CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE

Abstract

This present study interrogated the ‘non-negotiable unity of Nigeria’ mantrapropagated in the media by successive administrations in Nigeria. With a particular focus ontwo administrations—President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari, thisstudy, using Critical Discourse Analysis, examined how the debate is represented in twoNigerian dailies—Vanguard and Leadership. Employing Fairclough’s three-dimensionalmodel, this research probed the discourse articulated and circulated through the news stories inthese papers, which they produce to define the debate. The study found that both papersexploited the “us” versus “them” dichotomy to cut an image of institutions committed toNigeria’s unity. The study constructs proponents of Nigeria