Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies

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    Open Access
    Towards A Classification of Igbo Riddles
    (Ihafa: A Journal of African Studies. A Journal of the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, 1992-08-06) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Riddles have been part of the peoples oral tradition whose study has, over the ages, attracted and continue to attract the attention of scholars. Early interest in them was shown by Aristotle whose comments on the relationship between riddle and metaphor appeared in his The Rhetoric Book 111 Chapter 2 and The Poetic XXII. Others who have shown interest in the genre include Karl Mullenhoff and Gaston Paris both of whom encouraged comparative riddles. It is therefore necessary that a more comprehensive classification of the Igbo riddles should be made. This, we believe will give more insights into the nature of Igbo riddles.
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    Open Access
    Classical Influences on Igbo Literatures: The Example of Ogbalu Dimpka Taa Aku Onyekaonwu Nwata Rie Awo
    (Ihafa: A Journal of African Studies. A Journal of the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, 1998-02-01) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Some writers of modern literature have shown in their works a considerable level of influence of classical literatures on them. Some factors responsible for this are the late emergence of written Igbo literature. There were no written works on Igbo poetry and drama until early 1970s, after the Nigerian civil war. It is unimaginable therefore that what were available in the school curricula for the teachers and students to fall back on were only classical literary works.
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    Open Access
    A Classificatory Model for Igbo Myths
    (Ihafa: A Journal of African Studies. A Journal of the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, 1999-02-02) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Scholars have noted that oral literature is part of folklore. With particular reference to Igbo, they identified ten distinct components of folklore, seven of which have been grouped by other western authors in depicting what constitutes as Igbo Oral Literature. They are seen as Drama, Myth, Poetry, Legend, Folktale, Anecdote, Proverb, Praise names, Riddles and Tongue twisters. These components embrace the three major genres into which oral Igbo literature is classified, namely oral poetry, folktales and traditional drama. To allow for a comprehensive view of Igbo myths, we shall attempt here, a classification that will cover a variety of subjects of myths.
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    Open Access
    History of Linguistics
    (Department of Linguistics, University of Ilorin, 1999-02-03) Ajíbóyè, O
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    Open Access
    A Comparative Study of Vowel Assimilation in Moba and Standard Yoruba
    (Alore: Ilorin Journal of Humanities, 1999-10-01) Ajíbóyè, O
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    Open Access
    Myths as a genre of Igbo Oral Literature
    (Igede Igbo. Journal of Igbo Studies, 2000-06-19) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Oral literature is one area that has for many years captured the interest of' scholars and students, especially within the African continent. Akporobaro (200 1 : 36) offers six variant definitions of' oral literature. One of them which appeals more to us is adopted here as an operative definition. It states that oral literature is the imaginative compositions distinguished by their beauty of forms of expressions and local ideas developed over the years by a people and handed down one generation an another by words of mouth. Oral literature exists in various forms one of which is myth (see Dundes 1965, 1967: Lusweti, 1984: Chukwuma 1986, 1994:Ikwubuzo 1998; Akporobaro 2001). The New Webster's Dictionary of the English Language (1997) defines myth as an old traditional story or legend especially concerning fabulous or supernatural beings, giving expression to the early beliefs, aspirations and perceptions of a people and often serving to explain natural phenomenon or origins of a people, etc… Akporobaro(2001: 230)Whose own idea of mythdoes not differ from the above definition writes as follows highlighting a few but different focuses of myths: Myths usually originates in ancient, oral tradition. Some explain origins, natural phenomena and death; others describes nature and function of divinities; while still others provide models of virtuous behavior by relating the adventures of heroes or the misfortune of arrogant humans. He also points out that myths often include elements or legend. Earlier, Chukwuma (1994 : 31) has noted that myth is the category of tales that deals with origins and extraordinary phenomena. Citing that such things as “rivers, big and outside human control, unusual natural phenomena as groves and huge trees are aptly accommodated in a mythicschema.” Until recently, little attention was given to the study of Igbo Myth. While some Igbo literary scholars merely identified myth as a genre of Igbo oral literature (Ezikeojiaku, 1985; Chukwuma 1986; Nwadike 1992, etc), others went a little further than mere identification of where to classify it to include some analyses of few samples of myth from the field of (Nwaozuzu1980: Opkewho 1983; Chukwuma, 1987, 1 994). This state of affairs in the study Igbo Myth prompted the remark by Ikwubuzo (1998:533) that "unlike folktale…which has for many years now been taught as a full-fledged course, the study of Igbo Myth has not been given enough attention." In most cases some teachers of Igbo oral literature mention myth in passing without giving it any in-depth exposition. For instance, none of the studies that identified myth as a genre of oral literature considered how myth possesses the qualities of oral literature in order to give an insight into its nature. I have elsewhere proposed a classifications framework for Igbo myth. And since a number of previous studies have already identified myth as one of the major oral literary forms, it is neither the intention of this paper to recapitulate the issue of the classification of oral literature nor to go into the contention of Finnegan's ( 1970) claim that myth does not seem to be "a characteristic African at all" for this claim has long been invalidated by research findings (Goody, 1972; Beier, 1980; Chukwuma, 1994; Ikwubuzo, 1 998; Akporobaro, 2001, etc). This paper rather aims at considering how myth shares the features with which oral literature is associated and identified. The subject will be discussed with reference to Igbo myth.
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    Open Access
    Hero Motif in Achara's Novels: Ala Bingo & Elelia Na Ihe O Mere
    (Castalia: Ibadan Journal of Multicultural/ Multidisciplinary Studies, 2000-09-04) Ikwubuzo, I.
    The hero is a universal archetype of deliverance that lives in the collective unconscious of mankind. The concept of the hero is universal because it is found in all the traditions of the world. In the hero myths across cultures, we have personages who possess superhuman capabilities- primordial people or great men who transformed human conditions. Through their actions or deaths, these heroes liberate their people from oppressions or problems and challenges that threaten their existence. The problem may be famine, diseases, war, extermination, severe defeat in ravaging war, captivity or incessant raid on the people.
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    Open Access
    Towards the Modernization of Igbo Theatre
    (Advances in African Language and Literature, Essays in Memory of Nnabuenyi Ogonna, Vita-Nasco Nigeria Ltd., 2001-01-06) Ikwubuzo, I.
    The existence of authentic Igbo traditional drama need not be over emphasized, for its validity alongside other black African dramas has long been affirmed by many scholars who perceived African drama as full-fledged drama. Talking about the existence, origin and development of Igbo traditional drama, Ugonna (1979:4) posts that Igbo drama, like ancient Egyptian, Greek, Japanese and Chinese drama, has been of great antiquity. like drama in general, it owes its rise to two aspects of human life, the religious and the mimetic.
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    Open Access
    Divergent Views on the Concept of Myth
    (Ihafa: A Journal of African Studies. A Journal of the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, 2001-02-02) Ikwubuzo, I.
    In the various attempts to conceptualize what myth really is, opinions are varied as to the truth or falsity of myth. Views on both the true and untrue nature of myth are prominent in most discussion of myth. It has also been expressed that myth is neither true nor false. This is largely so because there are more than one method of mythological interpretations. In this paper, we shall briefly highlight some of these views and their exponents.
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    Open Access
    A Comparative Study of Edo and Yoruba Vowels
    (Current Research on African Languages and Linguistics, University of British Columbia, 2001-03-03) Ajíbóyè, O
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    Ethic Integration and Social Harmony In Nigeria: The Igbo Literary Artist as a Nationalist
    (The Humanistic Management of Pluralism: A Formula For Development in Nigeria. A Publication of the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos., 2001-04-11) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Any keen observer of the unfolding social, economic and political realities in Nigeria in recent times would concur that the increasing clamor for ethnic self-determination and its attendant pluralism of militia groups pose a great challenge to the stability of Nigeria as apolitical entity . One would further agree that it is a development that portends fear about the collective security of the nation. The problem of ethnicity is generated by cultural pluralism (okita, 1997). We have different cultures in Nigeria; members of the same culture tend to identify more with one another than with members of other cultures One dangerous effect of the growing ethnic consciousness in Nigeria is that it enkindles ethnic disharmony which could in turn engender ethnic disintegration.
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    Open Access
    A Cross-Dialectal Study of the Syllabic Nasal in Yoruba
    (California State University, Fresno, California, 2001-11-07) Ajíbóyè, O
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    Open Access
    Igbo Riddles and the Education of the Igbo Child
    (African Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Curriculum Studies, University of Lagos, 2002-06-01) Ikwubuzo, I.
    It is believed that apart from formal education, there are various inform always through which one could be educated. The concept of education itself entails more than the deliberate processes of school and college training. It includes among others, the indirect effect produced on character and on human faculties. The Igbo riddles (Agwugwa or Gwamgwamgwam) constituted one of the informal ways of educating the Igbo child in traditional Igbo society before the advent of formal education in Nigeria.This paper examines the role Igbo riddles could play in educating the Igbo child. The insight to be gained from the paper is that even in the era of informal education, Igbo riddles, because of their rich content, complement formal education; they have the capacity to imbue the child with such knowledge that cannot be acquired through formal education.
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    Open Access
    National Development: Igbo Literature as instrument of mobilisation and orientation
    (Journal of Nigerian Languages and Culture (JONLAC), 2002-06-03) Ikwubuzo, I.
    To sensitize the people to the desirable political climate needed by our nascent democracy to survive, a mass mobilization and orientation of the Nigerian populace is essential. Successive governments have at different times initiated and embarked on mobilization campaigns using different instruments. Literature, because of its power to impact on the life of the people in society can also be a mobilizing instrument. The present government has recently launched a campaign on National Rebirth and established National Orientation Agency, all with the aim of mobilizing Nigerians to be better citizens. But its role, especially literature in Nigerian Languages, in the mobilization campaigns of the government has been overlooked and neglected over the years. This paper submits that Igbo literature can be an effective instrument of mobilization and orientation towards the achievement of national development. The paper is in three parts. The first is the introduction that states in brief the focus of the paper. The second part highlights the Nigeria situation, itsproblems and efforts being made to find solutions, while the third part discusses the relevance of theliterary artist's work to his society, and goes on to examine the content of a poem in Igbo language and how it can be instrumental inmobilizing people.
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    Open Access
    The social contexts of verbal arts in Yoruba indigenous healthcare practices.
    (Folk Belief and Media Group of Estonian Literary Museum, 2003) Orimoogunje, O.C.
    This article will give an overview about the social context of Yoruba verbal arts connected with healthcare practices (see http://www.yorubanation.org/Yoruba.htm). The “context” is described as a state or fact of being advantageous to the purpose to which a thing can be applied, and its manner of “using” or power of “using”. Furthermore, it could be regarded as a phenomenon that describes how, when, where, to whom and by whom the verbal arts under question are rendered. Therefore, we shall attempt to discuss the social contexts the verbal arts are used in the Yoruba indigenous healthcare system. The social uses of folklore in healthcare are discussed at three distinct levels: domestic, communal and intercommunal levels.
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    Open Access
    Assimilation in the Mkporo Dialect of Igbo
    (African Cultural Institute, 2004) Okafor, E. E.
    Staff Publications
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    Open Access
    A Syntactic Analysis of Yorùbá Anaphora System’. AMU
    (Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, 2005) Ilọri, J.F.
    Full texts attached
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    The Element of Symbolism in non-animals featured in the Yorùbá Health-related Genres
    (International Journal of Humanities and Cultures, University of Gafsa, Tunisia, 2005-02-03) Orimoogunje, O.C
    This paper will attempt a study of how symbolism portrays some in-animate objects featured in the verbal arts used in the Yorùbá indigenous healthcare practices. We shall attempt to show how symbolism is related to in-animate characters in the indigenous healthcare practices. We shall analyse the texts under study at the metaphorical level taking their socio-cultural contexts into consideration. The psychological dimension on the users of health-related genres will also be investigated. various scholars have used Symbolism as a critical concept and tool in their analysis of literary works.
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    Open Access
    The Image of the Igbo Gods in Chukwuezi’s Akwu Fechaa and Akwa Nwa
    (A Publication of the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, Unviersity of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, 2005-08-18) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Chukwuezi’s creative writings in Igbo, particularly his plays are committed to reflecting the Igbo traditional way of life. In his depiction of the Igbo world, he sometimes portrays the conflict between Igbo culture and western tradition. And he uses his literary works to express his strong belief in his conservation of Igbo cultural values. Thematically, Chukwuezi has, among others, found in Igbo traditional religion source material for his creative works. Two of his plays, Aku Fechaa ( 1979a) and Akwa Nwa (1979b) for instance, are based on Igbo traditional religions belief, and the recurrent element in the two literary works is the myth of invincibility and irresistible power of the Igbo deities.
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    Towards Pan Igbo Unity in the 21st Century: Igbo Myths of Origin as a tool
    (A Journal of Nigerian Languages and Culture: JONLAC, 2005-09-07) Ikwubuzo, I.
    Some extant Igbo myths of origin. portray Ndiigbo as a people with a common primordial descent. Over the millennia the Igbo have experienced steady growth and expansion to the point that the Igbo nation today no longer reckons with that original bond of kinship relation as revealed in their mythology. The modern Igbo society is as volatile as any other society in Africa. Conflict incidents and situations that trigger inter community feud as evidenced by that between Aguleri and Umuleri in Anambra state, do arise. Ndiigbo are seen by other Nigerians as a people who are anything but united as demonstrated by their undaunted readiness to sabotage one another in their selfish quest for political offices, and the lack of will they exhibit in the pursuit of any common goal for their collective well being. The discordant tone that greets any attempt (such as the recent one by Ohanaeze) tomake Ndiigbo form a common front for them to make positive impact on the Nigerian polity is positive impact on the Nigerian polity is a clear indication of their disunity which affects not only the realization of their political ambition but also their attainment of desired heights in other spheres of national life. This paper first of all highlights some instances of incidents and attitudes that illustrate the disunity of Ndiigbo. The paper then attempts to demonstrate that one of the ways of stemming the tide of disunity among Ndiigbo lies in emphasizing the people's common descent using their myths of origin some of which embody the tenets of Igbo/African traditional philosophy of life that encourages tolerance, peace, hospitality and being one's brother's keeper; and condemns violence, murder and other forms of abominable acts. The paper, therefore, explores the possibility of using Igbo myths of origin to re-orientate, educate and sensitize the younger generation of Ndiigbo in the 21" century about their close affinity. It suggests that disseminating the information on the close affinity of Ndiigbo will promote the unity of the Igbo nation. Finally, the paper recommends the introduction of Igbo myths of origin into the oral literature curricula of our schools, and the encouragement of our dramatists to adapt such myths for dramas or films for public consumption. This way, myth can be a tool for enhancing pan Igbo unity in the 21st century, and thus the veracity of the Igbo saying, 'ldin'otubuike'(Unity is strength), will be more appreciated.