M.A. Yoruba Literature

Master of Arts in Yorùbá Literature

A List of Academic Staff

Name	Status and Qualification	Research Interests
J.O. Friday-Otun	Reader B.A. (Jos); M.A. (Ilorin), M.Phil., Ph.D. (Ibadan)	Applied Linguistics, Semantics,Pragmatics
G. Fakuade	Professor B.Ed., M.A. (Ibadan); Ph.D.(Ilorin)	Sociolinguistics, English Language,Yoruba Language, Syntax, DiscourseAnalysis
O. Adeyemi	Professor B.A.(Ed.), M.Ed., M.P.A.,Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Yoruba Literature and Culture, Language Education
I.O. Sanusi	Professor B.A., M.A. Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Syntax and AppliedLinguistics
H.O. Adeosun	Professor B.A. (OOU, Ago-Iwoye); M.A.(Ibadan); Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Yoruba Written Literature, Stylistics
O.D. Ogunlola	Senior Lecturer B.A. (Ed) (Ibadan); M.A.,Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Yoruba Oral Literature, Stylistics
Saudat A. Hamzat	Senior Lecturer B.A. (Ife), M.A. Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Yoruba Literature and Culture
O. T. Okewande	Lecturer 1 B. A. (Ilorin), M.A, Ph.D. (Ado-Ekiti)	Yoruba Literature and Language
O.C. Omolewu	Lecturer I B.A. M.A. (Ilorin)	Yoruba Language

B Introduction

The programme is designed to expand graduate students‘ general appreciation of the significance of Yorùbá language in the life of its speakers in Nigeria, Africa and the Diaspora through teaching and research in higher educational and research institutions. It will integrate students‘ oral and written competence and performance with their analytical skills in the language enterprise.

C Philosophy

The philosophy of the programme is the development of highly competent, versatile and effective users of Yorùbá language, by equipping students with research and analytical skills to enable them pursue higher study in Yorùba.

D Aim and Objectives

The programme aims to promote the study of Yoruba Language and documentation of Yoruba culture. The objectives of the programme are to:

1. enable students to be well informed and be conscious of the literary diversity and richness of Nigerian literature and other African literature; and
2. enable students to highly appreciate various Yorùbá literary genres and be able to analyse Yorùbá literature within modern literary theories.

E Admission Requirements

1. Candidates must possess the minimum of five ‗O‘ Level Credit passes, which must include Yorùbá Language and English Language.
2. Candidates must possess a Bachelor‘s degree in Yorùbá or any relevant discipline with at least a Second Class (Lower Division) from a recognized university. Mastery of additional African Languages will be an advantage.
3. Candidates shall be subjected to a selection process except graduates of Yoruba from the University of Ilorin with Second Class (Upper Division) and above.

F Duration of the Programme

1. The Full-time M.A. programme would run for a minimum of 18 calendar months, and a maximum of 24 calendar months.
2. The Part-time M.A. programme would run for a minimum of 36 calendar months and maximum of 48 calendar months.

G Detailed Course Description

LIY 801 Narratology 3 Credits

Yorùbá world view: philosophy, legend, myth and epic as relevant to oral literature. Types of Yorùbá oral narratives: folktales, types, characterization, setting, techniques, performance, narration and the audience. 45h (T); C

LIY 802 Yorùbá Prosody 3 Credits

Prosody: Yorùbá stylistics. Principles and techniques of linguistics and literary stylistic application to Yorùbá literary data: written and oral. Interplay of phonology, syntax and semantics in Yorùbá literary works. 45h (T); C

LIY 803 Yorùbá Poetry (Oral and Written) 3 Credits

In-depth study of Yorùbá poetry in its major divisions of oral and written. Outline study of the major classifications of oral poetry and major subdivisions of the written poetry. 45h (T); C

LIY 804 Yorùbá Modern Fiction 3 Credits

Development of the Yorùbá fiction from its earliest beginnings: trends, types and characteristics. Nature and development of the Yorùbá prose fiction: universal norms and trends in the novel. Detailed study of the works of selected authors. 45h (T); C

LIY 805 Major Theories of Literature 3 Credits

Critical approaches to literary works: formalism, structuralism, genetic-structuralism. Sociology of literature. Marxism, and new Historicism, Feminism, Postcolonialism, Semiotics, Archetypal, Pscho- analytic and Nativism relating to prose, poetry, and drama. Application to Yorùbá literature. 45h (T); C

LIY 806 Composition, Performance and Poetry 3 Credits

Composition and performance techniques of Yoruba chants: esa, rara, yala, ekuniyawo. Emergence of new forms: dadakuada, were/waka, apala, fuji, juju, sakara. Role and function of the audience. Artist in the composition and performance. Printed/recorded texts of chants. 45h (T); C

LIY 807 Research Methods in Literature 3 Credits Principles and techniques of research methodology. Application of the techniques of data elicitation and data analysis. Criteria for determining good data. Handling of equipment, techniques of research, project organization and report writing. Field work, archival and library studies, interviews, participant observation. 30h (T);, 45h (P); C

LIY 808 Modern Yorùbá Poetry 3 Credits

Special features of Yorùbá written poetry. Constituents of a good Yorùbá written poem. Lives and works of selected Yorùbá poets. Major types of Yorùbá written poetry: narrative, descriptive, political, more. Trends in modern Yorùbá poetry. 45h (T); C

LIY 809 Rhetoric 3 Credits

Contemporary concepts of rhetoric as an effective means of developing and disciplining the mind. Practical use of the rhetorical method in composition writing modes: argument, refutation, narration, ―comparison/contrast‖, description, classification. Process analysis: definition, exposition, and relation to the audience. 45h (T); E

LIN 810 Pragmatics 3 Credits

Principles of pragmatics, mechanics and evolution: logical implication/pragmatic implications. Conversational implications and other principles. Context knowledge of the world and shared knowledge. Incorporation of pragmatic information into formal descriptions of language. Analysis of how meaning is constructed in context through spoken and written language. Speech act theory; politeness and face. Cultural scripts and metaphor. 45h (T); E

LIY 811 African Language and Globalization 3 Credits

Major African languages, their genetic classifications. Standard orthography for the unwritten African languages. Globalization and software for written African languages. Localization of ICT products. Keyboards for African languages, creating websites for Nigerian languages. Documentation and uploading of materials on Nigerian languages.45h (T); E

LIY 813 Approaches to the Study of Culture 3 Credits

Yorùbá culture. Sociological theories, study of society and culture: evolutionism, diffusionism and cultural change. Salient features of Yorùbá social set-up: belief systems, political, economic and judicial systems.45h (T); E

LIN 828 Theory and Practice of Translation 3 Credits

Linguistic and intercultural principles of translation. Intensive hands-on-training in the use of standard Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools. Types of translations: translating words and structures, and analysis of components of meaning, multiple senses and collocation restrictions in translated texts. Theory and types of equivalence in translation. Analysis of translated texts and translation criticism. Assessment of cross-language transfer in translation practical translation of documents and data files.30h (T); 45h (P); E

LIY 829 Yorùbá Drama and Theatre 3 Credits

Detailed study of dramatic elements in Yorùbá rituals and ceremony. Rise and development of Yorùbá folk opera. Study of the lives and works of operative performance-managers: Ogunde, Ogunmola and Duro Ladiipo. Characteristics and development of Yoruba written drama. Detailed study of the works of Faleti, Isola and Olabimtan. 45h (T); E

LIY 839 Dissertation 6 Credits

An original dissertation written on the area of specialization. The topic which shall be approved by the Postgraduate School on the recommendation of the Department through the Faculty must make original contribution to the area of specialization. 270h (P); C

H. Graduation Requirements

1. To be awarded the M.A. degree in Yorùbá literature, a student must have taken and passed the prescribed number of core courses selected from the approved list, and totaling 30 units as follows: Courses (24 units), Dissertation (6 units), Total (30 units).
2. In all cases, M.A. students must write and submit to the Department a dissertation duly supervised by a lecturer in the Department whose qualifications are not below the Ph.D. Such a thesis will be defended before an external examiner nominated by the department and appointed by Senate through the University Postgraduate Board.

I Summary Core Courses:

LIY 801 (3), LIY 802 (3), LIY803 (3), LIY 804 (3), LIY 805 (3),

LIY 806(3), LIY 807 (3), LIY 808 (3), LIY 839 (6) 30 Credits

Elective Courses:

At least a minimum of 6 Credits from the following Courses:

LIY 809 (3), LIY 811 (3), LIY 813 (3), LIY 814 (3), LIN 828 (3),

LIY 829 (3), LIN 810 (3), LIN 828 (3) 6 Credits

Total of C + E Courses 36 Credits