Chigbu Godswill Uchechukwu

PhD student (FT)

AG415
+852 2766 6382
godswill.chigbu@connect.polyu.hk

Biography

Chief Supervisor: Prof Kathleen Ahrens
Co-supervisor: Prof Dennis Tay

Education and Academic Qualifications

MA in English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
BA in Education/English, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Academic and Professional Experience

English Language Teacher, University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka. (June 2019-July 2022). Engaged in teaching, designing instructional content, language skill drilling, assessment, and computation.
Graduate Assistant, Peaceland College of Education, Enugu. (2017- 2018). My core duties included tutoring, researching, preparing subject materials, and writing reports for the library unit.

Research Interests

Research

Title of Thesis

Framing Unity, Democracy, Corruption, and Economy: A Corpus-Assisted Analysis of Metaphors in Nigerian Political Discourse (1970-2022)

Research Description

With regards to metaphor and political discourse, the Global North has always and dominantly informed the Global South with universalized findings. However, my research will take a look from the Afrocentric South at the metaphorical framing of four political-economic issues: (national) unity; democracy; corruption; and the economy. The study takes into consideration the source domains used in framing these issues in the speeches of Nigerian political leaders from 1970–2022 and how the source domains vary across time and by system of government (in this case, the military and civilian governments). Moreover, the speech corpora under study are delivered in Nigerian English (NE). NE is a variety of the World Englishes spoken in Nigeria. Following this, the study hypothesizes, among other things, that the metaphorical framing of the political-economic issues in Nigerian political discourse may follow different systematic patterns because metaphors are culture-specific and there should be variances, for instance, between the native English culture, the Hong Kong culture, and the Nigerian culture. Finally, the methodology of the study will offer a standardised nonintuitive procedure for metaphor identification, source domain verification, and analysis of metaphor change overtime following innovative approaches such as Steen et al. (2010), Ahrens and Jiang (2020), and Tay (2019).

Ahrens, K., & Jiang, M., (2020). Source domain verification using corpus-based tools. Metaphor and Symbol 35(1), 43--55.
Steen, G., Dorst, A.G., Herrmann, J.B., Kaal, A., Krennmayr, T., & Pasma, T., (2010). A method for linguistic metaphor identification: From MIP to MIPVU, Vol. 14. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.
Tay, D. (2019). Time series analysis of discourse. method and case studies. London and New York: Routledge.

Membership of Professional Bodies/ Research Group

Research Centre for Professional Communication in English (RCPCE)
(Student member ) Research and Applying Metaphor (RaAM)
(Student member ) Learners Corpus Association
(Associate member ) Pragmatics Association of Nigeria (PrAN)
World Council for Curriculum and Instruction (WCCI) (Nigerian Chapter)
Second-Language Pragmatics and Discourse Studies Research Group, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)

Publications

Journal Articles

Emelogu, N. U., Nwafor, C. K., Chigbu, G. U., Okoyeukwu, N. G., & Eze, K. O. (2022) Awareness, proficiency and challenges in the use of emerging technologies by ESL university lecturers in the post COVID-19 ERA, Cogent Education, 9(1), 10.1080/2331186X.2022.2084962.
Emelogu, N. U., Nwafor, C. K., Chigbu, G. U., & Oluikpe, E. N. (2021). Perceived effects of examination special centres on teaching and learning of English language and quality of education in Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 17(26) 1-28, http://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-021-00091-9.
Ononye, C. F., Chigbu, G. U., & Nwankwo, C. O. (2021). Conflict of interest, unity of purpose: A corpus-assisted understanding of stance and appraisal in media reactions on government- handling of Covid-19 in Nigeria. Dutsin-ma Journal of English and Literature, 4(1), 18-39. http://journal.fudutsinma.edu.ng/index.phd/DUJEL.
Chigbu, G. U., Emelogu, N. U., Okoye-Ukwu, N. G., & Ukwunna, R. C. (2020). Awareness and proficiency in technology integration for English language teaching among secondary school teachers in Nsukka LGA. Journal of Research and Method in Education 10 (1) 27- 31 http://doi.org/10.9790/7388-1001032731.

Ononye, C. F., Chukwuike, J. T., & Chigbu, G. U. (forthcoming). “Who is our man?”: Corpus-assisted Understanding of Naming Strategies in Support-motivated Conflicts among BBNaija Housemates’ Virtual Fans. In C. Isike, O. Ogunnubi & O. Ukwueze’s (Eds.), Big Brother Naija and Popular Culture in Nigeria. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Chigbu, G. U. (ed.) (2020). Ala Asaala: silhouette and other African Spontanists poems Nsukka: Zinma Tutors Press Ltd.

Chigbu, G. U. (2021). “Enyimba”. In I. U. Nwadike et al., (eds) Sooro Uwa, Zeere Koro… An Igbo Anthology of the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Nsukka: University of Nigeria Press LTD.
Chigbu, G. U. (2015). “Trinity” In T. R. Mwanaka, & D. da Purificação (eds) Best ‘New’ African Poets Anthology (BNAP Anthology). Zimbabwe: ‎ Langaa RPCIG.
(2015). “The New Market” In Best ‘New’ African Poets Anthology (BNAP Anthology). Zimbabwe: ‎ Langaa RPCIG.
Chigbu, G. U. (2018). “Bomb Blessed” In Best ‘New’ African Poets 2017 Anthology (BNAP Anthology). Zimbabwe: Mwanaka Media and Publishing.

Conferences Attended & Papers Presented

Chigbu, G. U. (2022). Beyond WAR framing of covid 19 pandemic in crisis communication in Sub-Saharan Africa. Presented at the 15^th conference of the Researching and Applying Metaphor (RaAM) Conference, University of Bialystok, Poland: [ONLINE] on 21-24 September 2022.
Chigbu, G. U., & Ononye, C. F. (2022). (Mis)representation of attitudinal stance in selected English-medium Arab media reports on Boko Haram insurgency: A corpus-assisted analysis. Presented at the Pragmatics Association of Nigeria 5th International Conference/Workshop, at Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 9-12 May, 2022.
Emelogu, N. U., & Chigbu, G. U. (2021). Emerging Uses of Technologies in English Language Teaching and Learning. Presented at the 13th Biennial Conference 2021 by World Council for Curriculum and Instruction (WCCI), Nigerian Chapter, at University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 20-23rd October, 2021.
Emelogu, N. U., & Chigbu, G. U. (2021). Effect of Digitial Graphic Organisersn Senior Secondary Students’ Achievement in Essay Writing Using Digital Graphic Organisers. Presented at the 2021 ADECT_AECT International Hybrid Conference Held at University of Delta, agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. 18-20 May, 2021.
Emelogu, N. U., & Chigbu, G. U. (2021). Gender Differences in Senior Secondary Students’ Achievement in Essay Writing Using Digital Graphic Organisers. Presented at the 1st International Virtual Conference of Department of Arts Education, University of Nigeria Nsukka. 20-21^st April, 2021.
Chigbu, G. U., & Ukwunna, R. (2021). Indexing Aggression in the Linguistics Responses on IPOB Proscription River State Government. Presented at the Pragmatics Association of Nigeria 4th International Conference/Workshop, at University of Benin, 8-11 February, 2021.
Emelogu, N., & Chigbu, G. U. (2020). Awareness and Proficiency of English Language Lecturers in the Use of Emerging Technologies in Post Covid-19 Era. Presented at the Maiden Multi-Disciplinary International Conference of Centre for Distance & e-Learning, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 2-3 December 2020.
Emelogu, N., & Chigbu, G. U. (2020). Participation and Challenges of Virtual Classroom by English language Teachers During Covid-19 in Nigeria. Presented at the 17th Annual International Virtual Conference of the faculty of Education University of Nigeria. 25th November, 2020.
Ononye, C. F., Chigbu, G. U., & Nwankwo, C. (2020). Conflict of Interest, Unity of Purpose: A Corpus-assisted Understanding of Stance and Appraisal in the Media Reactions on Government-handling of Covid-19 in Nigeria. Presented at the Virtual National Conference of the Africa, World Literature and English Language (AWLEL) Conference of the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 5th November, 2020.
Chigbu, G. U., & Ukwunna, R. C. (2021). Representation of APC Government in selected Social Media Posts of Femi Fani-Kayode: A Critical Discourse Analysis. Presented at the Pragmatics Association of Nigeria 3rd International Conference/Workshop 2020. Anchor University, Lagos. 9-12 March, 2020.
Chigbu, G. U. (2018). Words provide Arms: A Functional Analysis of Boko Haram Rhetoric presented at the Faculty of Arts International Conference, University of Nigeria Nsukka. 8-11 April, 2018.

Selected Community Services

Technical Assistant, at the 5th International Conference/Workshop of PrAN– the Pragmatics Association of Nigeria at the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 9-12 May, 2022 (Hybrid)
Assistant Secretary, Parent Teachers Association, University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka. (Nov. 2019- July 2022)
Represented Nigeria at the pan-African youth empowerment work of Project Pakati from 2018 – 2021. A project by African Leadership Institute (AFLI), a grantee of Ford foundation and partner of the African Union
President, Legal Aid Community Development Service Group, of National Youth Service Corp, Nnewi North LGA, Anambra State, Nigeria. (Oct. 2018 - March 2019)