patrick.onah@kasu.edu.ng
+234-803 158 7421
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND DRAMA KADUNA STATE UNIVERSITY

Prof. Patrick El-Kanemi Onah

Head of Department English and Drama

Professor of English and Linguistics at Kaduna State University, specializing in Sociolinguistics, Applied Linguistics, and Language Education. With extensive teaching and research experience, his work addresses linguistic diversity, Nigerian Pidgin, and multilingualism, contributing to academic discourse and language policy development.

Biography

Dr. Onah Patrick El-kanemi is a distinguished Professor in the Department of English and Drama at Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria. Born in Ichama Centre, Benue State, he hails from Okpokwu Local Government Area. Dr. Onah is an expert in English language studies, Sociolinguistics and Applied Linguistics, with extensive research and teaching experience spanning over three decades.

Dr. Onah obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Education (Language Arts – English) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, followed by a Master’s degree and PhD in English Language from the same institution. His academic journey has been marked by significant contributions to language education, sociolinguistic research, and Applied Linguistics, particularly in the Nigerian and African contexts.

An accomplished scholar, Dr. Onah has authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers. His research interests include the sociolinguistic implications of language use in Nigeria, language endangerment, and the pedagogical challenges of English language instruction. He has also explored the role of Nigerian Pidgin as a potential national language.

Dr. Onah is a dedicated teacher and mentor, having taught at several institutions, including Ahmadu Bello University and the Federal College of Education, Zaria. He is married with six children and speaks Idoma, English, and Nigerian Pidgin.

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (English Langauge) 2010
  • Masters of Arts (English Language) 2004
  • Bachelor Degree of Education (B.Ed Lang. Arts- English) 1994
  • WAEC/GCE O/L 1984
  • First School Leaving Certificate 1977

Publications

  • Onah, Patrick E. (2012-2014) “A Dialectal Evidence of the Internationality of the English Language”. Saiwa: Journal of Communications, Department of English and Literary Studies, Faculty of Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, A.B.U Press Ltd. Vol. No. 10 & 11 (p. 280-299). ISSN: 0795-2864.
  • Onah, Patrick E. (2020) “Examining the Pedagogical Success of English Language Education and its Cultural Influence in Nigeria”. In: The Humanities and the Challenges of Development in Africa, Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Bookminds Publishers. (p. 200-218). ISBN: 978-978-56220-7-8.
  • Onah, Patrick E. (2023) “Communicative Elements in Idoma Interjections and Exclamatory Expressions”. In: Makurdi Journal of Arts and Culture. Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University, Makurdi. Vol. 17, No. 2. (p. 44 - 57). ISSN: 1117-3440. 2023 Edition
  • xxiv. Onah, Patrick E. (2023) “Linguistic Creativity: A Study of Reduplication in the Nigerian Pidgin”. In: Journal of English Scholars’ Association of Nigeria (JESAN), Vol. 25, No. 1. (p. 121-131). https://journalofenglishscholarsassociation.org/journals/index.php/JESAN/issue/view/3/35
  • Onah, Patrick E. (2023) “Pedagogical Imbalances in the Treatment of the Language Skills in Nigerian Schools: A Case for the Listening Skill”. In: Rethinking Positivism Through Poststructuralist Dialects: A Festschrift for Professor Alexander Kure. Perception Publishing House, New Delhi, (p. 376-391). ISBN: 978-93-95949-06-4.

Skills

Linguistic Research and Analysis95%
Teaching and Academic Mentorship90%
Sociolinguistic Studies and Multilingual Competence85%
Academic Writing and Publication92%
Pedagogical and Curriculum Development88%