Critical Discourse Analysis of 2024 President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Independence Presidential Speech

This paper critically analyses President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Independence Presidential Speech. The study employs a qualitative research design. The population for the study comprises the speech delivered by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Through Fairclough's 3D Model of Critical Discourse Analysis, the President's address is analysed focusing on detecting his ideologies. The analysis reveals that the speech employs inclusive language and rhetorical strategies, including metaphors and contrasts, to inspire collective identity and optimism among citizens. It highlights the speaker's authority while addressing diverse demographic concerns, particularly those of the youth. The findings indicate that the speech’s narrative seeks to legitimise governmental authority, project an image of reform, and encourage citizen participation in nation-building. The study concludes that the speech represents a strategic political communication framework that balances acknowledgement of prevailing issues with a vision of resilience and progress, thereby enhancing the administration's legitimacy and fostering a shared national purpose. The implications underscore the power of language in shaping public discourse and ideologies within a socio-political context.