Metaphors in Hausa newspapers about fighting COVID-19 in Nigeria

This paper studies metaphorical expressions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Hausa language using conceptual metaphor theory (CMT). The data was collected from Premium Times Hausa , published in Nigeria from January to June 2020. The analysis shows that COVID-19 is metaphorically conceptualized in various ways; these include COVID-19 is boko haram , COVID-19 is a plant , COVID-19 is a load , COVID-19 is a traveller , COVID-19 is an ocean , COVID-19 is an uncontrolled object , COVID-19 is a container , and COVID-19 is a conqueror , among others. The analysis also reveals that in the fight against the pandemic, the Hausas’ perceptions are largely based on their socio-religious, political, and economic mindset and worldview.