What Is Las Gidi To You? A Discourse Analysis of Selected Poems on Lagos

Abstract

The founding fathers of Lagos could not have fathomed nor ever imagined what today's image of the city would be like. Birthed several centuries ago, Lagos today has become a megacity and a force to reckon with. Small wonder poets, using their imaginative abilities, have painted and are painting what everyday life in Lagos looks like, from issues of traffic jams to armed robbery, prostitution, overpopulation, and sundry matters. This paper, therefore, uses the analytical tools of the Speech Act theory tool of Discourse Analysis to decipher the messages of selected contemporary poets on Lagos and everyday life in the city, thus bringing to the fore the environmental issues of overpopulation, traffic jams, poor hygiene, and unemployment, among other matters that are typical of a mega city much in need of proper planning like Lagos.