‘You are not flying till further notice’: (De)legitimisation of actions and power construction in selected aviation-related releases on passengers’ misdemeanours in Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores how Nigerian aviation authorities and operators use language to (de)legitimise actions and assert institutional power in press statements. Grounded in Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of critical discourse analysis and van Leeuwen’s framework of legitimation, the study analyses press releases revolving around incidences of misdemeanour involving King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) and Ms Comfort Emmanson – two major incidents that have been given wide media coverage in Nigeria in recent times. Five key discursive strategies emerged: hedging, institutional legitimation, authoritative modality, descriptive amplification, and evaluative counter-narration. These strategies operate in tandem, forming a rhetorical network through which disciplinary actions are justified and public credibility is maintained. The findings suggest that regulatory authority in Nigeria’s aviation sector is not solely exercised through formal procedures but is deeply embedded in strategic discourse.