AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF LANGUAGE USE IN GOVERNANCE, CRISIS RESPONSE, AND RISK MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATION: EVIDENCE FROM SELECTED MARKET WOMEN IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Language serves as a critical governance instrument, shaping public trust, comprehension, and behavioral compliance during administrative and emergency situations. Despite increasing attention to public communication, limited empirical research addresses the interconnected roles of language across governance, crisis response, and risk management within Nigeria's informal commercial sectors. Grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis and Framing Theory, this study evaluates the linguistic strategies in governance communication and their influence on compliance among market women in Lagos State's Trade Fair Complex and Alaba International Market. Utilizing a descriptive survey design, a structured questionnaire was administered to 384 multi-stage selected respondents. Data were analyzed using simple percentages, mean scores, and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings reveal that while routine governance relies on persuasive and directive language, crisis communication employs urgent, warning-oriented structures. Crucially, message simplicity, accessibility, and indigenous language adaptation significantly enhanced compliance (r = 0.618, p < 0.05), whereas technical jargon and delayed dissemination fostered ambiguity and mistrust. The study concludes that language is a strategic asset requiring audience-centered frameworks, recommending that government institutions prioritize plain, multilingual messaging and timely dissemination during emergencies to optimize policy execution and institutional trust.