GENDERED APOLOGIES IN NIGERIAN POLITICS: A DISCOURSE-PRAGMATIC STUDY OF MALE AND FEMALE POLITICIANS' PUBLIC REGRET

Abstract

This study investigates the performance of public apologies by male and female politicians in Nigeria, exploring how gender influences the discourse-pragmatic strategies of expressing regret. In a political landscape characterized by patriarchal norms and intense public scrutiny, the speech act of apologising becomes a high-stakes performance fraught with social and political implications. Employing a qualitative research design, this study conducts a discourse-pragmatic analysis of six public apologies, three by male and three by female politicians. The data was collected as an instrument of purposive sampling of notable cases from publicly available sources, including major Nigerian newspapers and media archives. Guided by Searle’s Speech Act Theory, the analysis deconstructs the structure, function, and face-saving msanoeuvres inherent in these acts of public contrition. Findings reveal distinct gendered patterns. Male politicians' apologies frequently employ indirectness and are often framed as strategic moves to restore political capital, prioritizing the speaker's own face. Conversely, the few available examples from female politicians demonstrate complex and often non-traditional apologetic forms, including satirical apologies or apologies issued by proxies, reflecting the double bind they face in navigating expectations of both political strength and feminine humility. This research contributes to the understanding of how gender ideologies are constructed, maintained, and negotiated through language in the Nigerian political sphere, highlighting the intricate relationship between power, gender, and communicative practice