Monday

Yogbish in Education, Literature, and Cultural Identity: Part III

Yogbish in Education, Literature, and Cultural Identity :Part III

Author: Alfred Mwiti
Affiliation: Independent Scholar, Language & Cultural Studies

Introduction

Having established Yogbish as a nativized variety of Nigerian English and illustrated its everyday usage, this section examines the practical implications of recognizing Yogbish in education, literature, and cultural identity. Language is not merely a tool for communication; it is a carrier of worldview, memory, and power. The acknowledgment of Yogbish therefore has consequences that extend beyond linguistics into social, educational, and cultural domains.

1. Yogbish and Education

In many Nigerian classrooms, English is taught and assessed strictly according to British or international standards, often marginalizing learners whose natural linguistic environment aligns more closely with Yogbish. Recognizing Yogbish as a legitimate variety of English would encourage pedagogical approaches that distinguish between language difference and language deficiency.

Such recognition does not imply the abandonment of Standard English but rather promotes additive bilingualism, where learners acquire global English norms while maintaining confidence in their local linguistic identity. Teacher training programs and curriculum design could incorporate awareness of Yogbish features, enabling educators to address learner needs more effectively and reduce linguistic alienation in the classroom.

2. Yogbish in Literature and Creative Expression

Nigerian literature has long demonstrated the creative potential of localized English. Writers frequently adapt English to express indigenous realities, rhythms, and philosophies. Yogbish provides a conceptual framework for understanding these stylistic choices not as deviations, but as deliberate aesthetic and cultural strategies.

By naming and theorizing Yogbish, literary analysis can more accurately account for narrative voice, dialogue, and oral influences in Nigerian writing. This recognition validates the linguistic creativity of authors and supports the inclusion of localized English varieties in literary canons, publishing, and criticism.

3. Yogbish and Cultural Identity

Language plays a central role in identity formation, particularly in postcolonial societies where inherited languages often coexist with indigenous ones. Yogbish represents a linguistic space in which Nigerian speakers negotiate modernity, tradition, and global belonging.

Recognizing Yogbish affirms speakers’ cultural agency by legitimizing a form of English that reflects African worldviews and communicative norms. It challenges colonial hierarchies that privilege external standards and repositions Nigerian English users as active producers of meaning rather than passive imitators of foreign models.

4. Broader Implications

Beyond Nigeria, the conceptualization of Yogbish contributes to global discussions on World Englishes and linguistic pluralism. It underscores the need to reconsider how English varieties are named, evaluated, and institutionalized in multilingual societies.

The recognition of Yogbish encourages more inclusive language policies, supports cultural self-definition, and strengthens arguments for decolonizing linguistic theory and practice.

Conclusion

Yogbish matters because it names a lived linguistic reality. Its recognition in education, literature, and cultural discourse promotes linguistic equity, cultural confidence, and intellectual self-determination. By foregrounding Yogbish, this study advocates for a more just and representative understanding of English in postcolonial contexts.

Keywords

Yogbish; Language and Education; Nigerian Literature; Cultural Identity; Postcolonial Studies; World Englishes; Linguistic Decolonization

About the Author

Alfred Mwiti is an independent scholar and writer with interests in sociolinguistics, postcolonial studies, African literature, and World Englishes. His work explores language as a site of identity, power, and cultural reclamation in postcolonial societies.

Yogbish Examples of in Everyday Nigerian Discourse

Part II: Examples of Yogbish in Everyday Nigerian Discourse

Author: Alfred Mwiti

Affiliation: Independent Scholar, Language & Cultural Studies

Introduction

Building on the theoretical foundation established in Part I, this study examines concrete examples of Yogbish in everyday Nigerian communication. These examples illustrate how English interacts with Yoruba and Igbo linguistic structures to create distinct phonological, semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic patterns.

1. Phonological Patterns

In Yogbish, English words are often pronounced in ways that reflect Yoruba or Igbo tonal and stress patterns. For example:

“I go come” → Instead of “I will be back soon,” the sentence uses simple future tense construction reflecting Igbo influence.
“Abi?” → A question tag meaning “right?” or “isn’t it?” borrowed from Nigerian Pidgin but integrated into Nigerian English syntax.

These patterns demonstrate the fusion of African phonology with English lexicon.

2. Semantic Extensions

Yogbish often assigns new meanings to standard English words. Examples include:

“Trekked” → Used to mean “walked for a long distance” (common in Southern Nigeria).
“Borrow” → Can imply both temporary use and social obligation (“Can I borrow your car?” also suggests I will care for it responsibly).

Such semantic shifts illustrate local cognitive framing of English concepts.

3. Syntactic Patterns

Syntactic structures in Yogbish frequently deviate from Standard British English. For example:

“She don finish her work” → Present perfect simplified as a habitual tense, influenced by Yoruba verb structure.
“I am coming now now” → Repetition emphasizes immediacy, a pragmatic feature common in Igbo and Yoruba.

These constructions are grammatically systematic within Yogbish, rather than random errors.

4. Pragmatic and Cultural Usage

Beyond grammar, Yogbish reflects Nigerian cultural norms. Examples:

Greetings are often lengthened and elaborated: “Good morning, how body?”
Politeness markers: “Abeg” inserted for emphasis or deference.
Storytelling rhythms and repetition mirror oral traditions, creating a distinctly Nigerian English discourse style.

Conclusion

These examples demonstrate that Yogbish is not a collection of mistakes but a **systematic, nativized variety of English**. Its phonology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics all reflect **African linguistic and cultural influence**. Recognizing Yogbish as a legitimate variety of English highlights the **agency, identity, and creativity** of Nigerian speakers.

Keywords

Yogbish; Nigerian English; Examples; Language Contact; Phonology; Syntax; Pragmatics; African Englishes

Author Information

Yogbish: The Nativized Nigerian English Shaping Identity and Culture

Yogbish: Nativization, Identity, and the Reclassification of Nigerian English {Part I}

Author:

Affiliation: , Language & Cultural Studies

Abstract

Nigerian English has traditionally been positioned within linguistic discourse as a non-standard or transitional variety of British English, frequently evaluated against Received Pronunciation as a normative ideal. This study contends that such classifications are theoretically insufficient and sociolinguistically reductive. Drawing on frameworks from World Englishes, language contact theory, and postcolonial linguistics, the article argues that Nigerian English has evolved into a nativized linguistic system characterized by internal consistency, sociocultural grounding, and an independent developmental trajectory.

Central to this evolution is sustained interaction between English and indigenous Nigerian languages, most notably Yoruba and Igbo. These interactions have produced distinctive phonological realizations, semantic extensions, syntactic patterns, and pragmatic conventions that reflect indigenous cognitive and communicative norms. Rather than representing linguistic deficiency, such features constitute systematic processes of adaptation and localization.

To capture this linguistic autonomy and cultural ownership, the study introduces the term “Yogbish” as a proposed reclassification of Nigerian English. The nomenclature functions both descriptively and symbolically, foregrounding African linguistic influence while resisting colonial hierarchies embedded in traditional evaluative models. By reframing Nigerian English as Yogbish, the article challenges deficit-oriented paradigms and advances a decolonized understanding of global English varieties, contributing to broader debates on language legitimacy, identity construction, and the politics of naming in postcolonial societies.

Keywords

Nigerian English; Yogbish; World Englishes; Language Contact; Postcolonial Linguistics; Nativization; African Englishes

Author:- Alfred Mwiti (2026). Yogbish: Nativization, Identity, and the Reclassification of Nigerian English.

Author Information

Change of Guard

The drums do not stop at dawn—
they only change their hands.
From palace steps to dusty squares
the anthem learns a newer tongue.

Old boots retire at the gate,
creased with years of marching power;
new soles shine, untested still,
promising a gentler hour.

Yet the gate itself is ancient,
iron forged in colonial fire,
hinges stiff with borrowed laws
and dreams that never did expire.

Crowns pass not in gold but silence,
in whispers signed on paper thin;
sometimes through the ballot’s breath,
sometimes through the gun’s cold grin.

Africa has seen the changing—
flags lowered, flags raised again;
hope rehearsed in every vote,
betrayal fluent among men.

The challenge walks with heavy feet:
egos bred in borrowed thrones,
states confused with family names,
treasuries turned into bones.

Power fears the sound of leaving,
for it knows the truth of time:
that no ruler owns the morning,
nor can history be confined.

Courts are tested, armies tempted,
streets grow restless, voices swell;
youth knock loudly on the future,
asking elders to step down well.

Yet within the changing guard
lies a continent’s deep chance—
to teach power how to bow,
to make leadership a dance.

Where exit is not exile,
where loss is not disgrace,
where the leader plants a tree
he will never sit beneath its shade.

The possibility is fragile,
like rain on waiting ground;
but when it falls on honest soil,
a nation learns to stand unbound.

So let the drums keep beating—
not for men, but for the land;
for the day power learns to serve,
and the guard changes by command.

Insightful View

Change of Guard is a reflective political poem that interrogates the complex nature of leadership transition in African nations. Using powerful symbolism such as drums, gates, boots, and ballots, the poem exposes the tension between continuity and change, showing how leaders may change while systems remain stubbornly the same.

The poet critically examines the fear of relinquishing power, the fragility of democratic processes, and the historical baggage that continues to shape modern governance. At the same time, the poem acknowledges the resilience of African societies, especially the role of the youth, who stand as custodians of hope and accountability.

Rather than condemning Africa, the poem speaks from within it—honest, patient, and hopeful. It ultimately presents leadership not as ownership, but as stewardship, emphasizing that true national strength lies in peaceful transitions, strong institutions, and leaders who know when to step aside.

Where there is no vision people perish: Powerful Devotional on Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision people perish

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

Vision is not human ambition; it is God’s revealed direction. When God’s voice is absent, life drifts into confusion, compromise, and stagnation. But when His word governs the heart, purpose becomes clear, choices become wise, and life gains order.

Divine vision anchors us—reminding us who we are, where we are going, and who is leading us. The absence of God’s guidance dries the soul; the presence of His instruction nourishes it.

Devotional Thought

Every life runs on a vision—either heaven’s or our own. God’s vision is not a distant dream; it is His active revelation shaping our daily decisions. When we ignore His guidance, we become restless, anxious, and easily misled. But when we align our steps with His Word, life regains clarity, discipline, and joy.

God’s vision is revealed through Scripture, prayer, and the quiet nudges of the Holy Spirit. It is the whisper that redirects a wrong path, the light that exposes hidden dangers, the assurance that keeps us standing when everything else shakes.

Reflection Questions

What area of your life currently feels directionless?
Have you placed your ambitions before God’s vision?
What step can you take today to realign with His guidance?

Prayer

Lord, give me Your vision. Open my eyes to see Your will, and strengthen my heart to obey it. Lead me where Your light shines, and keep me from paths that perish. Amen.

Tuesday

The Faltering Polis : Aristotelian Version

The Faltering Polis

Aristotelian Version

At dawn, the polis wakes beneath a burden

not of foreign chains, but of its own excess.

For where virtue fails, disorder rises—

and streets guarded by fear

announce the absence of a just state.

Whispers move softly

because courage has been diminished,

and when courage fails, truth falters.

Dreams wear fetters because rulers

have surrendered moderation for power,

and power unbalanced becomes tyranny.

In lands once noble,

where citizens sought the common good,

the unrighteous now hold the center.

Boots march where flourishing should bloom,

for a city ruled by appetite

cannot nurture the excellence of its people.

Across borders, the same error spreads:

Leaders pursue self-interest,

not virtue;

force, not reason;

fear, not the good of the citizens.

Kenya stands likewise at the crossroads,

where ballots cast without integrity

cannot yield a virtuous state.

A republic cannot thrive

when its leaders lack temperance

and its justice is left thirsty.

Yet within the youth resides potential—

the seed of a better polity.

For nature inclines us toward the good,

and tyranny cannot forever drown

the human pursuit of excellence.

In time, a virtuous people

will restore balance to their polis—

for no regime built on injustice

can endure beyond its measure.

Insightful view

The Aristotelian version of the poem views political oppression through the lens of virtue ethics and the health of the polis.

Aristotle believed that a state exists not merely for survival, but for the cultivation of virtue, enabling citizens to live the “good life” (eudaimonia).

This poem shows what happens when a nation abandons that purpose.

The guarded streets, silenced voices, and restrained citizens signify a polis that has lost balance—where rulers pursue power without moderation, and society slips from order into tyranny, one of Aristotle’s lowest forms of government.

Aristotle taught that a just society requires:

temperance in leaders,

courage and participation from citizens,

and justice as the guiding virtue.

In the poem, each of these virtues is either weakened or corrupted. Rulers chase self-interest, dissent becomes dangerous, and justice “grows thirsty.” This imagery reflects a moral drought, not just a political one.

Yet Aristotle also believed in the potential for renewal. The poem’s final moment—where the youth awaken—aligns with the idea that virtue can be restored through morally awakened citizens. Their inner potential, once activated, can rebalance the polis and lead to a new era of justice.

In short, the Aristotelian version reveals that:

A state collapses when virtue collapses,

and it rises again only when its people reclaim their moral purpose.

A Nation Under Siege: The Silent Struggle for Freedom in Africa

A Nation Under Siege

The sun rises slowly over guarded streets,

Where whispers walk barefoot lest they be heard.

Dreams wear shackles, hope moves in retreats,

And truth trembles softly, caged like a bird.

Voices once vibrant now speak in disguise,

For freedom is rationed in measured breath.

Leaders wear crowns carved out of lies,

Their promises dancing with silence and death.

In the Pearl of Africa, drums beat low—

Songs of the brave drowned by the roar

Of boots that march where flowers should grow,

Keeping the gate, yet opening no door.

Across borders, the story repeats:

A nation detained by its very own hand.

Dissent is a crime, protest retreats,

Justice grows thirsty in its own land.

And Kenya, heart of a thousand cries,

Where ballots have shadows longer than night.

A hunger for change fills the skies,

But power clings tight with unyielding might.

Still—

In every heart lives a stubborn flame,

In every youth, a rising dawn.

A people may bend, but not remain

In chains forever—

No night lasts forever.

A nation under siege does not forget:

The soil remembers every tear.

And when the voices unite as one—

Even tyrants learn to fear.

Insightful View

“A Nation Under Siege” portrays the quiet suffocation of democracy in several African countries. It examines how governments meant to protect freedom often become its greatest threat—censoring voices, controlling opposition, and ruling through fear.

The poem contrasts the natural beauty and cultural pride of nations like Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya with the harsh reality of political repression. Symbolism is strong throughout: whispers walking barefoot represent citizens afraid to speak, crowns carved out of lies expose deceptive leadership, and justice growing thirsty captures the frustration of people denied fairness.

Yet despite oppression, the poem refuses to surrender to despair. It highlights a resilient spirit burning among the youth—a belief that no dictatorship is permanent. The closing stanza reminds us that the collective voice of citizens has the power to reclaim a nation’s destiny, and that even the most fortified regimes cannot resist unity forever.

In essence, the poem is both a lament and a warning; a sorrowful reflection and a hopeful prophecy.