Critical Discourse Analysis of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Inaugural Speech

Abstract

This paper provides an in-depth Critical Discourse Analysis of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inaugural speech delivered on May 29, 2023, upon assuming office as the President of Nigeria through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework. The aims of this study is to conduct critical discourse analysis of Tinubu’s inaugural speech, focusing on his use of language to construct political identity, frame national issues, and appeal to public sentiment. The speech selected for analysis is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inaugural address delivered on May 29, 2023. This speech, available in both audio and text format, is analyses using a qualitative, text-based approach Relaying on the qualitative methodology, the paper unpacks the linguistic choices, rhetorical strategies, and ideological underpinnings of the speech, examining how it constructs political authority, frames national issues, and engages with the Nigerian populace. Van Dijk (2003) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) theoretical framework is used for the analysis of speeches obtained from research data. The analysis demonstrates how Tinubu uses inclusive language, strategic framing, and ideological positioning in his leadership and mobilizes support for his administration. One of the findings is that strong modality not only emphasizes the president’s determination but also serves to rally the public around his agenda, implying that the future is within their control if they act together under his leadership.

Key Keywords Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), Presidential Inaugural Speech, Political Rhetoric, Language and Power, and Modality.

DOI: 10.36349/alqajolls.2025.v01i01.022

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