“Happy wives” and “sad husbands”

The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic (a global health emergency) following its ravaging spread and increasing death toll that led to the unprecedented multi-sectoral crisis collateral damage. These, non-discovery of reliable therapeutic medicines combined generate rising fears tension across globe. To cope with these realities, discourse participants devised humorous expressions create laughter, ease melt fears. paper seeks examine contextual usage such used in Nigeria, particularly Calabar, denote sociolinguistic milieu, shared knowledge experience interactants. study adopts Relief Encryption Theories Humour because theories account for situational appropriateness as “coping devices” coherence cognitive, linguistic, social contexts. Data were generated by means participant observation on-site virtual interactions media platforms. Findings show has exerted irresistible pressure on language resources stimulated creation coping needs consequential circumstance. Specifically, “happy wives”, “sad husbands”, “side chicks are hungry” among others regularly contextually deployed comic reliefs cognitive recreations stimulate laughter crisis. Linguistically, English structures other constructs codemixed elements derived from registers several domains reflect Nigerian environment. therefore modelled demystify unify interactants order realities preventive survival protocols.