Abstract

This paper explores the power of language use and the socio-political ideologies that language conceals or conveys, with particular reference to President Donald Trump’s post on the insecurity of lives in Nigeria. Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model (Socio-cultural Theory) of CDA was employed as theoretical framework to examine Trump’s post as text, as discursive practice and as social practice. The examination of text as discursive practice has, on one hand, Trump as producer, and on the other hand, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr. Peter Obi and Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as consumers. Their posts were subjected to qualitative content analysis at both micro and macro levels of CDA methodology. Findings reveal that Donald Trump, through certain lexico-grammatical and graphological features, used threats and warning to exert power over the Nigerian government. His post was also found to convey a bias/divisive sociopolitical ideology, as well as religious bigotry. On the other hand, the responses of the key political figures in Nigeria were found to be neutral, accommodating and diplomatic.