THE EFFECT OF LANGUAGE OF PROPAGANDA ON PERSUADING VOTERS IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF ADAMAWA STATE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Man by nature is a
political animal. This suggests that man is both gregarious and solitary. Politics
focuses on ‘who gets what’, ‘when and how’. It determines the process through
which power and influence are used in the promotion of certain values and
interests (Lasswell, 1977). To be involved in politics therefore is demanding
as certain things must be put into consideration. This is the use of language
of propaganda in politics as a persuading tool which do have significant effect
on voter’s behaviour and is however the centre-piece of this study. This can
also be termed ‘political Language.
Political campaigns
are an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision-making process
within a specific group or environment. It can also be viewed as the
mobilization of forces either by an organization or individuals to influence
others in order to effect an identified and desired political change. It shows
people and particularly, political candidates’ ability to sensitize the
political community in relation to making the community see them as potentials
and better representatives of the people. At any rate, every campaign is
unique, and the ultimate goal of almost every political campaign is to win
election (Lynn, 2009).
The priceless rights
of our democracy are perhaps the dearest to all is the guarantee of the freedom
to speak and publish what we want (with-in the limits of decency and the libel
laws). However, this freedom of speech provides a scope for propaganda for
those unscrupulous enough to exploit it for their own ends.
The word Propaganda itself used to be a
respectable term, originally meaning the spreading of good news. When
Goebbels, Hitler and other Fascists began to use the word to describe their
promotional activities, propaganda started its slide into disrepute. Today
propaganda is associated with the insidious and subversive means of moving a
person to predetermined ends (Danziger, 1998).
Common
media for transmitting propaganda messages include news reports, government
reports, historical revision, junk science, books, leaflets, movies, radio,
television, and posters. In the case of radio and television, propaganda can
exist on news, current-affairs or talk-show segments, as advertising or
public-service announce “spots” or as long-running advertorials. The
uses of language of propaganda in campaigns often follow a strategic
transmission pattern to indoctrinate the target group. This may begin with a
simple transmission such as a leaflet dropped from a plane or an advertisement.
Generally these messages will contain directions on how to obtain more
information, via a web site, hot line, radio program, etc. The strategy intends
to initiate the individual from information recipient to information seeker
through reinforcement, and then from information seeker to opinion leader
through indoctrination. What seems to be very important in any political
campaign is the ‘message’ that is sent to the electorates. A campaign message
is an important and potent tool that politicians use to express views and
feelings to the public with the intention of reshaping and redirecting the
electorates’ opinions to align with theirs with the use of language of
propaganda. The message should be a simple statement that can be repeated
severally throughout the campaign period to persuade the target audience or
influence voters’ act in the candidates’ favour and describes the opposition in
bad light. The campaign message ought to contain the salient ingredients that
the candidate wishes to share with the voters and these must be repeated often
in order to create a lasting impression on the voters. Propagandais the expression of opinions or actions carried
out deliberately by individuals or groups with a view to influence the opinions
or actions of other individuals or groups for predetermined ends through
psychological manipulations (Jacque, 1965). It is usually repeated and
dispersed over a wide range of media in order to stimulate and sensitize the
electorates and by extension, assist in harming an opponent.
Persuasion is a process by which someone, usually by reasoned arguments or
logic, appeal to sound judgment in order to attain his set goals. A persuasive
language soothes the voters particularly, when topics or issues that revolve
around problems that affect voters are repeatedly mentioned in the course of
the campaign. It also follows that the language of political campaign embodied
in propaganda and rhetoric, is persuasive because most politicians adopt these
linguistic devices to cajole the electorates to vote for them and their
political parties by presenting themselves as the only capable individuals for
the position (Omozuwa and Ezejideaku, 2007).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The language of propaganda in politics has been described as a language
of ridicule, and reproach, pleading and persuasion, colour and bite permeated.
It is a language designed to exult some men, destroy some and change the mind of
others (Omozuwa and Ezejideaku, 2007). The point is that the phenomenon of
persuasion is an integral part of politics and a necessary component of the
pursuit and exercise of power. Politicians use a variety of techniques to
ensure they captivate voter’s attention and establish credibility and trust
amongst the electorates. However, the researcher seeks to examine the effect of
language of propaganda on persuading voters in Nigeria.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
general objective of this study is to examine the
effect of language of propaganda on persuading voters in Nigeria and the
following are the specific objectives:
1. To
analyze the effect of language of propaganda on
persuading voters in Nigeria.
2. To
identify different types of political propaganda strategies in Nigeria.
3. To
identify how politicians benefit from the use of language of propaganda as a
persuasive tool.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
is the effect of language of propaganda on persuading
voters in Nigeria?
2. What
are the different types of political propaganda strategies in Nigeria?
3. How
does politicians benefit from the use of language of propaganda as a persuasive
tool?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO:
Language of propaganda cannot be used in persuading voters in Nigeria.
HA:
Language of propaganda can be used in persuading voters in Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following
are the significance of this study:
1. This
study will be of benefit to the general electorate on the influence of the
language of propaganda used by political leaders on their behaviour. It will
also educate the stakeholders in the politics on the different types of
propaganda and its effect in persuading voters.
2. This
research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers
interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently, if
applied, it will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the topic.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The
scope of this study on the effect of language of propaganda on persuading
voters will cover all the strategy of propaganda in the politician speeches
during the course of electioneering campaign. It will also cover the benefits
of the use of language of propaganda in politics.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will
simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently
will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Politics:
the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially
the debate between parties having power.
Propaganda:
information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a
political cause or point of view.
Language:
the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the
use of words in a structured and conventional way.
Voters:
a person who votes or has the right to vote at an election.
REFERENCES
Danziger, R. S. (1985). Speech communication: Fundamentals and
practice. Englewood cliffs: Prentice- Hall Inc.
Jacque, E. (1965). Propaganda: The formation of men’s attitude.
New York: Vintage Books.
Lasswell, P. (1977). Foundations of science. London:
Hutchinson and Co. Publishers.
Lynn, S. (2009). Political campaign planning manual: A step by
step guide to winning elections. Retrieved from www.ndi.
org/files/political.campaign-planning-manual_malaysia.pdf.
Omozuwa, V. E., & E. U. C. Ezejideaku (2007). A stylistic
analysis of the language of political campaigns in Nigeria: Evidence from the
2007 general elections. Retrieved from
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/oglarticle/ viewfile/52327/40951.