Power dynamics in the political reflections of the first president of Nigeria, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe

Abstract

This study focuses on the power dynamics reflected in the political thoughts of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria and a key figure in the country’s push for nationalism. In a time when political values for a prosperous nationalistic structure are lost, this study fulfills the need for political reconscientization and reclaiming of ideologies of a man who lived for national development. To determine his ideologies, his political reflections as contained in his autobiography, independence-day speeches, editorials from West African Pilot, and political commentaries from the post 1966 era are selected and analyzed, using the basic principles of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The findings show that Dr Azikiwe skillfully used discourse to: undermine colonial authority by depicting British rule as “tutelage” and ‘alien domination”, while framing African self governance as both moral and natural; navigate internal Nigerian power dynamics by balancing rhetoric of Pan-Nigerian unity with a subtle endorsement of Igbo political interest; and critique the power of post-independence elites through discussions of “corruption”, “tribalism”, and “neocolonialism”, thereby positioning himself as the nation’s moral compass. Evidently therefore, his language played a critical role in power politics, providing valuable insights for current discussions on discourse, leadership, and governance in Nigeria.