THE UNIVERSITY of Jos in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, has announced Tuesday, July 22, 2025 as date for its 112th Inaugural Lecture, to be delivered by 54-year-old distinguished scholar and Head of the the university’s Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, Professor Lengji Nudiya Danjuma.
The lecture, entitled: “The Verb is a Doing Word. Is it True?: The Universality of Language,” is schedulced to hold at the Aliyu Akwei Doma Indoor Theatre, By Faculty of Arts, Naraguta Campus, University of Jos.
Prof. Danjuma, a leading expert in Generative Syntax and Chadic Studies, will explore the universality of linguistic structures, drawing from years of research on African languages, including Ngas and Hausa.
His work challenges conventional paradigms, offering fresh insights into the dynamic nature of verbs across global languages.
With over 60 supervised research projects (B.A.; M. A. and MPhil/PhD), 25+ publications, and accolades such as the African Humanities Program Fellowship, Prof. Danjuma’s lecture promises to be a landmark event for linguists, educators, and language enthusiasts.
The Vice-Chancellor, faculty, and students will join dignitaries to celebrate his contributions to academia and community development, including his role in advancing indigenous language preservation.
1 Comment
I am proud to announce that the Inaugural lecturer is my professor and colleague in the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Jos, Nigeria. He is an erudite scholar and a distinguished academic whose vast experience with the generative approach to linguistic syntax and long-standing specialization in Chadic linguistics promises to reveal, through the lecture, the dynamics of what we have always acknowledged as a verb. Professor Danjuma’s lecture will challenge traditional ideas regarding the verb, some of which we have held on to since we were in kindergarten classes. I can hardly wait to listen and to learn about the curious topic that is the focus of the lecture by my friend, colleague, professor and mentor in the field of Linguistics.