MAIDJAD Volume 10

Foreword

It is with a deep sense of scholarly continuity and institutional responsibility that I present Volume 10 (X) of the Maiduguri Journal of Arts and Design (MAIDJAD). Reaching a tenth volume marks an important milestone in the life of any journal, one that speaks not only to longevity but to sustained intellectual commitment, editorial rigour, and the persistence of creative scholarship within and beyond challenging contexts.

Since its inception, MAIDJAD has positioned itself as a platform for critical engagement with the visual arts, design, architecture, material culture, heritage, and related interdisciplinary practices. This volume continues that tradition, bringing together contributions that reflect both conceptual depth and contextual sensitivity. The articles assembled here engage with art and design as modes of inquiry, sites where visual language, cultural memory, spatial thinking, and material practice intersect with lived realities and scholarly reflection.

A defining strength of this volume lies in its balance between theory and practice. Several contributions foreground artistic and design practice as legitimate forms of knowledge production, while others adopt analytical, historical, and technical approaches to examine cultural forms, built environments, and creative processes. Together, they demonstrate the plurality of methods through which meaning is generated in the arts and affirm the relevance of interdisciplinary perspectives in contemporary scholarship.

Equally significant is the grounding of many of these works in local and regional contexts, while remaining attentive to broader national and global conversations. In this regard, Volume 10 reinforces MAIDJAD’s commitment to scholarship that is rooted yet outward-looking, attentive to indigenous knowledge systems, evolving cultural practices, and the shifting conditions within which art and design are produced, interpreted, and sustained.

All articles published in this volume underwent a rigorous peer-review and editorial process to ensure clarity of argument, methodological soundness, and relevance to the journal’s scope. While editorial decisions necessarily require selectivity, the process itself remains central to the journal’s role as a space of scholarly mentorship, dialogue, and refinement, particularly for emerging researchers and creative practitioners.

I extend my sincere appreciation to the authors for their contributions, to the reviewers for their careful and generous engagement, and to the editorial and production teams whose collective efforts have made this volume possible. Their dedication continues to strengthen the journal’s intellectual quality and institutional standing.

It is my hope that Volume 10 of MAIDJAD will serve not only as a record of current inquiry but also as an invitation to deeper reflection, sustained dialogue, and continued exploration of the arts and design as critical, culturally embedded practices.

Adiwu Talatu Onkala PhD

Editor

Maiduguri Journal of Arts and Design (MAIDJAD)December 2025