IDEOLOGICAL THRUSTS OF PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU’S INAUGURAL SPEECH: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF PERSONAL PRONOUNS

Abstract

This study critically analyses the ideological thrusts in the use of personal pronouns by Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, at his inauguration on May 29, 2023. It can be said that world presidents galvanize support from their citizenry at the inauguration using certain classes of words. Beyond the ordinary use of personal pronouns, there are ideological connotations to their use. Particularly, the use of personal pronouns is believed to tie the knot between presidents and the people of a country for a purpose driven government. Methodologically, the data for this paper is the inaugural speech of the current Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, at his inauguration. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study pinpoints the ideological underpinnings of personal pronouns used by the President. The study uses Fairclough's three-tier analytical framework of description, interpretation, and explanation. This framework helps in reconstructing the real ideological thrust of a speech, which includes persuasion and motivation for nation-building. The findings reveal that through the use of these personal pronouns in his speech, President Tinubu was able to construct ideologies and identities to promote his political agenda. Significantly, the investigation provides critical insight into the peculiar uses of personal pronouns in speeches. The study concludes that personal pronouns are not just linguistic elements, but most importantly, ideological tools.