FACULTY OF ARTS

This study examines the persistent challenge of bad governance in Nigeria, tracing its roots from the colonial era through the post-independence period. It argues that many of the structural weaknesses evident in governance today such as corruption, weak institutions, and lack of accountability have historical foundations in colonial administrative practices that prioritized exploitation over development. Following independence in 1960, successive governments struggled to dismantle these inherited systems, often perpetuating inefficiency, political instability, and elite dominance. The study critically analyses both pre- and post-independence governance frameworks, highlighting key failures while also identifying moments of reform and resilience. It further explores the socio-economic consequences of bad governance, including poverty, inequality, and underdevelopment. In response, the study proposes a framework for revamping governance in Nigeria through institutional strengthening, ethical leadership, citizen participation, and policy reforms aimed at transparency and sustainable development. Ultimately, it concludes that overcoming the legacy of bad governance requires a deliberate break from past practices and a commitment to inclusive and accountable governance systems.

This study examines the exercise and consequences of religious power in Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God, with particular focus on the character of Ezeulu, the chief priest of Ulu. It explores how Achebe uses Ezeulu’s leadership crisis to critique the dangers of absolute spiritual authority and its effects on communal stability within a traditional Igbo society undergoing colonial disruption. The research employs qualitative textual analysis, guided by Postcolonial Theory and Michel Foucault’s Power Theory, to interrogate how religious leadership intersects with issues of pride, resistance, and social change. Findings reveal that Achebe presents Ezeulu as a tragic figure whose rigid adherence to divine instruction and unwillingness to adapt to colonial and communal pressures ultimately lead to his downfall and the disintegration of traditional religious order. The study also demonstrates that colonial interference and the rise of Christianity exacerbate the collapse of indigenous authority, signalling the broader cultural shifts from traditionalism to modernity. By highlighting the intersection between religion, power, and politics, the research concludes that Achebe’s Arrow of God is a profound commentary on leadership, spiritual absolutism, and the fragility of traditional institutions when confronted by internal rigidity and external domination.

This study specifically seeks to identify the major morphological processes in the language, analyze how they operate using examples from native speakers, identify their semantic functions, and describe the structural patterns and rules governing their use. The study is anchored on the Item- and-Arrangement theoretical framework, which explains how morphemes combine systematically to form complex words. Data for the study were collected through oral interviews with native Edo speakers and from written Edo texts. The sample population comprised adult native speakers of Edo language drawn from Benin City and its environs. The findings reveal that Edo employs several productive morphological processes such as affixation (prefixation, suffixation, circumfixation, and suprafixation), reduplication, compounding, and infixation. These processes play significant roles in deriving new words, marking grammatical categories, and extending meaning. The study further shows that tonal variation functions as a suprafix, affecting word meaning and grammatical distinctions. The need for this study arises from the relative lack of detailed morphological description of Edo despite its linguistic richness. The hypothesis that Edo morphological processes are rule-governed and structurally patterned was confirmed. In conclusion, the study contributes to the understanding of Edo morphology and provides a basis for further linguistic research on Niger-Congo language.

This study investigates the sociolinguistic patterns of greetings in the Ngwà dialect of the Igbo language, with the aim of identifying, documenting, and analysing the various forms, functions, and social variables influencing their use. The motivation for this research stems from the growing concern over the gradual erosion of indigenous communicative practices in Ngwà society due to modernization, language contact, and urbanization. The study adopts a qualitative ethnographic approach, involving participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and natural speech recordings from native speakers across different age, gender, and occupational groups. The analysis is grounded in Hymes’ (1972) Ethnography of Communication theory, which provided the framework for understanding the cultural, pragmatic, and interpersonal dynamics of greeting exchanges. Findings reveal that greetings in Ngwà dialect serve vital functions beyond mere phatic communion; they reinforce social hierarchy, express respect, and sustain kinship solidarity. Moreover, factors such as age, gender, and situational context significantly determine greeting choices and strategies. The study concludes that preserving Ngwà greeting traditions is crucial for maintaining both linguistic and cultural identity within the broader Igbo community.

This study examines the use of metaphor as a tool for social criticism in selected poems from Kola Eke’s August 1985. The research explores how Eke employs figurative expressions to expose and challenge social, political, and economic injustices in Nigerian society. Through vivid metaphors, the poet critiques corruption, class oppression, gender inequality, and moral decay that characterize post-colonial realities. The study interprets these metaphors as symbols of resistance and social awakening, reflecting the voice of the marginalized and the oppressed. The analysis focuses on how Eke transforms ordinary experiences into powerful social commentaries that provoke thought and inspire change. His language of protest and imagery of struggle reveal the tension between the ruling elite and the common people, making his poetry not only artistic but revolutionary. The study finds that Eke’s metaphors deepen the meaning of his criticism, turning poetic language into a weapon of awareness and reform.
The research concludes that metaphor in August 1985 is not just a stylistic device but a conscious political act. It exposes inequality, questions authority, and advocates social justice. By merging art with activism, Kola Eke’s poetry strengthens the tradition of Nigerian writers who use literature to mirror society and drive transformation.

This study investigates the stylistic rendition of hymns in selected Pentecostal churches in Benin City, Nigeria.
While African Christian music has received considerable scholarly attention, limited studies have provided detailed stylistic and ethnographic analyses of hymn performance within Edo State’s unique socio-cultural context, as most focus on broader or Yorùbá settings. This research fills that gap by examining how hymns are musically, linguistically, and theologically reconfigured across five major Pentecostal denominations in Benin City. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study integrates stylistic analysis covering phonology, lexis, syntax, and semantics—with ethnographic methods. Data were obtained through non-participant observation, audio recordings, and semi-structured interviews with pastors, music leaders, and congregants. Findings are expected to reveal that hymn renditions in these churches feature increased tempo and rhythmic intensity, code-switching into Nigerian Pidgin and Edo languages, and semantic expansion through new themes emphasizing prosperity, healing, and spiritual
warfare. These stylistic adaptations reflect intentional strategies by church leaders to foster cultural relevance, encourage congregational engagement, and root theological messages in the local lived realities of worshippers. Ultimately, the study contributes to African religious and music scholarship by offering a contextualized framework for understanding the dynamic interplay between musical performance, linguistic adaptation, and theological interpretation in Pentecostal worship in Benin City

This study examines how societal maladies are depicted and understood in Nigerian society. It does so by comparing two well-known Nigerian literary works: Frank Ogbeche's Harvest of Corruption and Femi Osofisan's Midnight Hotel. Instead of focusing on specific details, the study takes a thematic approach to explore the various aspects of these societal issues as presented in the two narratives. By closely analyzing the characters, plot developments, and socio-political contexts, the project aims to reveal the authors' criticisms and observations of the current realities in Nigeria. Additionally, by comparing the treatment of these themes in the two works, the study provides insights into the unique perspectives and storytelling techniques employed by the authors. Ultimately, this project enhances our understanding of the complex dynamics surrounding political corruption, sexual immorality, and religious bigotry in contemporary Nigerian literature. It also emphasizes the role of literature as a reflection of societal norms, challenges, and aspirations.

This study investigates the phenomenon of generational language change and variation in the Edo language, focusing on the differences between urban elders (60+ years) and youths (15-25 years) in Benin City, Nigeria. Framed within the sociolinguistic theories of Language Change and Social Networks, the research employs a mixed-methods approach to analyze linguistic data across lexicon, phonology, and grammar. Findings reveal a significant linguistic divergence: the youth variety is a systematic hybrid, characterized by high rates of intra-sentential code-mixing and the integration of exclusive English loanwords and slang (e.g., Mád, Crúz). Conversely, elders preserve the traditional Edo lexicon and grammar. This innovation is strongly correlated with exposure to formal education, mass media, and peer-group dynamics, which serve as "loose" social networks accelerating change. Elders view the change with anxiety, perceiving it as degradation, while youths view it as pragmatic evolution necessary for urban identity and modernity. The study concludes that age is the primary vector for language change in the urban Edo community, leading to the formation of two distinct generational speech varieties..

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Cybercrime has emerged as one of the most significant challenges facing Nigeria in the digital age, with its effects being particularly evident among youths. This study examines the impacts of cybercrime in Nigeria, using youths in Benin City as a case study. The research investigates the social, economic, and psychological consequences of cybercrime on young people, as well as its influence on societal values, employment opportunities, and the reputation of Nigeria both locally and internationally. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, and relevant secondary sources involving youths within Benin City. The findings reveal that while cybercrime provides short-term financial gains for some individuals, it contributes significantly to moral decadence, youth unemployment, loss of trust in online transactions, financial losses to victims, and the stigmatization of Nigerian youths in global digital spaces. The study further identifies factors such as unemployment, poverty, peer influence, and the quest for quick wealth as major drivers of cybercrime among youths. The research concludes that cybercrime poses serious threats to sustainable development and social stability in Nigeria. It recommends increased employment opportunities, digital literacy programs, stricter law enforcement, and youth empowerment initiatives as effective measures to curb cybercrime and promote responsible use of information and communication technologies among young people in Benin City and Nigeria at large.