Osakue Omoera

Federal University, Otuoke (FUO), Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Theatre and Film Studies, Faculty Member

Federal University, Otuoke (FUO), Bayelsa State, Nigeria, English and Communication Studies, Faculty Member

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Osakue Stevenson OMOERA, Ph.D., is at the leading edge of knowledge generation and dissemination, with specific reference to Nigerian (African) Studies. The foci of his research have been on three main planks: Nollywood studies, with emphasis on indigenous language films; Media sociology, with emphasis on the social impacts of the media in developing areas of the world, including Nigeria; and Cultural dynamics, with emphasis on theatre and African performance studies. Omoera is credited to have pioneered scholarly inquiry into the Benin film segment of Nollywood studies. As well, he developed the "Active Volcano Paradigm" for the study of English as a language of mass communication, with reference to broadcast media news in Nigeria.
Phone: +2348035714679
Address: Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Faculty of HuFederal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

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Papers by Osakue Omoera

EJOLLS JOURNAL 2025 Vol 14

EJOLLS Vol 14, 2025

EJOLLS: Ekpoma Journal of Languages and Literary Studies Vol 14 2025

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CHALLENGING GENDER NORMS: REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN NGUGI WA THIONG'O AND BUCHI EMECHETA'S FICTIONAL WORKS

by Osakue Omoera and Parkins Embele-kakpo Ogede

Eboloo: Journal of Society, Environment and Development (EJOSED) Vol.3 Nos. 1&2. E-ISSN: 3092-9350

The portrayal of women in literature is as old as literature itself. Women are featured as import... more The portrayal of women in literature is as old as literature itself. Women are featured as important characters and play significant roles in oral and written narratives. In African society, prejudiced perceptions held by men have influenced the treatment of women. This study, therefore, examines 'gender otherness' in the social, political, and economic spheres of colonial and postcolonial African literature. It uses Ngugi wa Thiong'o's The River Between and Buchi Emecheta's Second Class Citizen as points of departure for analysis and discussion. The study adopts a qualitative approach, which involves a close reading of the primary texts. Feminist Theory is adopted as the theoretical mooring with the Subaltern Theory is an ancillary construct, as the study maps and tracks how power relations shape and impact the perceptions and experiences of women as marginalised groups of people in the two selected fictional works. The article demonstrates how wa Thiong'o and Emecheta have treated gender otherness within the purview of colonial, postcolonial, and patriarchal power dynamics in society. It also reveals how gender issues in The River Between and Second Class Citizen are depicted from different perspectives. The conclusion reached is that the analysis of the two selected texts based on 'gender otherness' showed that the Black woman has been described with a fixed identity. Hence, the need for, among other things, a balancing of the importance of the male gender in the advancement of the female gender in African gender literature and discourses.

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New media audience and sexuality issues in big brother naija

Telos, May 20, 2024

The new media effectively plays the role of speedily conveying media content to various online co... more The new media effectively plays the role of speedily conveying media content to various online communities, and this internet technology also allows for the storage and retrieval of content. The organizers of Big Brother Naija (BBN) appear to have leveraged this facility to interact with the audience of the reality show in the most profound manner in the Nigerian media ecosystem. Adopting John Locke's Empiricist Reflection Theory (ERT), the article uses quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine if coders (the new media audience) perceived the promotion of nudity, illicit sex, inordinate kisses, and vulgarity in the 2018 edition of the Big Brother Naija (BBN), codenamed "Double Wahala." A checklist of 72 internal consistency reliability was used to obtain the quantitative data while the data were analyzed using simple percentages and a pie chart. This was complemented by qualitative research modalities of historical-analytic and document observation methods. The study found that the participants and organizers have, for economic reasons, thrown caution on morality and values to the wind with the outcome of actual sexual intercourse among the participants amounting to 52% among other studied variables. The conclusion reached is that the organizers of the program should redesign it to promote wholesome entertainment, education, and enlightenment of the audience, especially the youth in Nigeria.

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Theatre-for-Development as Information Panacea for Rural Dwellers in Nigeria during a Pandemic: Lessons from COVID-19

The Journal of Society and Media/The Journal of society and media, Oct 29, 2023

The subject of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Nigeria emerged with various misrepresentations and cons... more The subject of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Nigeria emerged with various misrepresentations and conspiracy theories, such as the notion of COVID-19 as a forerunner of the Anti-Christ or the commencement of a &#39;New World Order&#39; occasioned by the 5G network. The information dissemination on coronavirus in Nigeria was managed mainly by the Presidential Task Force (PTF), which hosted daily media briefings on its activities. This paper examined the PTF&#39;s information dissemination structure and its impact on four indigenous communities in south-eastern Nigeria: Ikwo in Ebonyi State, Iva-Valley Forestry Hill Camp 1 in Enugu State, Umualumu Old Road in Imo State, and Ogbagu Obukpa in Enugu State. It concentrated on sensitizing indigenous communities and how theatre-for-development (TfD) complemented other media platforms during the lockdown to keep rural dwellers abreast of the situation and take necessary health precautions. It employed Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre Theory and Theatre-forDevelopment (TfD) methodology in four south-eastern indigenous communities in Nigeria to demonstrate how TfD could complement other media platforms available to the PTF in the dissemination of information on the coronavirus to rural dwellers. Despite the robustness of the PTF’s information dissemination structure, TfD considerably mobilized dwellers of the four indigenous communities in south-eastern Nigeria to understand their local language of Igbo and take necessary precautions against the coronavirus. It was a critical additional information panacea for the rural populace. TfD was a potent means to reach remote communities that the PTF should have considered in its information dissemination on COVID-19 in Nigeria. It was suggested that a robust awareness infrastructure to confront COVID-19 or any emerging pandemic should be placed by the Nigerian government to accommodate rural dwellers through the use of TfD.

NEW MEDIA AUDIENCE AND SEXUALITY ISSUES IN BIG BROTHER NAIJA

TELOS: Revista de Estudios Interdisciplinarios en Ciencias Sociales, 26(2),578-594.

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Still media as means of cultural documentation: The Ekpoma's Ihuen visual paradigm

Journal of African History, Culture and Arts 4(1), 52-65. , 2024

This article explores the cultural documentation of Ekpoma's Ihuen through the lens of still medi... more This article explores the cultural documentation of Ekpoma's Ihuen through the lens of still media, specifically photographs. Grounded in media anthropology and the concept of indexicality, the study adopts historical analysis, photographic-content analysis, observational methods, and interviews. Its focus is on understanding the relationship between images, cultural objects, events, and community histories as embodied in Ihuen, an annual religio-cultural ceremony/festival among the Esan-speaking people of Ekpoma in Edocentral senatorial district of Edo State, Nigeria. Through the artistic agency of still media, the study categorizes discernible trends in Ihuen over time and space. These include the conferment of chieftaincy titles, the presence of the king-in-state, ancestral worship, paying homage to the Onojie, sacred objects, and the presence of innovations and syncretic tendencies. The study argues that the materiality and annual observance of Ihuen have become strong cultural indices for the individuals and community engaging with the ceremony. Beyond their potential as acclaimed pieces of art, the photographs documenting Ihuen possess the power to effect change and contribute to a more sustainable cultural future for the Ekpoma people. The festival serves as a hub for cultural solidarity, fostering consciousness, and a renewed sense of community and cultural identity. In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of still media, particularly photographs, in documenting and understanding the cultural dynamics of Ihuen. The engagement with Ihuen serves as a source of cultural solidarity, fostering a sense of community and cultural revitalization.

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Salvaging the Nigerian identity: An exploration of the media and cultural promotion in Nigeria

Omoera, O.S. & Chukwuma, O. (2023). “Salvaging the Nigerian Identity: An Exploration of the Media and Cultural Promotion in Nigeria.” Journal of Creative Arts, Communication and Media Studies, 2(1): 83-93. Kenyatta University, Nairobi, KENYA. https://journals.ku.ac.ke/index.php/JCCM/article/view..., 2023

This is a discourse on the cardinality of the media in promoting culture in Nigeria. Employing th... more This is a discourse on the cardinality of the media in promoting culture in Nigeria. Employing the analytic and direct observation methods, we used Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory (SLT) as a lodestar to apprehend the issue of cultural promotion via the media. It was argued that the media is very relevant and potent for the promotion of culture. It was also argued that that the media is effectively playing this role of cultural promotion in Nigeria based on the fact that several constitutional and legal provisions have been made by the Nigerian government to ensure the effective performance of such responsibility by the media. It was further claimed that over the years, the media in Nigeria have continued to ensure compliance by providing relevant media contents on Nigeria's culture with the ultimate aim of promoting the Nigerian identity. The conclusion reached is that both the ethnic minority and the ethnic majority cultures of the country are relatively well represented and promoted by the Nigerian media, but there is room for improvement.

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Dislocating Cultural Denudations: BFA and the Artistic (Re)visioning of Nigeria

Ododo, S.E., & Omoera, O.S. (2017), “Dislocating Cultural Denudations: BFA and the Artistic (Re)v... more Ododo, S.E., & Omoera, O.S. (2017), “Dislocating Cultural Denudations: BFA and the Artistic (Re)visioning of Nigeria" (pp. xvii–xx), in Ododo, S.E., and Omoera, O.S. (Eds.). Theatre, Media, and Cultural Re-Engineering in Nigeria: An Ovation of Excellence to Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma (BFA). Abuja: Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists/National Institute for Cultural Orientation. Abuja,

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Bridging the Gap

Palgrave Macmillan eBooks, Aug 19, 2013

Fake News as Disruptive Media: A Digital Age Challenge in Nigeria

Studies in Media and Communication

The Nigerian media space is flooded with fake news, which has become the bane of digital journali... more The Nigerian media space is flooded with fake news, which has become the bane of digital journalism in today’s world. This is occasioned by the emergence of online media platforms and news blogs in Nigeria that appears to have created a situation where everyone can lay claim to being a ‘digital journalist’ and spreads news stories that get circulated instantaneously whether factual or not. This study uses case analysis, and historicocritical methods to examine purposively selected fake news cases disseminated on social media that concern socio-political, socio-economic, and socio-cultural themes about Nigerians or Nigeria posted between 2017 and 2021. We found that fake news is rife in Nigeria and is increasingly becoming a sub-culture among the people. The article recommends a reorientation of Nigerians to do more critical thinking and to improve their digital media literacy in order not to fall prey to purveyors of fake news.

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Editorial: EJOTMAS: Raising the research and publication bar at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria

EJOTMAS: Ekpoma Journal of Theatre and Media Arts, 2020

It is with great excitement, enthusiasm and trepidation that we announce the release of volume 7,... more It is with great excitement, enthusiasm and trepidation that we announce the release of volume 7, numbers 1 and 2 of EJOTMAS: Ekpoma Journal of Theatre and Media Arts. All three feelings grew out of the fact that we have been working strenuously to raise the bar as far as the quality, reputation, circulation and indexation of the biennial output of the journal is concerned. Not unmindful of the structural challenges that impinge on intellectual work or knowledge production in Africa, we have gradually built capacities in the areas of plagiarism checks, acquisition of digital object identifiers (DOIs), strong web presence, wide readership, among others, through partnerships with organisations such as the African Journals Online (AJOL), UlrichsWeb, MLA Bibliography International, Society of African Journal Editors (SAJE), and the Ambrose Alli University ICT Unit (AAU Online). That is, aside the AAU Online where we are listed, EJOTMAS is now listed in MLA International Bibliography, UlrichsWeb, AJOL, SAJE, WorldCat, etc. This is a milestone that is worth noting even at the level of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma that is determined to be a leading university in Nigeria and beyond. Following the recent publication of the Times Higher Education University Rankings standards, universities are now generally assessed on 5 pillars, namely, Teaching, Research, Citations, Industry Income and Internationalisation (par 4). We are proud to announce that this development has been the driving force behind EJOTMAS, and its parent university,

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Between the Text and the Sub-text: A Reading of Selected Benin Musical Video-Films from Nigeria

Film Music in ‘Minor’ National Cinemas, 2016

The Making, Unmaking and Remaking of Contemporary Nigerian Theatre and Performance

by Osakue Omoera and Victor Ihidero

Osakue S. Omoera, ‘Bode Ojoniyi, & Victor O. Ihidero (Eds.), One Tree a Forest: Studies in Nigerian Theatre Poetics, Technology and Cultural Aesthetics: A Book in Honour of Sunday Enessi Ododo (SEO). Lagos: National Theatre , 2023

The making of the Nigerian theatre history is fraught with the canonical pedagoguery of diverse t... more

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'One Tree A Forest: Studies in Nigerian Theatre Poetics, Technology and Cultural Aesthetics'

Omoera, O.S., Ojoniyi, B. & Ihidero, V.O. (2023). One Tree a Forest: Studies in Nigerian Theatre Poetics, Technology and Cultural Aesthetics: A Book in Honour of Sunday Enessi Ododo (SEO). Lagos: National Theatre, 2023

The currency of Sunday Enessi Ododo’s (SEO’s) contributions to African theatre appears to challen... more The currency of Sunday Enessi Ododo’s (SEO’s) contributions to African theatre appears to challenge the African philosophical thought that ‘a tree does not make a forest.’ It seems SEO is one tree that has become a forest considering the quantum and depth of his contributions to theatre, cultural studies, media arts, performance aesthetics, theatre technology, scenography, critical theory, arts, cultural administration/management and creative writing in Nigeria and beyond. SEO’s multidimensional creative enterprise has created formidable platforms for his elders, peers, and mentees to luxuriate academically and professionally in Nigeria and elsewhere. The person, personality, and career of SEO as a theatremaker, anthropologist, theatre technologist, theatre manager, theatreprenuer, theatre teacher and culturologist is diachronically inspiring, humbling, and challenging at the same time. This book comprises critical and honourific articles on the works of Sunday Enessi Ododo (SEO), theatre technology, literature, cultural communication, and humanistic studies generally. It is divided into five parts: perspectives on Sunday Enessi Ododo’s dramaturgy and other literary works; sociology of literature and humanistic sciences; theatre aesthetics, technology, film and cultural communication; interviews with Sunday Enessi Ododo; and tributes, reflections and reminiscences.

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“Theatre-for-Development as Information Panacea for Rural Dwellers in Nigeria during a Pandemic: Lessons from COVID-19.” The Journal of Society and Media, 7(2):567‒592. https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v7n2.p567-592. By Charles Okwuowulu et al.

by Osakue Omoera, CASMIR ONYEMUCHARA, and charles Emokpae

The Journal of Society and Media, 2023

The subject of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Nigeria emerged with various misrepresentations and cons... more The subject of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Nigeria emerged with various misrepresentations and conspiracy theories, such as the notion of COVID-19 as a forerunner of the Anti-Christ or the commencement of a 'New World Order' occasioned by the 5G network. The information dissemination on coronavirus in Nigeria was managed mainly by the Presidential Task Force (PTF), which hosted daily media briefings on its activities. This paper examined the PTF's information dissemination structure and its impact on four indigenous communities in south-eastern Nigeria: Ikwo in Ebonyi State, Iva-Valley Forestry Hill Camp 1 in Enugu State, Umualumu Old Road in Imo State, and Ogbagu Obukpa in Enugu State. It concentrated on sensitizing indigenous communities and how theatre-for-development (TfD) complemented other media platforms during the lockdown to keep rural dwellers abreast of the situation and take necessary health precautions. It employed Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre Theory and Theatre-forDevelopment (TfD) methodology in four south-eastern indigenous communities in Nigeria to demonstrate how TfD could complement other media platforms available to the PTF in the dissemination of information on the coronavirus to rural dwellers. Despite the robustness of the PTF’s information dissemination structure, TfD considerably mobilized dwellers of the four indigenous communities in south-eastern Nigeria to understand their local language of Igbo and take necessary precautions against the coronavirus. It was a critical additional information panacea for the rural populace. TfD was a potent means to reach remote communities that the PTF should have considered in its information dissemination on COVID-19 in Nigeria. It was suggested that a robust awareness infrastructure to confront COVID-19 or any emerging pandemic should be placed by the Nigerian government to accommodate rural dwellers through the use of TfD.

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MEDIA AND THE ADOPTION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS IN NIGERIA'S AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IN THE CONTEXT OF FOOD SECURITY

by Osakue Omoera and Jammy Guanah

Omoera, O.S. & Guanah, J. S. (2023). “Media and the Adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria’s Agricultural System in the Context of Food Security.” The Journal of Development Communication 34(1): 6-18. , 2023

Food occupies a central position in development discourse. Part of the efforts to maximise the ad... more Food occupies a central position in development discourse. Part of the efforts to maximise the advantages of nature for food security is the innovation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This article examines GMOs in Nigeria's agricultural system in the context of food security through the media prism. Its objectives were to find out if GMOs should be adopted to combat food insecurity in Nigeria; to determine the extent of farmers' awareness about GMOs through the media, and to ascertain the level of Nigeria's farmers' use of GMO seedlings in their agricultural practices. The study was anchored in Everest Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Findings showed that there is confusion and controversy surrounding the GMO discourse. The study concluded that there is a need for an open and transparent dialogue among stakeholders to find a dynamic nexus between indigenous knowledge and scientific inventions that ensures the sustainability of such interventions as GMOs. The article recommends, among others, that the government should implement policies that afford stakeholders in agricultural services unhindered access to GMO crops and the technology, to facilitate immediate and large-scale adoption and production of food to combat food insecurity in Nigeria.

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Political Coverage in the Nigerian Broadcast Media: The Need for Professionalism

This paper examines political coverage in the Nigerian broadcast media. In doing this, it adopts ... more This paper examines political coverage in the Nigerian broadcast media. In doing this, it adopts a historical-analytic methodology in discussing issues bordering on the corporate existence of the country as a democracy, especially at a time when party primaries, elections/re-run elections are expected to be conducted for the various elective positions at different political levels. It critically reviews the political circumstances the Nigerian broadcast media operate in and argues that Nigerian broadcasters appear to be in a quandary as far as the discharge of their professional duties is concerned, especially with regard to political coverage. It further contends that the problem is largely traceable to the “do or die” psychology of the average Nigerian politician who believes that he/she either wins in an election or nobody else. Hence, the paper concludes by suggesting ways Nigerian broadcasters can navigate the catch-22 and professionally and effectively play their roles in prov...

Extra-theatrical Functions of Igbabonelimhin Music and Dance of the Esan

Ceremonial activities abound in traditional African societies whose functions are still very much... more Ceremonial activities abound in traditional African societies whose functions are still very much germane to contemporary milieus in Nigeria and elsewhere. These ceremonies are often accompanied with much music and dance and, of course, music and dance constitute an integral part of masquerade performance. Several studies have been done on Igbabonelimhin as a masquerade performance, especially in relation to its potentiality for geriatric and entertainment purposes. This present effort examines the extra-theatrical functions of Igbabonelimhin with a view to X-raying its ritualistic and cleansing propensities and the need to incorporate these offerings into the social fabric of contemporary Esan society, the whole essence being the promotion of a more harmonious and progress-minded society.

A Review of Literature: Rape and Communication Media Strategies in Nigeria

Using historical-analytic methodology, this article reviews literature on rape and the communicat... more Using historical-analytic methodology, this article reviews literature on rape and the communication strategies that can be used to address rape issues in Nigeria. In doing this, it critically engages communication theories as they apply to some communication media strategies that have been/can be deployed to redress the problem. The study argues that although some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have taken the gauntlet of campaign against rape, much is desired in the area of awareness creation. It is within this context that this article reviews the concept of rape, evolutionary history of rape, rape and the law, effects of rape on victims and society, with a view to raising societal awareness and providing informational templates for an effective management of rape and gender violence and related issues in contemporary Nigeria.

Learning from the Past in Organising Music Therapy Activities for the Geriatric in Esan, Edo State of Nigeria

Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 2010

There are so many prejudices associated with aging all over the world. While in the Western world... more There are so many prejudices associated with aging all over the world. While in the Western world efforts are constantly being made to establish old peoples� homes and nursing homes for geriatric purposes, the desired attention is yet to be drawn to this concept in Nigeria. Nigerian communities which used to be known for communal lifestyle seem to have jettisoned it as a result of acculturation. Today, the aged live with their kinsmen in the various societies without much attention given to them. Sometimes they are even seen as sources of threats, as when they are accused of spiritually having evil hands in the death of younger contemporaries in the society. It is against this backdrop that this paper surveys the use of music for geriatric purposes in the previous epochs in Esan and suggests a continuum of this practice so that fruitful years could be added to the lives of the aged in Esan.

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