http://enyojonal.com.ng/index.php/igirigi/issue/feed 2026-03-15T13:09:32+00:00 Open Journal Systems <p>IGIRIGI: A Multi-Disciplinary Journal of African Studies</p> http://enyojonal.com.ng/index.php/igirigi/article/view/253 2026-03-15T12:41:36+00:00 JATAU, Stephen, Ph.D jataustephen@nsuk.edu.ng JENO-MARY Enighe, Ph.D jenomaryenighe@nsuk.edu.ng ASHOM Musa Maisamari, Ph.D ashommaisamari@uniabuja.edu.ng

The study examines the Contrastive Analysis of English and Koro Ashe plosives; Implication for ESL Learning. The paper aimed at contrasting the English and Koro Ashe plosives in order to asserting the areas of their divergence and convergence for improved pedagogy. The study was guided by two (2) research objectives and two (2) research questions. The research design employed in carrying out this investigation was descriptive survey. The population of this study consisted of Koro Ashe primary 4 ESL learners in Karu Local Government Areas Nasarawa State. The sampling technique used in the study was multistage random sampling in which 20 Koro Ashe primary 4 ESL learners were randomly selected for the study. The researcher used Test of phonology production (TPP) as an instrument to carry out this investigation. Contrastive Analysis (CA) theory was used to conduct the study. Simple frequency count and percentage were the methods employed to analyse the data for this research. The findings of the study showed that, the dental consonant sounds /θ/& /ð/, posed pronunciation difficulty to most Koro Ashe ESL learners due to the absence of the sounds in the phonemic inventory of Koro Ashe. The dental fricatives /θ/ was substitute for /t/ in the word ‘through’ /θru:/ to pronounce as /tru:/, while the consonant /ð/ in the word ‘then’ /ðen/ was pronounced [den]. The errors made by the subjects were stemmed from L1 interference to L2, the complex nature of English language spelling system and developmental errors arose from incomplete learning. It was recommended that oral aspect of this spoken English should be taught earlier to our children in nursery and primary schools, to minimize the pronunciation problem that affects the speech of adult L2 speakers of English.

2026-03-15T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 IGIRIGI http://enyojonal.com.ng/index.php/igirigi/article/view/254 2026-03-15T12:48:32+00:00 Salome Talatu DAUDA salometeric@gmail.com Prof. Jeno-Mary Enighe jenomaryenighe@nsuk.edu.ng PROF. Orame P. S. Alaku orame.alaku@gmail.com

Reading comprehension is a vital aspect of the examination conducted by West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) for final year students in secondary schools in Nigeria. Reports from the bodies revealed that many students performed poorly in the aspect of reading comprehension. Reading comprehension contributes to a reader’s overall language development because the more an individual reads, the more words they acquire and are able to communicate using most appropriate words. The semantic mapping strategy is a visual learning tool that helps readers organize and connect ideas using maps. The study investigated the effect of semantic mapping strategy on reading comprehension of senior secondary school students in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, Nigeria. All the senior secondary schools students 2 (SS II) in Keffi Local Government Area made up the population of the study while 100 (one hundred) students, 50 (fifty) each from two schools, out of the seven senior secondary schools in the Local Government Area, made up the sample for the study. The two schools used as sample were randomly selected as the experimental and the control groups. While the experimental group was exposed to the treatment, the control group was treated to an alternative method. The quasi experimental research design was adopted in this study since scheduling and implementation of experimental treatment conditions or randomization and grouping of subjects were not possible. The data for the study were collected using the English Reading Comprehension Achievement Test (ERCAT) which was based on one reading passage. The comprehension passage was adapted from WAEC/SSCE (2023) because it is a standardized examinations. The instrument consisted of three sections which were required to answer the three research questions of the study. The same instrument was used and administered as pre-test and post-test. The achievement test required students to use semantic mapping to answer literal, inferential and critical comprehension questions. The statistical tools used to analyze data included t-test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings showed better performance of students’ achievement in the posttest than that of the pretest. Following the intervention, the Experimental group, which was taught using the Semantic Mapping Strategy, saw its average score move up to 9.94, while the Control group, which continued with conventional methods, experienced only a modest increase to 0.80. It also revealed that the students’ performance in reading comprehension after instruction in semantic mapping is improved. Following the findings, these recommendations among others were made by the researcher: that teachers of English Language should use semantic mapping during reading sessions. The researcher is of the view that a student’s success in reading comprehension will adversely bring about success in other subjects thereby causing an all-round academic success. Furthermore, deliberate efforts backed with the necessary action by the government at all levels need to be made to provide teaching and learning materials especially on reading comprehension and strategies to teach it.

2026-03-15T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 IGIRIGI http://enyojonal.com.ng/index.php/igirigi/article/view/255 2026-03-15T12:56:54+00:00 Oguntuase, Ezekiel Olaniran olutuaseezekiel@gmail.com Professor Ebeze, Uche Victor ucheebeze@yahoo.com Okafor, Ekene Godfrey, Ph.D egk.okafor@unizik.edu.ng

This study examined electorates’ perception of electoral campaign manifestos and the post-election performances of governors in Ekiti State from 2010 to 2024. As electoral manifestos serve as key tools for candidates to communicate policy intentions, there is often a gap between campaign promises and actual governance, raising questions about accountability. The study addressed the limited research on how electorates assess the alignment between pre-election pledges and post-election performance across multiple election cycles. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 400 respondents in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, through structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Findings reveal a significant relationship between electorates’ perceptions of campaign manifestos and their assessment of governors’ fulfillment of promises. Post-election performance was largely influenced by the extent of alignment with campaign pledges, while governance effectiveness, transparency, political communication, and socioeconomic conditions emerged as key determinants of voter perceptions. Furthermore, evaluations of manifesto fulfillment significantly influenced future voting behaviour and political participation. The study concludes that bridging the gap between campaign promises and actual governance is critical for enhancing public trust, accountability, and democratic engagement. It recommends that candidates develop realistic, well-structured manifestos and maintain transparent, effective governance to strengthen electorates’ confidence and participation in the political process.

2026-03-15T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 IGIRIGI http://enyojonal.com.ng/index.php/igirigi/article/view/256 2026-03-15T13:02:53+00:00 Immaculate Nkechi Dona-Ezenne Immaculatenkechi33@gmail.com Prof. Orame S.P. Alaku oramespalaku@gmaail.com Prof. Jeno Mary Enighe jenomary@yahoo.com

The importance of effective writing in academics, professional and daily interactions cannot be over emphasised. Thus, the need to ensure that composition writing skills are appropriately and comprehensively taught to teacher trainees, especially as the teaching and learning method had remained traditional. This study investigates the effect of blended teaching approach on gender achievement in composition writing in state Colleges of Education in North Central, Nigeria. It is guided by five research questions and five hypotheses. Using a quasi-experimental design, 75 teacher trainees (38 male and 37 female) who took part in the blended teaching intervention were assessed through pre-tests and post-tests composition writing Assessment Test (WAT, with a validated rubric (α = 0.85). Data collection involved scripts from experimental group only. Data analysis used ANOVA and t-tests to compare mean scores. Results reveal significant improvement in writing skills of male taught via blended approach compared to their female classmate. The findings suggest adopting blended teaching to enhance composition writing outcomes for both gender.

2026-03-15T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 IGIRIGI http://enyojonal.com.ng/index.php/igirigi/article/view/257 2026-03-15T13:09:32+00:00 Dr. Benedict Nkemdirim Igbokwe benedict.igbokwe@futo.edu.ng Dr. Theresa Ngozi Onuora Onuora.ngozi@funai.edu.ng Chinonso Faith Obumneke faithobumneke@gmail.com Osuji Mercy, A.C mercyabuoma@gmail.com

ỤMỊ EDEMEDE Ọ bụ eziokwu na okwu banyere omenala na ọdịbendị ndị Igbo kacha metụta ndị nwoke mana ụmụnwanyị bụ e jewe a ghaghị n’okwu ndị banyere udo, ịdịnotu na ọganiihu obodo ọ bụla. Ụfọdụ okwu ndị a na-ekwu megide ụmụọkpụ na-egosi na e nwere ọtụtụ nghọtahie banyere ọnọdụ ha nakwa ọrụ ndị ha na-arụ maka ọdịmma ezinụlọ nakwa obodo n’ozuzu oke. Nchọcha a so na mbọ na-aga n’ihu iji kwụsị aha ọjọọ a na-akpọ ụmụ̣ọkpụ site n’ịgba n’anwụ, uru ndị ahụ ụmụọkpụ na-abara obodo. Nchọcha a, nke gbasooro usoro sọvee gbagịdekwara ụkwụ n’atụtụ nchọcha structural Functionalism Theory, wee leba anya n’ọnọdụ ụmụọkpụ n’ime steeti ise dị n’ala Igbo, wee sitekwa na ntụcha na ntụchazi ihe ndị a hụrụ wee kwusie ya ike na ọrụ ụmụọkpụ dịka ndị odozi obodo, e nweghị atụ na ngalaba niile nke ndụ. Nchọcha a nke bụ maka ọdịmma ndị naara enwe nghọtahie banyere ọnọdụ ụmụọkpụ n’ala Igbo, ndị na-eme nchọcha nakwa ụmụafọ Igbo niile, nyekwara ezi ntụzịaka ndị a ga-agbaso maka ọdịniihu.

2026-03-15T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 IGIRIGI