Papers for Vol... Special Edition, May 2026.
Indigenous Econaming Practices in Ecosystems Conservation among
the Rural Communities of Igbo, Southeast Nigeria
Important things have often been overlooked in environmental and conservation studies such as indigenous econaming practices which embed wisdom, cultural values, traditional knowledge and a deep understanding of local ecosystems useful in ecological and biodiversity conservation efforts in Igbo. In turn, there is lack of understanding of the paramount contributions of the indigenous econaming practices in conserving ecosystems and the impacts on rural communities' resources in Igbo, southeast Nigeria. The objectives of this study are to investigate: (i) the indigenous names that are tied to ecosystems in rural communities of Igbo, and the ways the econames and econaming practices reflect the history and cosmology of the geographical features such as rivers, mountains, flora and fauna in the areas; (ii) explore practical ways socio-cultural contexts and language have influenced the econaming practices, ecosystems preservation, and resources management in Igbo; (iii) investigate various ways the econaming practices have impacted ecosystems preservation and environmental resources enhancement in Nigeria in contemporary times. The study adopts an interdisciplinary qualitative research design. Data for the study was through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation and the native speakers' intuition. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents. Sapir-Whorfian and socio-onomastic approaches, which have the potential of offering new analytical perspectives on econaming practices in ecosystems conservation, are employed in the study. The study opens up new opportunities for ecosystems conservation, environmental resources management, and future ecolinguistics studies. Keywords: Econaming, ecosystems, conservation, Igbo, Nigeria
Crescentia Nwaeze Ugwuona, Roseline Ijeoma Okorji
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.1.13
Eco-Epistemology in Song: Indigenous Music of the NigerDelta and
Cross River Basin as Archives of Environmental Change
Abstract
Indigenous knowledge systems hold extensive ecological insight, yet the sonic forms through which
such knowledge is encoded remain underexamined. Among the Ikwerre, Ogoni, Ijaw, Efik, and
Mbembe communities of the Niger Delta and Cross River basin in Nigeria, songs function as longterm
ecological records but are rarely recognised as legitimate evidence. This study applies Eco-
Epistemology Theory to investigate how Indigenous musical knowledge operates as ecological data
and as a living archive of environmental change. Using a triangulated, listening-based analytical–
interpretive methodology combining ecological listening, spectro-morphological and timbral analysis,
eco-semiotic interpretation, and ethnographic engagement (including 34 interviews with knowledge
holders across five communities), the study identifies measurable sonic, textual, and symbolic
indicators of species behaviour, climatic variability, and landscape transformation. These musical
insights align with oral histories and environmental datasets, demonstrating strong cross-evidential
convergence. By reframing Indigenous songs as dynamic ecological archives, the study challenges
dominant evidence hierarchies and advances a culturally grounded, pluralistic approach to
environmental understanding, with implications for climate research, biodiversity monitoring, and
sustainability governance.
Keywords: Eco-Epistemology, Ecological Archives, Environmental Change, Indigenous Musical
Knowledge, Niger Delta, Sonic Epistemologies
O. A. U. Authority, Calista A. N. Ugwu, Eunice Ngozi Ahanotu, Precious Kufre Udoh, Iyabo O. Owolabi, Christian Nwaoha
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.14.38
The Climate–Conflict–Food Nexus: Sahelian Herder Migration and
Agrarian Violence in North Central Nigeria
Abstract
Climate change has increasingly reshaped pastoral mobility across the Sahel since the early 2000s.
Recurrent droughts, desertification, and declining pasture and water resources in Niger, Chad, Mali,
and Burkina Faso have intensified cross-border herder migration into Nigeria. While farmer–herder
conflict in North-central Nigeria is widely documented, limited attention has been given to how
climate change-induced cross-border migration specifically shapes conflict dynamics and food security
outcomes. This gap constitutes the central research problem. Focusing on Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa,
Niger, Kogi, and Kwara States between 2000 and 2023, this study examines the nexus between
climate-induced migration, farmer–herder conflict, and food security. Grounded in political ecology
and environmental security theory, it adopts a qualitative documentary analysis of climate records,
migration reports, policy frameworks, and conflict databases. Regional instruments — including the
ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons (1979) and the ECOWAS Transhumance
Certificate (1998) — are analyzed to contextualize institutional dimensions of pastoral mobility.
Findings indicate that climate-driven shifts in the scale and duration of transhumance have
intensified competition over land and water resources. Combined with population growth,
agricultural expansion, and weak land governance, these pressures have disrupted agricultural
production, displaced rural communities, and undermined food security in North-central Nigeria.
The study concludes that addressing these risks requires integrated climate adaptation, improved
regulation of cross-border pastoral mobility, and strengthened land governance mechanisms.
Keywords: Climate Change-Induced Migration, Sahelian Herders, Farmer–Herder Conflict, Food
Security, North-central Nigeria
John Ilemona, Ufaruna Sarah Azi, Chinaemelum I. Okafor, Blessing Simon
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.39.57
Staging Eco-Justice: Applied Theatre, Social Equity, and Diversity in
Contexts of Ecological Distress
Abstract
Ecological distress is not merely an environmental emergency; it is a crisis of justice whose
consequences are distributed unevenly across social, economic, and cultural divides. Communities
occupying the margins of political and environmental decision-making often bear the heaviest burdens
of environmental degradation while remaining largely absent from dominant policy and scientific
narratives. This paper examines how Applied Theatre and Theatre for Development (TfD) create
spaces through which ecological injustice can be articulated, interpreted, and collectively confronted.
Rather than treating environmental crisis as an abstract scientific problem, these performance
practices locate it within the everyday realities of affected communities and render its consequences
visible through embodied experience. Drawing on African performance epistemologies, the discussion
centres on the Itchi-Agu Theatre for Development project as a practice-based case study. Through
storytelling, improvisation, song, and ritual performance, participants connected ecological change to
declining agricultural yields, pressures on water resources, gendered labour practices, land-use
conflicts, and questions of intergenerational responsibility. The performances generated not only
opportunities for expression but also locally grounded forms of ecological knowledge and ethical
reflection. By foregrounding participant agency and sustaining collective dialogue, theatre functioned
as a medium through which diverse experiences of environmental distress could be negotiated and
shared. Although performance alone cannot resolve the structural causes of ecological crisis, it
remains indispensable to the cultivation of ecological consciousness, democratic participation, and
collective action. The paper therefore reaffirms the significance of the humanities in advancing more
equitable and socially responsive approaches to environmental justice.
Keywords: Applied Theatre, Theatre for Development, Ecological Justice, Environmental
Humanities, African Performance Epistemologies
Austin Chibueze Okeke, Cindy Anene Ezeugwu, Ikenna Emmanuel Onwuegbuna, Richard Ndu Umezinwa, Oyindamola Samuel Adesunloye, Uche Okey Ofoedu, Jonathan Chidi Ezeh, Nelson Torti Obasi, Ikechukwu Erojikwe, Kasarachi Collins Okpe, Cynthia Chinenyenwa Nwabueze
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.58.69
An Eco-Critical Study of Tanella Boni's La Terre and Titinga
Pacere's Tu me donneras l'eau
Abstract
The abuse of nature has emerged as a pressing global issue in recent times. The moral and ethical
dilemmas surrounding human impact on the ecosystem cannot be readily disregarded in the context of
the contemporary global environmental crisis. Consequently, this study investigates two African ecopoems
written in French. The specific objectives are to explore the themes that connect humans to
their physical environment, to examine the stylistic elements employed in representing nature, and to
convey messages regarding the ecological crisis. The study adopts a qualitative paradigm and
embraces the theory of ecocriticism, particularly that articulated by Cheryll Glotfelty (1996). Our
findings reveal themes of ecological responsibility, reciprocity, and harmonious coexistence with
nature. Literary devices such as personification, metaphor, and synecdoche project the relationship
between nature and humanity. Tones of counsel, appreciation, and admonition are noted in the
portrayal of the interplay between nature and humankind. The researchers advocate for nature to
receive as much attention as humanity does.
Keywords: Ecocriticism, literature, poetry, eco-poetry
Ijeoma Maryanne Opara, Nwaudu Chinwe Udechukwu, Augustina Ngozi Eze, Onwuamaeze Sopuruchukwu Ali, Chioma Magdaline Akaeze
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.70.79
Syntactic Construal of Ecological Crisis in Nigerian Climate Discourse
Abstract
This study examined how syntactic choices were deployed to construe ecological crisis in Nigerian
climate discourse. Anchored on Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday, 1985; 1994), the study
adopted a qualitative, descriptive design with supplementary quantitative frequency analysis. Data
were drawn from 45 Nigerian environmental texts published between 2018 and 2024, including
climate change reports, advocacy materials, and media commentaries. The analysis focused on
transitivity patterns, clause types, nominalization, and agency representation. Findings indicated a
dominant use of material processes (72.3% of all process types) to represent environmental
degradation, while human agency was frequently backgrounded through passive constructions and
nominalized clauses — present in 68.9% of clauses describing ecological harm. This syntactic pattern
tended to obscure responsibility and framed environmental crises as abstract or inevitable phenomena.
The prevalence of declarative clauses (91.4%) suggested an informative rather than mobilizing
discourse, limiting persuasive force. Grammatical metaphor further compressed complex ecological
processes into dense nominal groups, distancing readers from the immediacy of environmental
challenges. The study concluded that syntactic choices in Nigerian climate discourse significantly
shape public perception of ecological crisis and responsibility. It recommends more agentive and
action-oriented syntactic constructions in environmental texts to enhance ecological awareness and
accountability. This study contributes to ecolinguistics and environmental humanities by
demonstrating the crucial role of syntax in ecological meaning-making.
Keywords: Climate discourse, Ecological crisis, Nigerian texts, Syntactic construal, Systemic
Functional Linguistics, Ecolinguistics
Cynthia A. Onuegwunwoke, Gloria U. Amadi, Florence D. Anuonye, Chinenye C. Olekaibe, Angela O. Nnadi, Kenneth U. Chukwu, Sebastine C. Nwankwo, Chinwe I. Ahumaraeze, Anaekperechi U. Agwuocha, Glory C. Opara, Appolonia I. Amadi, Nneka Emeka-Duru
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.80.101
Singing the Earth, Narrating Ecological Crisis: Eco-Poetics Language and
Environmental Storytelling in Ojaide's Songs of Myself And Osundare's Green:
Sighs Of Our Ailing Planet
Abstract
Recent ecocritical scholarship has moved beyond thematic representations of nature to interrogate the
formal and narrative strategies through which literature produces ecological consciousness and
registers environmental crisis. Situated within this critical turn, this paper examines the convergence
of eco-poetics and eco-narratology in Tanure Ojaide's Songs of Myself and Niyi Osundare's Green:
Sighs of Our Ailing Planet. It argues that both poets mobilise lyric voice, poetic form, and narrative
positioning to construct environmentally responsive modes of storytelling that challenge
anthropocentric assumptions and foreground human entanglement with the natural world. Drawing
on postcolonial ecocriticism and contemporary eco-narratological theory, the paper analyses how ecopoetic
devices such as metaphor, rhythm, repetition, and apostrophe intersect with narratological
elements including voice, focalisation, and temporal movement to frame ecological crisis as a lived,
ethical, and collective experience. In Songs of Myself, Ojaide's lyric persona functions as an
ecological witness whose selfhood is inseparable from endangered landscapes, unsettling rigid
distinctions between subject and environment. Similarly, Green: Sighs of Our Ailing Planet
deploys a polyphonic and morally charged poetic voice that narrates environmental degradation while
inviting readers into a shared responsibility for planetary care. The paper contends that this fusion of
eco-poetics and eco-narratology transforms poetry into a form of environmental storytelling in which
aesthetic form becomes a vehicle for ecological critique and ethical engagement. By foregrounding
Nigerian poetic responses to ecological crisis, the study challenges the dominance of Euro-American
eco-critical paradigms and repositions African poetry as a vital contributor to global environmental
humanities discourse in the Anthropocene.
Keywords: Eco-poetics, Eco-narratology, Environmental storytelling, Nigerian poetry, Ecological
Crisis
David Ifeanyichukwu Nwakanma, John Amarachukwu Egole, Emmanuel Inedu
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.102.121
Shrills of Pain: Unemployment in the Aftermath of
COVID-19 in Nigeria
Abstract
This study examines the scourge of unemployment in Nigeria amidst and in the aftermath of the
COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the pandemic did not create Nigeria's unemployment crisis but
rather exposed and amplified pre-existing structural weaknesses — oil dependence, institutional
corruption, infrastructural deficits, and a poor foreign direct investment climate — that successive
governments failed to address. The global pandemic affected the entire world, but the accelerating rate
of unemployment in Nigeria is especially alarming given the collapse of crude oil prices from
US$61.33 in early 2020 to US$18.84 by April 2020. The situation was worsened by elite corruption
during the pandemic, the escalation of insurgency and banditry in northern Nigeria, recurring
militancy in the Niger Delta, and rising kidnapping in the southeast, all of which rendered the
country unattractive to foreign investment. Epileptic electricity supply further undermined
production capacity. Primary data for this study was collected from Nigerian newspapers,
government reports, and secondary materials from journals and books.
Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment, Coronavirus, Fiscal Policy, Unemployment, Crude Oil
Uche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.122.134
Artificial Intelligence and Communication Ethics: Emerging Challenges in
Advertising and Public Relations Practice in Enugu State, Nigeria
Abstract
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed communication
practices in advertising and public relations, particularly in content creation, audience targeting, and
data-driven decision-making. While AI offers enhanced efficiency and personalization, its adoption
has introduced complex ethical challenges affecting transparency, accountability, and public trust.
This study examines AI adoption in advertising and public relations and explores emerging ethical
challenges among practitioners in Enugu State, Nigeria. Using a quantitative survey design,
structured questionnaires were administered to 120 respondents selected through purposive sampling,
with 108 valid responses analyzed using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation. Findings reveal
high AI adoption (78.7%), with chatbots and content generation tools being most widely used. Data
privacy (32.4%), misinformation (25.9%), and algorithmic bias (20.4%) emerged as the most
significant ethical concerns. While 55.6% of respondents reported awareness of ethical guidelines,
only 48.1% indicated consistent compliance. Cross-tabulation analysis reveals a positive association
between awareness of ethical guidelines and compliance behavior. The study concludes that AI has
become integral to advertising and public relations in Enugu State, but strengthened ethical
frameworks, professional training, and regulatory oversight are critically needed to ensure responsible
AI deployment.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Advertising, Public Relations, Ethics, Data Privacy, Algorithmic
Bias, Enugu State
Ogbonna C. Alozie, Emeka Orkeyeh, Omanwa Ifeoma Muobike, Martins N. Ezugwu, Jonah Ngbede Israel
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.135.151
Discourse Patterning in Francis Scott Fitzgerald's
The Great Gatsby: An Exploration
Abstract
Every novel tells a story, and every story is a narrative — an ideological documentation of a sort.
Francis Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925, a quintessential realist modernist
novel that functions simultaneously as a satire, a historical artefact, a psychological portrait, and a
sociocultural document of the American Jazz Age. These communicative effects are achieved through
language. Literature, a primary field for linguistic exploration, is a discourse — an instance of
language use. Discourse relates to how linguistic units contribute to the understanding of a message
by correlating textual and contextual meaning. This research examines the discourse patterning in
Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, exploring the logical arrangement of ideas and structural patterns
that shape the novel's organisation and meaning potentials. The study draws from the twin principles
of discourse analysis and literary interpretation. The analysis situates the classic centenary novel as a
complete unit of discourse with multidimensional patterning that reflects the interplay between
textual and contextual meaning.
Keywords: The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald, Discourse, Discourse Patterning, Language Use and
Literature
Mercy Chiaka Okoye, Josephine Nneka Onuorah
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.152.166
Ecolinguistic Futures: Translation and the Stewardship of
Sustainable Development
Abstract
This paper examines translation as a critical agent in promoting ecological balance and sustainable
development in the 21st century, with a focus on Francophone countries surrounding Nigeria—
Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Grounded in eco-translatology (Hu Gensheng's framework
viewing translation as an adaptive process in linguistic, cultural, and communicative ecosystems), it
analyses English-to-French translations of texts on biodiversity, pollution, climate change, and
environmental literacy. These translations address local ecological crises, such as Lake Chad's
desiccation, Niger Delta oil spills' transboundary effects, Benin's coastal erosion, and Cameroon's
deforestation. The study concludes that principles of balance, multiple eco-integration, diversity, and
translator responsibility boost Francophone readership engagement, supporting UN SDGs 13, 14, 15,
and 17 in Nigeria's regional context.
Keywords: Eco-translatology, English-to-French Translation, Ecological Balance, Sustainable
Development, Francophone West/Central Africa, Lake Chad Basin, Niger River Pollution, Benin
Coastal Erosion
Maria Ebehijie Adeoye, Kenneth Njoku Oji
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.167.179
Climate Change, Food Security, and Rural Political Economy in Sokoto and
Kebbi States, Northern Nigeria
Abstract
This article analyzes the linkages between climate change, food security, and rural political economy
from a historical-structural perspective in Sokoto and Kebbi States, Northwestern Nigeria. Food
insecurity in these states is often attributed to climatic variations—increased temperatures, irregular
rainfall, desertification in Sokoto, and frequent flooding in Kebbi. While these factors are important,
such interpretations constitute environmental reductionism. This research adopts a political economy
approach, arguing that food crises mediated by climate change are shaped by historically rooted
agrarian relations, neoliberal restructuring, and Nigeria's dependent incorporation into the global
economy. The paper reviews agrarian changes from colonial commercialization through post-1980s
structural adjustment reforms that undermined state capacity and deepened rural vulnerabilities,
drawing on agrarian political economy, dependency theory, and eco-Marxist perspectives. In this
context, climate change acts as a "threat multiplier," exacerbating existing challenges of land
pressure, infrastructural deficits, and resource conflicts. Empirically, desertification and rainfall
variability in Sokoto and flooding in Kebbi demonstrate how ecological stress interacts with structural
inequalities to produce food insecurity. The study concludes that integrated strategies combining
climate adaptation with structural changes in land governance, rural investment, and institutional
capacity are necessary for sustainable food security.
Keywords: Climate change, Food security, Agrarian transformation, Northern Nigeria,
Environmental governance, Climate justice
Daniel Chukwuma Nzereogu
https://doi.org/10. 62250/nsuk.2026.SE.05.180.200
Social Media Advertising and Consumer Patronage Behaviour: The Case of Coca-Cola
and Indomie Noodles among UNN Undergraduates
Abstract
This study examined the influence of Facebook and Instagram advertisements on consumer patronage
of Coca-Cola and Indomie Noodles among undergraduates of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka
(UNN). Online advertising — also known as internet advertising, web advertising, or digital
advertising — refers to the practice of promoting products, services or brands through digital
channels such as websites, social media platforms and mobile applications. The Unified Theory of
Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) anchored the
study. Using the Australian Bureau of Statistics sample size calculator, a survey research method and
multi-stage sampling technique, a sample of 381 respondents was drawn from the population of
36,029 UNN undergraduates. The study found that UNN undergraduates were more exposed to
Coca-Cola advertisements on Facebook and Instagram than to Indomie Noodles advertisements.
Students reported that Coca-Cola and Indomie ads on Facebook and Instagram influenced their
purchase decisions (mean = 3.26 on a 5-point scale, indicating moderate influence). A mean of 3.48
(high influence) also showed that students were more likely to buy these products if advertised on
social media. Interestingly, students encountered these advertisements more frequently on TikTok,
YouTube, and X than on Facebook and Instagram. The study concludes that undergraduates are not
only frequent users of social media but also a significant consumer group whose purchasing
behaviours are shaped by targeted advertisements. The study recommends that Coca-Cola and
Indomie should increase their use of interactive features such as polls, quizzes and question-andanswer
posts on social media, and adopt a multi-platform advertising strategy to reach students
across their diverse online habits.
Keywords: Facebook and Instagram; Online advertising; Coca-Cola and Indomie Noodles; UNN
Undergraduates
Stephen Chukwuka Ogbodoh, Kenechukwu Josemaria Ugwu, Peace Nwamaka Ojonta, Ukamaka C.M. Ozioko, Alponsus C. Ugwu, Ogbonna C. Alozie, ThankGod Ekene Ugwuanyi , Chinonso Peace Nwabuisi