Speaking Truth to Power: The Role of Language in Shaping Resistance and Identity during the #EndSARS Protests

The #EndSARS protests in Nigeria represent a defining moment in the evolution of digital activism and youth-led resistance against systemic and systematic police brutality and institutionalized oppression. This paper explores the central role of language and narratives in shaping collective identity, mobilizing action, and challenging dominant discourses during the 2020 #EndSARS movement. Drawing on a thematic analysis of selected tweets and employing theoretical frameworks such as Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), Network Theory of Power, and Discourse Analysis, the study examines how protesters leveraged linguistic strategies to construct narratives of resistance, build solidarity, and counter state-sponsored misinformation. The findings reveal that language functioned as a powerful tool for both unity and resistance— used not only to coordinate protests across physical and digital spaces but also to express deep emotional appeals grounded in anger, grief, hope, and resilience. Hashtags such as #EndSARS, #LekkiMassacre, and #SoroSoke became symbolic rallying points that transcended ethnic and religious divides, facilitating the formation of a cohesive protest identity rooted in shared experiences of injustice. Moreover, cultural idioms, affective expressions, and multimodal elements such as emojis, symbols, and code-switching were strategically deployed to enhance communicative reach and emotional resonance among the protesters. Importantly, this paper argues that the #EndSARS movement exemplifies the transformative potential of language in contemporary social movements—not merely as a medium of expression, but as a political and ideological force capable of reshaping public discourse, negotiating identity, and sustaining resistance in the face of oppression. The analysis contributes to broader discussions on digital activism, civic engagement, and the evolving dynamics of protest communication in post-colonial contexts like Nigeria.