A Pragmatic Study of Political Cartoons in the Nigerian 2023 General Elections

Political cartoons serve as an influential medium for shaping public opinion and discourse through humor, satire, and irony. This study explores the role of political cartoons in the 2023 Nigerian General Elections. The study uses Grice’s Theory of Conversational Implicature to analyze their pragmatic elements. Through qualitative content analysis, ten selected cartoons from Nigerian newspapers and online platforms were examined for their use of implicature in conveying political messages. The study identifies how cartoonists flout Grice’s conversational maxims—Quality, Quantity, Relation, and Manner—to subtly critique governance, electoral practices, and societal issues. Findings indicate that political cartoons employ irony and ambiguity to bypass direct criticism while engaging readers in nuanced political discussions. The study concludes that political cartoons play a vital role in non-verbal political discourse, shaping public perception and fostering political engagement. By revealing the mechanisms through which cartoons challenge political structures and reflect electoral sentiments, this research contributes to the broader discourse on pragmatic analysis in political communication.

Keywords: Conversational Implicature Political Cartoons Nigerian General Elections Pragmatic Analysis Political Discourse

Authors

• Tobi Joshua Ajibade
  Department of Languages and Literary Studies,
  Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State.
  ajibade0162@pg.babcock.edu.ng
• Kehinde Ikuelogbon
  Department of Languages and Literary Studies,
  Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State
  Ikuelogbonk@babcock.edu.ng