Prof. Akin Odebunmi University of Ibadan  ·  Nigeria
Pragmatics  ·  Discourse Studies  ·  Medical Communication

Akinola Stephen
Odebunmi

Full Professor of English / Pragmatics
University of Ibadan, Nigeria PhD, Obafemi Awolowo University, 2004 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellow (4×) President, African Pragmatics Association
107Publications
28PhD Graduates
20+Yrs at UI

Research Profile

Overview

Professor Akin Odebunmi is a Full Professor of English and Pragmatics at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, one of Africa's foremost research universities. His scholarship spans pragmatics, discourse analysis, medical communication, and the sociology of English — with a particular focus on how language functions in healthcare, political, and literary contexts across Nigeria and Africa.

His work on doctor–patient interactions in Nigerian hospitals has established him as a leading international authority in African clinical discourse, earning recognition and multiple research fellowships from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany. He has held visiting professorships at the University of Freiburg (Germany), the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland), and the University of Ghana.

Professor Odebunmi leads PragmaticPoint (pragmaticpoint.org), a study group devoted to advancing the scholarship of pragmatics, and serves as President of the African Pragmatics Association. At present, he is a Consultation Board Member of the International Pragmatics Association (IPrA). He was the founding President of the Pragmatics Association of Nigeria (PrAN).

Quick Info

PositionFull Professor
InstitutionUniversity of Ibadan, Nigeria
SpecialisationPragmatics, Discourse Analysis, Medical Communication
Google ScholarView Full Profile →
Biography

About Professor Odebunmi

Academic Degrees

Education

Academic Positions

Employment

International Fellowships & Visiting Positions

Abroad

Administrative & Teaching Leadership

Service
Research Output

Publications

Total: 107 publications  ·  Google Scholar →

Key Publications

Highlights

Books

17 Volumes

Book Chapters

Selected

Journal Articles

Selected
Research Training

Research Supervision

Completed PhD Theses 28 Graduates

  • "Explicatures and Implicatures in Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun."2010
  • "Interaction Structure and Pragmatic Features in 2008 National Quasi-judicial Public Hearing on the FCT Administration."2012
  • "Lexical Choices and Leadership Ideology in Selected Speeches of Olusegun Obasanjo, 1976–2007."2012
  • "Sexual Discourse among Students in Tertiary Institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria."2012
  • "A Comparative Pragmatic Investigation of Selected Political Speeches of Chief Awolowo and M.K.O. Abiola."2014
  • "Style, Lexical Choices and Media Ideology in Selected Newspaper Reports on Niger Delta Conflicts."2014
  • "Gender Ideology and Lexicalisation in Selected Nigerian Novels."2014
  • "Onomastic Practs in the Synoptic Gospel Speeches of Jesus and their Adoption in Nigerian Pentecostal Sermons."2016
  • "Discourse Representation of Children's Roles and Identities in Selected Nollywood Movies."2017
  • "A Pragmatic Investigation of the Expression of Omoluabi Ideology in Lagbaja's Music."2017
  • "Semantic Primitives and Ideology in Newswatch Reports on Nigerian Politics."2017
  • "Delivery Constraints and Pragmatic Designs in Academic Sermons of Student-pastors in Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminaries."2017
  • "Conceptual Metaphor and Pragma-philosophy of the Book of Ecclesiastes of the Bible."2018
  • "Context, Common Ground and Pragmatic Mechanisms in Selected Nigerian Television Talk Shows."2018
  • "Meaning Construction and Ideology in the Legislative Debates of the Nigerian Senate, 2009–2015."2018
  • "A Pragmatic Investigation of Identity, Justice and Ideology in University Law Clinics in Southwestern Nigeria."2018
  • "Pragmatic Acts and Strategies in Health Care Network Marketing Discourse in Southwestern Nigeria."2018
  • "Perspectives and Pragmatic Strategies of Selected Christian and Muslim Clerics on Boko Haram in Online Media Reports."2018
  • "Context, Ideology and Negotiation Strategies in Political Interviews in Nigerian Print Media."2019
  • "Discursive Contexts, Strategies and Ideologies in the Inaugural Speeches of Elected Governors of Osun State, Nigeria."2021
  • "News Actors' Stances on Terrorism in Selected Discourses on MEND and Boko Haram Insurgencies in Nigerian Media Reports."2022
  • "Themes, Space and Pragmatic Acts in Ahmed Yerima's Historical Plays."2022
  • "Negotiation of Actors' Personal Goals and Contextual Features in Selected Bollywood and Nollywood Comical Films."2022
  • "Conversational Increments in Consultative Contexts in STI and HIV/AIDS Clinics in Ondo and Lagos States, Nigeria."2022
  • "Resource Entitlement Perspectives, Context and Ideology in Online News Reports on Herdsmen-Farmers Conflict in Nigeria."2023
  • "Narrative Structure and Identity Construction in Child Vulnerability Discourses in Oyo Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps."2023
  • "Context and Emotion-Based Speech Acts in Selected Novels of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie."2023
  • "Context, Ideologies and Pragmatic Strategies of Parenting in Selected Nollywood Films."2026

Completed MA Supervisions Selected

  • "Language and Gender Ideology in Hillary Rodham Clinton's Living History and Folake Solanke's Reaching for the Stars."2009
  • "Gender Ideology in Contemporary Nigerian Hip Hop Music."2011
  • "Conversation Analysis of Selected Excerpts of a Christian Radio Phone-in Programme."2012
  • "Discourse Features of Queries and Responses in Selected Public Administrative Settings in South-western Nigeria."2014
  • "Context, Ideology and Pragmatic Strategies in the Speeches of Osama bin Laden and Abubakar Shekau."2017
  • "A Pragmatic Analysis of Crisis in Spousal Communication in Selected Hollywood Movies."2020
  • "Pragmatic Functions of Jargon in Doctor-Patient Interactions in Selected Hospitals in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria."2021
  • "Metaphor as Style in Selected Christian Hymns."2021
  • "Discursive Construction of Responsibility in Children Counselling Sessions in South-southern Nigeria."2023
  • "Environmentally-influenced Discourses in Helon Habila's Oil on Water and Kane Agary's Yellow-yellow."2023
Recognition & Professional Service

Awards, Fellowships & Leadership

Fellowships & Grants

Honours

Leadership & Association Roles

Positions

Invited Plenary & Keynote Lectures

International
Curriculum Vitae

Download CV

Last updated: 05 June, 2026

Prof. Akinola Stephen Odebunmi

Full Professor of English / Pragmatics  ·  University of Ibadan, Nigeria
107 publications  ·  28 PhD graduates  ·  Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellow (4×)

Download CV (PDF)

PDF format

CV Contents

Sections
Personal Details
Contact information, ORCID, and researcher profile
Education
PhD (2004), MA (1997), BA (1992) — University details included
Employment History
Current and previous academic appointments, international positions
Research Funding
TETFund grant, AvH Joint Linkage Project — roles and amounts
Publications (107)
Books, book chapters, journal articles, book reviews, technical reports
Supervision
28 completed PhD theses, MA supervisions, research leadership
Awards & Honours
Alexander von Humboldt fellowships (4×), research grants
Professional Service
Editorial boards, association leadership, accreditation panels
Note for site administrator: To make the CV downloadable, log into the admin panel (click the small "⚙" link in the footer), go to the CV & Files tab, and upload the PDF. Once uploaded, the download button above will work automatically. You can update the PDF anytime — visitors always get the latest version.
Reach Out

Contact & Academic Links

Institutional Address

Department of English
Faculty of Arts
University of Ibadan
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Languages

Yoruba (Native)
English (Proficient)
German (Rudimentary)
Nigerian Pidgin (Average)

PragmaticPoint — Study Group

Professor Odebunmi leads PragmaticPoint, a study group with a focus on advancing the scholarship of pragmatics, open to researchers and students at all levels.

Visit pragmaticpoint.org →

⚙ Admin — akinodebunmi.org

Edit all text on the Home page.

✓ Saved!

Edit everything on the About page — header, degrees, and all timeline sections.

✓ Saved!

Manage all publications. Use the sub-tabs to switch between Key, Books, Chapters, Articles.

✓ Saved!

Edit fellowships, leadership roles, and lecture entries on the Awards page.

✓ Saved!

Manage PhD and MA supervision lists. Format: "Title." Year

✓ Saved!

Upload a PDF or link to a hosted file to enable the download button.

Shown on the CV page
📄 Click to select PDF file

Stored in browser, linked to download button

No PDF uploaded yet.
Upload the PDF to Namecheap public_html, then enter the filename here.
✓ Saved!

Edit the Contact page details.

✓ Saved!

Drag sliders to resize text. Changes apply instantly.

Live Preview

Nav Link Body paragraph text Section Heading Prof. Akin Odebunmi
✓ Saved!
The ⚙ admin button is appended automatically.
✓ Saved!

Export & Download

Fetches the live HTML source and bakes all your current content in. Upload the downloaded file to Namecheap cPanel → public_html → index.html and every visitor sees your changes.

Change Admin Password

✓ Updated!