A Critical Discourse Analysis of Metaphor of Religion, Time and Economic Desire in President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day Speech

Abstract

The study uses Critical Discourse Analysis to examine the role of metaphor of religion, time and economic desires in President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day speech of 1^st October, 2022. This study critically examines metaphor of religion, time and economic desires in President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day speech delivered on October 1st, 2022, through the lens of Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which encompasses textual analysis, discourse practice, and socio-cultural practice. The speech is analyzed to uncover how language is used to construct national identity, legitimize power, and shape public perception during a politically sensitive period preceding the 2023 general elections. The textual level reveals rhetorical devices, modality, and pronoun usage aimed at fostering unity and projecting a legacy of integrity. At the discourse practice level, the study investigates how the speech was produced, distributed, and consumed within media and political contexts. The socio-cultural level explores the broader ideological implications of the speech in relation to governance, security, economic hardship, and democratic transition in Nigeria. The analysis finds that Buhari’s discourse reinforces hegemonic narratives of patriotism and national resilience, while subtly deflecting responsibility for socio-economic challenges. The paper concludes that the speech serves as a strategic instrument of political self-representation, embedded with ideological meanings that support the outgoing administration’s image and shape the expectations of incoming leadership. The research attempted to unravel the hidden meanings and connotations of power in President Muhammadu Buhari’s independence day speech of 1^stoctober, 2022 speech. President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence day speech of 1^st October, 2022 was sourced from the Internet. Since all the paragraphs will not be studied because of limitation of time and space, a total of fifteen (15) paragraphs were selected for discussion sampled and analyzed using purposive sampling technique.