Utuenikang

Utuenikang: Ibom Journal of Language and Literary Review is a product of the continued quest for the cross-fertilization of critical ideas and articulation of evolving issues in knowledge production and development in the areas of language, creative writing and literary scholarship.

‘Utuenikang’ and ‘Ibom’ that form part of the name of the journal in the Ibibio/Annag/Efik, and indeed, in most of the local dialects of Akwa Ibom State, South-South, Nigeria, where the university is located, simply means ’lantern’. The illuminating value of ‘Utuenikang’ (or ’lantern’ in English) is understandable for a journal like this. ‘Ibom’ as part of the name of the state, just as it is part of the name of the University itself, means ‘a great land’ or universe.

The Department of English, Akwa Ibom State University is in tune with the developing trends in the global knowledge arena and has continued to strive towards bringing excellence to bear on the drive for the actualization of mission and vision of this university in terms of research and scholarship. It is this drive that has given birth to Utuenikang. This journal is the second title published in the department. The first title; AKSU Journal of English has been rolling in its volumes since its first edition in 2017.