Discursive Strategies and Power Dynamics: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Nigerian Newspaper Coverage of the #EndBadGovernance Protests

Abstract

This study undertakes a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of Nigerian newspapers’ coverage of the #EndBadGovernance protests, a social movement that swept across Nigeria in 2024. The protests, which were sparked by wide spread discontent with the government’s handling of critical issues such as corruption, economic mismanagement, and human right abuses, presented a unique opportunity to examine the role of media discourse in shaping public opinion and influencing social movements. Using a CDA framework developed by Van Dijk, the researchers examine the discursive strategies employed by Nigerian newspapers in their coverage of the protests, including the linguistic and rhetorical devices used to construct and negotiate stance, ideologies, and power relations. The researchers also analyze the power dynamics reflected and constructed through the discourse, including the ways in which the newspapers position themselves in relation to the government and the protesters. The findings of this work reveal that Nigerian newspapers employed a range of discursive strategies to construct and negotiate stance, ideologies, and power relations, including the use of evaluative language, emotive appeals, and intertextual references. Also, this study shows that the power dynamics reflected and constructed through the discourse were complex and multifaceted, with some newspapers aligning with the government’s narratives while others supported the protesters’ demands. This study contributes to our understanding of the role of media discourse in shaping public opinion and influencing social movements, and highlights the importance of critical discourse analysis as a methodology for examining the complex relationships between language, power, and social inequality. The findings of this research have implications for media practitioners, policy makers, and social movement activist seeking to understand the role of media discourse in shaping public opinion and influencing social change.