CRITIQUING THE SOCIETY THROUGH SONG: A SPEECH ACTS ANALYSIS OF THIS IS NIGERIA BY FALZ

Abstract

A song expresses the composer’s thoughts and feelings. Through the utterances made in songs, Falz in This Is Nigeria critiques the society and exposes the ills of the Nigerian society. With the specific objectives of exploring the speech acts in the song This Is Nigeria and analysing the pragmatic effects of the speech acts on the listeners of the song, the purposive sampling technique was used to analyse the extracts of the song in line with the stated objectives. Speech acts theory was used to analyse the extracts with specific attention given to locutionary, illocutionary and Perlocutionary acts. The study revealed that speech acts such as making utterances (locutionary acts), assertives/representatives, directives, expressives, and declaratives are used in the song. Furthermore, the speech acts raise awareness about the dire state of poverty and healthcare facilities, evoke sympathy or a call to action from the audience which is expressed, provoke critical reflection on the exploitative nature of the capitalist system and its colonial roots, possibly sparking discussions on alternative economic models or systemic reform and establishes a connection between fraud, exploitation, and the capitalist system, prompting acknowledgment of systemic issues and potentially galvanizing support for reform efforts and as well highlights the normalization of corruption within institutional frameworks, aiming to provoke outrage or a sense of urgency for systemic change.