Abstract
Political humor is a recurring element in print media and other
genres, touching various areas of Nigerian political discourse. In
this study, the political humor deployed in responding to some
prominent political events in 2016 is examined through content
analysis. It examines the pragmeme of humor in selected 2016
political events that are re-mediated in some political cartoons.
The selected political issues are Nigeria’s 56th Independence
Anniversary, the crusade against corruption, which Muhammadu
Buhari commenced when he became the President of Nigeria, and
the alleged 2016 budget padding scandal which rocked the House
of Representatives. The frameworks for the study comprise
Flamson and Barrett’s Encryption Theory of Humor and Mey’s
Pragmeme Theory. Six political cartoons which were subjected to
discourse interpretations were culled from Aprokotoons Media;
an internet-based Nigeria foremost cartoon journal with a large
collection of relevant cartoons resource for print and electronic
media. Results reveal that audiences who are well informed on
these political activities are able to decrypt the cartoons because
they share the same key (political knowledge) with the cartoonist.
Thus, honest laughter is produced, and on the other hand, the
cartoons’ essential features are subordinated to the pragmeme of
humor of otiose campaign promises and the Nigerian despairing
episode at 56; self-centered leadership, lawmakers who are
lawbreakers and that the worst form of corruption is selective
justice. Hence, these findings enhance public perception of the
country’s political actors and underscore the need for rethinking
the receptivity in political acts, promises, and decisions.
Tolulope Abisodun Oluremi. (2020) Pragmeme of Political Humor in Selected Nigerian Political Cartoons, Journal of Media Studies, Volume-35, Issue-1.
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