Multimodal Humour in Nigerian Tiktok Protest Discourse During The #Endbadgovernance Movement

Abstract

This study examines how Nigerian TikTok users employ multimodal resources in comment sections to construct humour within protest discourse during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance movement. Focusing on the interaction of textual language and emojis, the research explores how humour mediates the expression of political critique, social frustration, and collective identity. Using qualitative content analysis informed by Multimodality and Relief Theory, the study analyses selected comments to reveal patterns of sarcastic Pidgin, phonetic stylisation, impersonation, exaggeration, and emoji-mediated affect. Findings show that humour in TikTok comments emerges through semiotic layering of text and emojis, allowing users to express dissatisfaction in socially and emotionally negotiable ways. The study demonstrates that TikTok comment sections are not mere reaction spaces but active sites of meaning-making where political critique, civic engagement, and national identity intersect. The findings have implications for digital activism, civic education, and the study of multimodal political communication in Nigeria.