CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE 'NON- NEGOTIABLE UNITY OF NIGERIA' DEBATE IN THE NIGERIAN PRESS

Abstract

This present study interrogated the ‘non-negotiable unity of Nigeria’ mantra
propagated in the media by successive administrations in Nigeria. With a particular focus on
two administrations—President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari, this
study, using Critical Discourse Analysis, examined how the debate is represented in two
Nigerian dailies—Vanguard and Leadership. Employing Fairclough’s three-dimensional
model, this research probed the discourse articulated and circulated through the news stories in
these papers, which they produce to define the debate. The study found that both papers
exploited the “us” versus “them” dichotomy to cut an image of institutions committed to
Nigeria’s unity. The study constructs proponents of Nigeria's unity, primarily the political elite,
in a positive light as possessing agency, while it negatively frames secessionist agitators as
lacking agency. The study demonstrated that the interests of the political class served and
validated. The research indicated that the press mobilised discourses of patriotism and
nationalism. By reinforcing the non-negotiable stance of the political elite, the press was
narrowing the space for debate on Nigeria’s unity, thus, perpetuating a dysfunctional union.