PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED POLITICAL SPEECHES OF PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI

Language  is a  unique attribute  of  humans,  which  is  used as a  chief  medium  of

communication, for building interpersonal relationships, exchange of ideas and passing of information. Martinet A. defines it as "a formidable instrument of communication - by which human experience is analysed - " (20). As a system of communication, it does not exist in a vacuum, but operates in a context of situation. It is these contexts which determine the variations in language that we call register. Language is very crucial for human survival and existence, because it is the most important, and effective tool for communication. It is the bond that holds societies and nations together. The primacy of language cuts across all facets of human life: government, education, health, religion, politics, and so on. Gideon S. Omachonu puts it as the "facilitator of human essence for all inventions and achievements ever recorded in human existence have their roots in language as a veritable instrument of thought and an indispensable channel of communication" (1).