Boko Haram as a Discourse Topic in Nigerian Print Media from 2011-2012

Abstract

Sequel to the unsavory events in the recent times across the country, especially after the swearing in of President Goodluck Jonathan on the 29^th May, 2011, Boko Haram becomes a choric refrain in the interactional use of language by opinion writers in the Nigerian print media. There have been many articles on Boko Haram but few borders on the language use of the opinion writers and newspaper commentators. Even the few articles on language use were peripherally discoursed, and to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, none applied critical discourse analysis to the treatment of Boko Haram as a discourse topic in Nigerian print media in this part of the globe. This paper therefore, adopts the critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to the treatment of Boko Haram and its soaring threatening prominence as a topical discourse in the realm of Nigerian print media and online news. The paper draws data from current news reports and opinion articles in the national newspapers such as Daily Sun, Newswatch, The Nation and online news. The results of the analysis show some commendation and condemnation of the Boko Haram phenomenon in Nigeria. In addition, some newspaper commentators and opinion writers often use manipulative language through choices of words and constructions to take a particular position in relation to Boko Haram activities in Nigeria. The paper concludes that the manipulative use of language to   obliterate the truth about the lucid and incisive newly created political wing of Boko Haram can only depict a veritable ground for disintegration, inevitable violent change, rancorous, and mortally lethal struggle for power and control in Nigeria. The paper therefore concludes that the language of truth, unity, love, and peace geared towards enhancing the spirit of oneness and socio-economic sustainability should be adopted by the opinion writers and news paper commentators in the Nigerian print media.