A CRITICAL STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU’S SELECTED SPEECHES

Abstract

This study identifies the thematic issues in the speeches of President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu; it analyses the textual conceptual features
employed in projecting the themes and relates these features to the
underlying ideological stance and political values projected in the
speeches. This is done to elucidate the critical conceptual features in
the speeches. The data for the study is the inaugural and
independence speeches of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which were
delivered online through cable.ng May 29th, 2023 and October 1st,
2023, respectively. The theoretical framework for the data analysis is
Lesley Jeffries’ (2010) Critical Stylistics. The findings reveal thematic
issues such as patriotism and unity, the concept of the Nigerian ideal,
the resilience of Nigerians, a promise of renewed hope, equal
representation and progressive good governance, recognition of the
sacrifices of Nigeria’s heroes, expression of concern over hardship, the
quality of election in Nigeria and a thorough cleaning of the den of
malfeasance, in the speeches. The study concludes that a speaker’s
choice of linguistic items is a reflection of the speaker’s worldview and
realities which he consciously or unconsciously tries to impose on the
listeners. The study is significant as it contributes to the
interpretation/understanding of political discourse and the
communication of ideology by Nigeria’s President to Nigerians