Rhetoric of Fake News and Social Media Activism in Nigeria

Abstract

This article examines the meaning of fake news in its different
understandings, the closing of the media space in Nigeria, the rise of
critical voices on social media, analysis of the strategies employed by
the Government “trio” of Nigeria's Information and Culture Minister,
Mr Lai Mohammed, the President's Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina and the president's Senior Special Assistant
(SSA) on media and publicity, Mr Shehu Garba to muzzle critical
voices, particularly in Tweets. The study uses rhetorical analysis to
analyse the selected government officials' tweets and indicate attempts
at muzzling critical voices and thereby endangering Nigeria's
democracy. The study, thus, recommends a new and collaborative local
and global effort to protect free speech and critical voices in Nigeria.