Multi-Modal Discourse Analysis of Political Protest in Selected Facebook Cartoons

The study undertakes a multimodal discourse analysis of eight selected political protest cartoons circulated on Facebook by Nigerian cartoonists, within the context of Nigeria’s dynamic socio-political environment and recent mass protests such as #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance. Employing Kress and van Leeuwen’s Multimodal Discourse Analysis framework, it critically examines how visual and linguistic elements, including symbolism, colour, typography, composition, and caricature interact to convey incisive critiques of governance failures, insecurity, corruption, and socio-economic inequalities. The findings reveal that the cartoons on Facebook effectively distill complex political issues, engage broad audiences, and foster critical reflection on democratic deficits and leadership accountability. The study bridges a gap in existing research by focusing on the underexplored medium of Facebook cartoons as potent multimodal tools of political protest. It contributes to a deeper understanding of digital political communication in Nigeria and highlights the significance of multimodal political cartoons as impactful instruments for civic engagement, ideological contestation, and social change in contemporary online public spheres.