Persona Construction in Tinubu’s Tweets to World Leaders: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Political communication on social media now functions not only as a channel of information but also as a site for identity and persona construction. In Nigeria, however, existing studies on political discourse have largely focused on campaign speeches, domestic policy statements, and official addresses, with limited attention to how political actors construct personas in digital spaces. This study addressed this gap by examining how Nigeria's president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, implicitly constructs his political persona through tweets directed at or concerning world leaders. Adopting a critical discourse analysis approach, the study analysed ten purposively selected covering diplomatic congratulations, condolences, regional security statements, bilateral engagements, and foreign policy announcements. Using Fairclough's three-dimensional framework, the analysis explored textual features, discursive practices, and broader socio-ideological implications within the context of digital diplomacy. Findings revealed that Tinubu projected a multifaceted persona characterised by authority and resolve in matters of democratic governance and regional stability, empathy in moments of shared grief, diplomatic courtesy in bilateral relations, and visionary leadership in advancing foreign policy agendas. These identities are constructed through strategies such as institutional self-positioning, affective personalisation, positive evaluation of international counterparts, symbolic representation of Nigeria and Africa, and policy branding. Ideologically, the discourse aligns with liberal democratic values, constitutionalism, pan-African solidarity, and developmental cooperation, thereby legitimising Nigeria's leadership role in West Africa. Power asymmetries are mitigated through inclusive and reciprocal language, positioning Nigeria as a responsible regional leader and credible global partner. The study contributes to scholarship on digital diplomacy, political persona construction, and African political discourse in online spaces.