Public Engagement and Resistance in the Niger Delta through Social Media and Rhetorical Discourse

Abstract

This paper examines the rhetorical agency and resistance strategies of Nigerian netizens on social media to address environmental degradation in the Niger Delta. Framing social media as a modern public sphere, the research explores how Twitter-like platforms enable the mobilization of marginalized groups to articulate their grievances and demand accountability among corporate and governmental entities. Drawing on critical discourse analysis and the Appraisal Framework, this study examines tweets and their linguistic strategies that have been used to amplify calls for environmental justice through emotive language, moral judgment, and visual imagery. The research underlines the intersection of digital activism and socio-political resistance through the analysis of themes such as oil exploitation, systemic neglect, and failures of governance. The results, through comprehensive analysis, detail how Nigerian netizens frame oil as a “curse,” while also critiquing state inefficiencies and mobilizing in global solidarity via hashtags and visual narratives. The research highlights social media for democratizing public discourse and enabling the voices of underrepresented regions to influence policy and challenge hegemonic structures. This paper contributes to the knowledge of digital activism in postcolonial contexts and illustrates the transformative power of language and digital platforms in the struggle for environmental justice and political accountability in the Niger Delta.