Abstract

This study centres on a Critical Discourse Analysis of hegemonic ideologies in selected speeches by former Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State. Considering listeners' literacy levels, the study explores why the Governor’s audiences struggle to derive value from his speeches, despite the significant energy, time and resources he invests in their preparation and delivery. Using Fairclough’s (1989) three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis, the research highlights how the Governor employs hegemony to establish authority and to create a sense of collective identity between him and his audience. The study reveals that the deficiency in deriving values from the speeches is a result of the former Governor’s strategic employment of hegemony to construct a power dynamic with the people of Zamfara State, and to emphasise their roles and responsibilities during his addresses. His intentional use of hegemonic ideologies establishes authority and promotes a sense of collective identity between the former Governor and his audience. The work concludes that since many members of politicians’ audiences – especially those who are illiterate – often express dissatisfaction with how the politicians use various styles and strategies to sway their listeners' perspectives, awareness about the subtility and  implications of political discourse on social dynamics should be further created to encourage a deeper understanding of the intersection between language, power and ideology within the socio-political contexts of Zamfara State and Nigeria at large.