MEDIA REPRESENTATION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA (IPOB): A CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR ANALYSIS

Abstract

This research undertook a critical discourse analysis of the conceptual metaphors used in media representations of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in selected online newspapers- the Nations, Punch, and the Vanguard.  The research investigated the persuasive and emotive strategies, as well as the ideological implications of the conceptual metaphors that are contained in these media reports. The researcher adopted two theories which are George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) (1980), and Critical Metaphor Analysis of Charteris- Black (2004), which clearly reflect the thrust of this work. Through the use of purposive sampling technique, the researcher collected the data used for the analysis of this work. The media reports on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from 2016 to 2021 were used. The data collected were fifteen linguistic/metaphorical expressions. These fifteen linguistic/metaphorical expressions were further converted into conceptual metaphors by the researcher, and were analysed using a textual method of data analysis. The study revealed that media representations of IPOB are replete with conceptual metaphors. The researcher discovered that some of the metaphors used by the IPOB were deployed to gain people’s support, wield influence on the people, make mockery of the Nigerian government, and some were used to promote the group’s ideologies, while the metaphors used by the Federal Government for the IPOB evoked the feelings of hatred, apathy, and despite for the IPOB. Metaphors therefore abound in media representation of IPOB, and these metaphors were deployed purposefully by media producers for the above mentioned effects.