Favour Oshochuwanoya IMUEKEMHE

This research studied the interplay between racism, intra-Black discriminations and the language used in Sefi Atta’s The Bad Immigrant (2021) to show social inequality and power relations. The research employed Norman Fairclough’s social-critical approach to discourse analysis, and explored how words and communication in the novel fueled racism, classism, and discrimination among Nigerian immigrants in the United States. Drawing insight from critics such as Frantz Fanon, Isabella Fairclough, Norman Fairclough and Friday Darboe, the study situated this work among broader social-political debates about anti-Black racism and intra-racial discrimination in the diaspora. Findings in the study revealed that language helped to build and maintain social hierarchies. The speech and actions used in the novel reflect how immigrants adapt and respond to prejudice. It showed how characters in the novel face racism and also how they sometimes repeat the same prejudiced behaviors toward others. The research also revealed that African immigrants are not just victims but can also actively reproduce systems of prejudice while trying to survive and succeed in a society shaped by inequality. Overall, this study concluded that language plays a powerful role in shaping identity and social position. It adds to the discussion on intra-Black conflict by showing that discrimination happens both from outside and within minority groups