Abstract
This paper explores the intricate relationship between language, power, and policy communication in shaping public understanding of food security. Drawing on Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis framework and a qualitative research design, the paper examines selected government speeches, policy statements, and media texts from 2015 to 2024. The findings reveal that linguistic framing, metaphorical expressions, and rhetorical structures significantly influence how food security is perceived and prioritized in Nigeria’s policy landscape. Government discourse often employs technocratic and abstract language that obscures accountability, while media narratives tend to politicize or dramatise food insecurity, thereby shaping public emotions and expectations. The paper argues that language is not a neutral medium but a powerful social tool that constructs, legitimizes, and sometimes distorts policy realities. It recommends adopting clearer, inclusive, and multilingual communication strategies to bridge the gap between policymakers and the public. The research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on language and development by demonstrating that sustainable food security in Nigeria depends not only on agricultural productivity but also on how policy meanings are linguistically produced and disseminated.
Keywords: Critical Discourse Analysis, language, food security, Nigeria, communication, policy discourse
DOI: www.doi.org/10.36349/sojolics.2025.v01i01.020
author/Shema’u Abubakar Umar
journal/Sokoto JOLICS 1(1) | June 2025 |
