African Journal of Advanced Arts and Humanities

GODFATHERISM, DEMOCRACY AND REFLECTIVE DEFENSIBILISM

2026-04-15T14:26:21+00:00

The connection between Godfatherism and Democracy continues to generate heated debate and conversations in political theory, science and philosophy. There are the schools of the “Indefensibilists’” and “Defensibilists”. The basic objective of this paper is the defence of the contention that Godfatherism is needed to promote sustainable democracy when and where Godfatherism exhibits and exudes certain varieties in a democratic order like Nigeria. The methodology adopted consist of critical exposition and argumentation. The findings of the paper are: (1) godfatherism remains a significant aspect of any democracy; (2) theoretical and practical argument against the necessity of godfatherism in a democracy derives from a negative perceptions about the utility of godfatherism; (3) however, there are ways and manners in which the necessity of godfatherism to a democratic dispensation, like the Nigerian case, can be defended; (4) the defensibility of godfatherism to the democratic experiment in Nigeria derives from the benefit and advantage provided by the practice and culture of reflectivity; (5) any defensible position inheres in the advantage that the philosophical temperaments provides in the understanding of the politics and practice of democracy and godfatherism. The paper concluded that as long as godfatherism manifests defensible traits in a country like Nigeria, sustainable democracy can be promoted.

TOURISM AND ECONOMIC GROWTH NEXUS IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION

2026-03-24T13:28:05+00:00

This study aims at investigating the impact of tourism sector on economic growth in Nigeria. Secondary data on gross domestic product; gross fixed capital formation; broad money; total labor force; and international tourism receipts spanning the period 1990 and 2025 were adopted in the study. Applying ADF unit root test and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model technique, the results revealed that the long-run coefficient of gross fixed capital formation indicated a positive impact on economic growth, broad money stock and economic growth depicted positive significant relationship, the long-run coefficient of tourism receipt in Nigeria portrayed a negative relationship with economic growth, and labour force showed a positive significant impact on economic growth in the long run. The study concludes that for the achievement of a long run relationship between tourism sector and economic growth in Nigeria, a synergy of all levels of government must be achieved. The government should allocate appropriate budget to develop the infrastructure and recreational points in the areas rich in natural and cultural aspects which will attract domestic and foreign nationals.

Destitute Learner in Nigeria Education System: Slogan or Reality?

2026-05-23T09:19:37+00:00

Despite worldwide vows to "education for all," extreme poverty in continues to keep millions of youngsters out of meaningful educational opportunities. This study investigates the educational experiences of destitute learners—children living in extreme multidimensional poverty—in Nigeria's formal education system. The research conceptualizes poverty as a structural predictor of educational disparity rather than a secondary background condition, drawing on the Capability Approach, Social Reproduction Theory, and Human Capital Theory. The paper uses policy analysis and secondary empirical data to show that many inclusive education programs are just rhetorical promises that don't take into account the material limitations that the ultra-poor experience. Results show that access, retention, and learning outcomes for impoverished students are consistently compromised by hunger, hidden educational expenses, child labor, and inadequate targeting mechanisms. The essay makes the case for a rethinking of inclusive education that puts the most disadvantaged students first through integrated social protection, equity-based funding, and accountability frameworks that are sensitive to poverty.

JEWISH MONOTHEISM, JESUS’ DIVINITY AND THE TRINITARIAN ANALOGY

2026-05-13T12:08:43+00:00

The trinity has been a subject of debate over the years within both Christian and non-Christian circles. Many have not been able to see the dichotomy between Jesus and the Father, and the oneness as emphasized by Jesus in the Gospels and the apostles in the Epistles. This understanding, as presented about the unified nature of the Godheads, seems to conflict with the Jewish monotheistic understanding, which has, in its entirety, given birth to Christianity. This paper investigates such positions within the Jewish and Jesus studies in search of a meeting point for understanding the trinitarian analogy. Through careful analysis of the biblical records, we can deduce that the early Christians, who were predominantly Jews, invented the understanding of the Trinity, considering reflections from the teachings of Jesus. This was intensified when Jesus' deity was formalized at the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325, making the trinity an important Christian doctrine, even though the word ‘trinity’ does not have a biblical appearance. Whether the doctrine of the Trinity is accepted or not, inquisitive ability would leave us to decide, despite the orthodox understanding of Jesus and the Trinity in a typical African Christian society.

Investigation of Tonicity in British and Nigerian English Utterances

2026-04-23T11:54:55+00:00

This study examined the role of tonicity in the communication of speaker message in the utterances of native and non-native speakers of English. Tonicity operates within the context of intonation and refers to the placement of sentence stress in utterances which affects meaning. The subjects comprised a British speaker of English and an educated Nigerian speaker, while data consisted of a transcribed text of the book of Luke Chapter Six (NIV) which was read by the subjects. The Bible text which has 49 verses was broken into 191 Intonation Phrases (IPs) based on a careful perceptual analysis of the data. 30 of the IPs were found to involve the use of ‘marked tonicity’ or narrow focus (translating to emphatic and constative stress) in the native speaker’s reading of the text. The marked IPs of the native speaker were then read by the Nigerian speaker who produced only five, indicating about 17% rate. The analysis revealed that the Nigerian speaker of English realized significantly fewer marked tonicity in speech than the native speaker did, leading to the conclusion that it is not a common feature of English spoken in Nigeria. It was recommended that teaching of English intonation should focus more on sentence stress given its important role in the communication of meaning in the language.

Re-Thinking Theatre in Shaping Human Rights Discourse: The Role of Applied Theatre

2026-04-07T12:09:51+00:00

Theatre has historically functioned as a reflective and transformative medium within communities, yet its application as a tool for human rights education within carceral environments in sub‑Saharan Africa remains underexplored. The paper investigates how forum theatre and community theatre—two key forms of applied theatre—contribute to human rights education, justice, and social inclusion within selected prisons in Accra, Ghana. Guided by critical pedagogy and performance theory, the study employs a qualitative case study approach using documentary analysis, semi‑structured interviews, and participant observation. Findings reveal that applied theatre creates dialogic spaces within the prison environment. These spaces enhance inmates’ awareness of human rights. They also challenge prevailing narratives of justice and incarceration. Additionally, applied theatre fosters social inclusion among participants and supports the reconstruction of individual identities. Theatre emerges as a participatory, embodied pedagogy enabling incarcerated individuals to rehearse agency, renegotiate power relations, and articulate lived experiences of injustice. The study contributes to emerging scholarship on arts‑based human rights education in West Africa and highlights practical implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to integrate theatre into rehabilitative and civic education frameworks.

A Critical Review of “Empowering the Faculty of Education Students: Applying AI’s Potential for Motivating and Enhancing Learning”

2026-05-22T05:36:50+00:00

This study aimed to investigate how AI impacts students’ intrinsic motivation and learning experiences in various cultural and academic settings. An analysis of the effects of AI-powered learning tools on intrinsic motivation and learning enhancement was conducted in early 2024. As a result of enhancing learning experiences, autonomy, and critical thinking skills, AI tools were found to positively influence motivation. Motivation, however, was not significantly influenced by academic level. Despite ethical concerns, students held a moderately positive view of artificial intelligence in education. Further research on optimal AI implementation and ethical considerations in education is necessary based on these findings

DISCURSIVE ECOLOGY OF THE SACRED: A POSTCOLONIAL STUDY OF NGUGI WA THIONGO’S ‘MUGUMO’

2026-04-23T12:01:40+00:00

This paper has assessed a discursive ecology of cultural and spiritual experiences in Ngugi wa Thiongo’s ‘Mugumo’ using postcolonialism and critical sylistics as its theoretical lens. It has critically explored the connection between man and the spiritual realm through spatial-temporal coexistence of flora and fauna. Man, ultimately resorts to the intervention of a spiritual being in resolving social tragedies as exemplified in the life of Mukami who has been chastised by society for her inability to give birth to a child in the first three years of her marriage. Her encounter with the Mugumo tree that serves as an embodiment of spiritual liberation of the Gikuyu people assuages her immediate travails.