Ideological Stances in Yoruba Nation Secessionist Discourse in Nigerian Virtual Communities

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Authors

  • Ayo Osisanwo
  • Richard Akano

This study examined the Yoruba nation secessionist agitation from the viewpoint of stance and ideology in its discursive engagement on three popular Nigerian virtual communities: Nairaland, Gistmania, and Naijaloaded. Data were subjected to the theoretical and analytical paradigms of appraisal framework and critical discourse analysis. Two voices were identified in the study: the anti-Yoruba nation and the pro-Yoruba nation voices. The anti-Yoruba nation voice projected three ideologies: reformist, conservativist, and pessimist, while the pro-Yoruba nation voice projected separatist and arbitrationist ideologies. These ideological constructs were indexed by overlapping instances of appraisal subsystems and discursive strategies of perspectivisation, nomination, negative evaluative attribution, depersonalising metaphors, intensification, and intertextuality. Most participants suppressed antithetical stances to project an authorial ideological stance on the secessionist movement. Given the divisive nature of the secessionist stance, inflammatory and aggressive expressions as dominant discursive patterns are inimical to the efforts to promote inter-ethnic harmony, patriotism, and national integration.

Original languageEnglish
JournalLanguage Matters
Volume54
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)104-121
Number of pages18
ISSN1022-8195
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Unisa Press.

    Research areas

  • appraisal framework, discourse-historical approach, ideological stance, secessionist discourse, southwestern Nigeria, virtual communities, Yoruba nation
  • English