Discourse, incivility and language aggression in social media debates on Biafra separatist agitation: Implications for Nigeria’s democratic future

Abstract

This study explores the use of incivility and language aggression in social media debates on Biafra separatist agitation. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach, 611 samples which reflected the opinions of pro-Biafra and anti-Biafra groups were analyzed to highlight how incivility and language aggression shape the Biafra agitation social media discourses. Contrary to other studies that situate the use of incivility to the pro-Biafra ingroup alone, this study found that the use of dehumanizing metaphors, threats, and aggressive language are mutual strategies utilized by both pro-Biafra and anti-Biafra ingroups in advancing their viewpoints. A major finding which recurred in the study’s themes is that that lack of genuine post-war reconstruction is a major predictor of incivility and language aggression in the discourse of Biafra agitation. This implies that the mutual animosities present in the debates were driven by historical grudges, ethnic prejudices, and dearth of objective truth-telling.