A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SELECTED CHRISTIAN HANDBILLS IN ANYIGBA

This study investigates the multimodal strategies employed in selected Christian handbills distributed in Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria. The research examines how linguistic and visual elements combine to communicate religious messages and persuade audiences. Guided by Social Semiotic Theory and Kress and van Leeuwen's Multimodal Theory, the study adopts a qualitative research design and applies Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) to twenty Christian handbills collected from churches, public locations, and digital platforms. Ten handbills with rich multimodal features were purposively selected for detailed analysis. The findings reveal that Christian handbills make extensive use of short persuasive phrases, biblical references, symbolic imagery, strategic colour choices, and deliberate layout arrangements. Common visual symbols identified include crosses, doves, chains, oil, fire, and glowing lights, while colours such as red, gold, white, and blue carry symbolic religious meanings. The study further demonstrates that the interaction of text and visual elements enhances message effectiveness by attracting attention, evoking emotions, and reinforcing spiritual themes. The research concludes that Christian handbills function as powerful multimodal texts that go beyond information dissemination to become persuasive tools for evangelism and religious engagement. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on multimodal discourse analysis and religious communication in Nigeria.