SPEECH ACTS IN SOCIAL COMMENTARY: A STUDY OF FELA KUTI’S SELECT LYRICS

Abstract

Language is a veritable tool for communication in any society. It is used to convey the experiences of the speaker; in understanding these communication tools, a listener must interpret such utterances within the framework of the intent and context of such utterances. Fela Anikulapo Kuti was one of the literary figures who harnessed the power inherent in language in criticizing the foibles of his society, while at the same time, performing certain actions. This research work focused on the analysis of the speech acts embedded in the lyrics of his select songs as they functioned to a great extent as social commentaries. The research design adopted was an appraisal of the select lyrics which formed as the primary texts which were selected purposively and analysed using textual analysis. From the detailed and critical analysis, it was established that Fela Kuti''s background, exposure and society contributed greatly to his radicalism and by extension, the development of his lyrics and Post-colonial theory was employed to analyse the data. Furthermore, the research showed his use of representatives and expressive forms of illocutionary speech acts and recommended that Fela Kuti's songs should be considered as treasures stylistically and content wise.