analysis of the determinants of savings among the respondents revealed an Adjusted R value of 0.579 which implies that 57.9% of the variation in dependent variable (Y) which is farm output is accounted for by the selection of socio-economic variables (X -X ) included in the model.Evidence from the study shows that 1 8 age, marital status and return on investment are statically significant in determining the investment pattern of the farmers in the survey area. It is therefore recommended that support should be given for the establishment of farm service centres reasonably close to the farmers, through which they may be able to gain access to modern inputs

Sexual Harassment on Campus: A Study in a Nigeria University

Sexual harassment (SH) is increasingly reported as an issue of major concern among both students and staff on campuses across the globe, and has been confirmed to have social and psychological consequences on the victim. However, the scale of the menace is underplayed because of under-reporting of cases. As a way to containing and/or regulating the behaviour, it is therefore imperative to obtain credible evidence on the veracity, the different forms, and how they play out to affect student victims with a view to foster an equitable campus climate. Thus, against the magnitude of the anecdotal reports on SH and the absence of empirical evidence on its extent, this study is concerned with obtaining baseline data on the forms and prevalence of campus-based sexual harassment, as well as ascertaining the awareness and knowledge of SH among undergraduates in a Nigeria University (OOU). An exploratory study involving cross-sectional survey of 1420 males and females was undertaken cutting across the faculties and levels in the University. The findings confirmed the existence of sexual harassment in OOU campus, though reported not to be on a rampant scale. Also, the behavior elements that indicate features of a hostile-environment harassment were reported with most likely occurrence on the campus. The policy implications of the findings were highlighted and recommendations made towards the prevention of SH victimization on the University campus.

Newspaper Framing of Issues in the 1999 Yoruba-Hausa Inter-ethnic Conflict in Sagamu

This study examines the characterisation of issues in the 1999 Yoruba-Hausa inter-ethnic conflict in Sagamu, south-western Nigeria. The occurrence of the1999 Yoruba-Hausa conflict in Sagamu had some historical significance. It was the first inter-ethnic conflict that occurred two months after the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria in 1999. Furthermore, it was the first inter-ethnic conflict between the Yoruba and the Hausa in Sagamu community after many centuries of peaceful co-existence. Therefore, the authors investigate how four major Nigerian national newspapers, National Concord, The Guardian, The Punch and Nigerian Tribune reported and characterised issues during this conflict. The study triangulates between indepth interview and content analysis research methods for data gathering in order to unpack issues embedded in the research questions. Theoretically, the study explicates framing theory given its relationship and appropriateness to the characterisation of issues in the selected newspapers in relation to the conflict. This study finds that the largest number of the stories analysed were characterised and framed around disunity and disintegration while death and economy dominate the themes that were reported in the selected newspapers over other themes. Therefore, the study concludes that, the strategic position of a newspaper is a considerable factor that should propel journalists to place high premium on social responsibility, public service and accountability in conflict reporting.

Surface Features of Code-switching in ‘The Nigerian Online Community’ Page on Facebook

Existing studies on code-switching have mainly been carried out among English/Chinese bilinguals. Studies on English/Yoruba/Pidgin English bilinguals with emphasis on code-mixing and code-switching on the Internet have been grossly insufficient. Therefore, this study reveals the surface features of code-switching among Yoruba/English/Pidgin English bilinguals in the Nigerian Online Community on Facebook. For theoretical framework, we relied on insights from Halliday’s (1994) functional theory of language. Five types of surface features were identified: simplified lexicon and sentences, non-adherence to the use of tones/diacritics, inconsistencies of spellings and words, unnecessary lengthening of letters, and tolerance of surface errors. The study has revealed the distinctive features of code-switching in the Nigerian Online Community page on Facebook. These linguistic features have thrown more light on the characteristics of the language use on the Facebook forum and how the posters use the codes in their speech repertoire to achieve this

Democracy and Political Marketing in Nigeria: 2015, The Critical Turning Point

Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation which started in 1999 entered its sixteenth year with the general elections held between March 28 and April 11, 2015. This study takes a retrospective look at Nigeria’s democratic journey since independence, with particular emphasis on the 2015 Presidential elections won by the opposition All Progressive Congress’ (APC) candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari. The processes leading to the 2015 general elections; its results and reactions to the results and the electoral process are reviewed from the political marketing perspective. Survey, observation and review of relevant literature formed the body of data for the study. The study submits that market-oriented strategy is starting to evolve in Nigeria and also that the country has reached a critical juncture in her democratic journey and she cannot afford to slide back.

Curbing Examination Malpractices through Information Literacy Programmes

Examination is a driving force for determining the future of schooling and learning. The future of education in Nigeria is being endangered by examination malpractices which seem to have defied solutions, as all measures applied so far have been undermined by fraudsters. The purpose of this paper therefore is to bring to light the various ways and means by which Librarians in Nigeria could enhance a seamless transition from academic dishonesty/misconduct to honest work that leads to great success. The paper thus discusses examination malpractices in its various dimensions. The devastating effects of examination malpractices on students’ educational growth and development, educational institutions and the society as a whole are also highlighted. The roles of libraries and librarians in curbing this societal menace are also discussed while recommendations for its alleviation, if not total elimination from the Nigerian educational system are proffered from a librarian’s point of view.