HATE SPEECH AND POLITICAL DISCOURSE: A STUDY OF SELECTED SPEECHES OF NNAMDI KANU

Abstract

Speeches are written with clear intents and purposes to explain, persuade, amuse, inform, or to influence ideas. Language and politics are intimately related as they influence each other. The language of politics is usually persuasive. Politicians are aware of the power of language to influence thoughts, persuade, and control people’s behaviour, so, they choose language strategies that would help them achieve their aim. Political activists most often resort to hate speeches and threats while addressing the public. In the course of the use of hate language, there might be problems of misinterpretation. The paper investigated the extent hate language in political discourse could help politicians in persuading their audience to adopt their political ideology. The research derived its theoretical framework from Persuasion Theory. The research studies the political speeches of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu – the IPOB leader. Data for the study comprises Kanu’s three political speeches. Textual analysis is employed to answer the research questions and evaluate the data. The result of the analysis proved that Nnamdi Kanu used hate speeches to incite hatred in the hearts of his followers. He equally uses hate speech to enact power, dominance, inequality and bias in the minds and lives of his audience.