Leadership and hegemonic control in Nigeria: an examination of the End-Bad-Governance protests

Abstract

This discourse is an insightful examination of the End-Bad-Governance protests in Nigeria and the strategic use of political language to maintain hegemonic control. Specifically, the study addresses the language of deception, blame-shifting, coercion and manipulation carefully crafted by the ruling class under the Tinubu administration in the wake of the protests to stifle dissent and maintain the status quo. The official rhetoric is analyzed within the framework of a peripheral capitalist economy, its deepening contradictions and the mechanisms worked out by the Tinubu administration to manipulate the masses to accept poverty and starvation in the midst of affluence, perpetuate inequality and maintain the status quo during the End-Bad-Governance protests. Anchored on the Marxist Political Economy perspective, the study which is analytical, made use of content analysis and relied on secondary data sources. The study unveils that rather than embark of transformative change, government was evasive and political language became an alibi to misinform the masses, justify government actions, criminalize opponents and stifle dissent in order to maintain existing power relations in the wake of the protests. The study suggests amongst other things, demand for social accountability and a robust civil society engagement to conscientize the citizens of their socio-economic and political rights.