Abstract
Existing scholarship has illustrated the intricate interplay between language, power, and conflict in postcolonial societies. However, few studies have examined these dynamics within the framework of contemporary society using Shehu Sani’s play When Clerics Kill. This study employs Anchimbe’s (2006) Postcolonial Pragmatic theory to analysis the text and investigate how postcolonial pragmatic components shape the dynamics of power and conflict. Data for the analysis were drawn from the utterances and dialogues of the characters, with particular attention to the influence of cultural context, religion, social status, collective identity, age, and historical experience. The study reveals that language and communication in the play are profoundly shaped by the historical and cultural legacies of colonialism. It highlights how power dynamics, social hierarchies, and cultural differences influence language use, creating sites of both conflict and resistance. By demonstrating that language is not neutral but bound to power relations, the analysis underscores the role of pragmatic strategies in reinforcing, contesting, and negotiating authority within postcolonial contexts. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how postcolonial pragmatic components inform the construction of conflict and power in contemporary African societies.
Keyword: Postcolonial pragmatics, contemporary society, Shehu Sani, When Clerics Kill
DOI: 10.36349/alqajolls.2025.v01i01.002
author/Ibe, M.C., Ugwuagbo, W. & Danladi, G.
journal/AL-QALAM JLLS 1(1) | December 2025
