The Use of Nigerian Pidgin in Political Jingles

Abstract

The evolution of Nigerian Pidgin (NP) may be linked to the contact between the English language and Nigerian languages during the pre-colonial and post-independence periods. At its incipient stage, NP was rightly dubbed Pidgin English and sometimes also referred to as Broken English. Both references simply point to the fact that NP was regarded as a variety of the English language, more or less, especially since English appears as its superstrate, and Nigerian languages such as Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba its substrates. But since independence, when as a result of the extensive use of the language by Nigerians from diverse ethnic extractions who had to communicate with one another, NP has begun to perform greater roles and more functions apart from its earlier contact function between Europeans and Nigerians. Within a period of fifty years, its limited use gave way to an extensive and elaborate use, thus changing the status of NP forever. It is in this light that I attempt to investigate and analyse the use of NP for political campaigns and jingles. An insightful account of the socio-cultural/political relationship between English and NP is presented.