This study examined how young people perceive the revitalization of indigenous languages in multicultural environments. The research team gathered data from a stratified random sample of 200 participants hailing from diverse rural and urban areas in Ghana and Sierra Leone. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the study employed questionnaires and interviews to gauge local community perceptions toward indigenous language revitalization in Ghana and Sierra Leone. The team also conducted focus groups to gain qualitative insights. The two data sets were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as thematic qualitative analysis to reveal the perspectives of study participants on the importance of indigenous language in maintaining cultural legacy. The findings underscored the significance of indigenous languages beyond communication, emphasizing their exposure to external threats such as cultural assimilation and the dominance of foreign languages. The research team calls on the Ministries in charge of culture in Ghana and Sierra Leone to prioritize initiatives aimed at recovering and safeguarding indigenous languages, as a critical step for cultural transmission and preservation. Keywords: Native Culture, Linguistic Traditions, Cultural Ecosystems, Language, Indigenous Languages, Cultural Synergy

The purpose of the research was to examine the constructivist referents in Oumar Farouk Sesay’s poem ‘The Song of the Women of My Land’. This required an analysis and understanding of the referents (terms that clearly and indirectly refer to persons, things or events) and whether the referents were used in the poem to express grief by women. The research questions were as follows: a) Does the poet use referents that suggest the death of traditions that celebrate old women, song bards, and songs from the past more than any other word? b) Is the poet more likely to employ poetic allusions to indicate negative constructivism? and c) Is the poem’s use of prosodic features related to the message? This study used computational and content analysis methods, which incorporate a careful poetry-reading critical approach, to identify and calculate constructivist referents. The referents were then manually broad-coded to include whole lines and verses. The exact words, phrases, and sentences related to the topic were coded and their frequency was determined. These were calculated by counting the number of times a referent appeared. The themes were then selected and interpreted, with a focus on relating them to the poem’s constructivist viewpoint. Finally, the main prosodic elements of the poem, as well as the referents that create them, were established. The results show that most referents by African poets are used to emphasise that traditional culture is dying and that the referents romanticise the fleeting nature of beauty in poetry and the pacifying effects of rural pastimes.

This study employed psychoanalytic theory to delve into the ways Sierra Leonean poets Celia Eva Beatrice Thompson, Princess Mildred Kailey, and Kayode Adesimi Robbin-Coker explored themes of despair, lust, and loss in their poetry. Addressing a notable gap in literary criticism, especially regarding Sierra Leonean authors, the research sought to raise the international stature of African writers and support students facing challenges with poetry in West African public exams. Employing psychoanalytic principles, the study uncovered deeper meanings behind the unconscious drives and emotions in these poets' works. It involved analyzing the occurrence of themes, detecting psychoanalytically significant lines and phrases, and identifying central themes and literary techniques used to express complex emotions. The analysis, which combined thematic and literary analysis, focused on the language, themes, and use of figurative language, diction, and other poetic devices in Thompson’s 41, Kailey’s 20, and Robbin-Coker’s 23 poems. This approach highlighted their distinct ways of depicting despair, lust, and loss. By integrating thematic analysis, the study offered a more profound comprehension of each poet's style. Ultimately, this psychoanalytic exploration aimed to enhance critical interpretation skills and helped in understanding the deeper psychological aspects of Sierra Leonean and other African poetry.

The study investigated the Temne proverbs and riddles of Sierra Leone. It particularly looked at the connections between these two oral forms and African Oral Literature. The aim of the study was to identify the main structure and semantic meaning that distinguish Temne proverbs and riddles. The researchers used linguistic and anthropological methods, which were adapted from Thulla to discover the structural and cultural meanings of Temne sayings. Specifically, the researchers employed both embedded and exploratory designs to provide a better understanding of the basic interpretations given to the concept of proverbs and riddles of the Temne people. A total of 60 communities were selected for the study from 12 Chiefdoms. The researchers carefully evaluated existing materials, including Temne proverbs and riddles from Thulla’s collection, and conducted key informant interviews with 20 locals in the study area and 4 focus group discussions with indigenous Temne language experts to collect primary data. The study identified many similarities between them, which implies that the two forms are developed and interpreted using a common cognitive framework. The findings reveal that Temne Proverb and Riddle are circular and have instructional purposes, which adds to the debate over the need to preserve oral traditions. The study also finds that Temne proverbs and riddles emphasize different values, which demonstrates the Temne people’s philosophy and language, suggesting their continued significance in the community.