Procedures

Cajoling strategy is a strategy achieved when an utterance creates an unreal situation with the intention to sway the listener. These expressions are done through hyperbole.Hyperbole is also known as exaggeration, is an overstatement of the status of an idea to make it extravagant or ridiculous (Claridge, 2011). A hyperbole is a literary device wherein the author uses specific words and phrases that exaggerate and overemphasize the basic crux of the statement in order to produce a grander, more noticeable effect. Hyperbole is device used by the artiste to cajole the person his utterance is directed to. This strategy is used to describe the singer feelings about a lady especially when the lady‟s sexuality is described. The strategy however because

an escapist strategy when the linguistic resource that form the make-up of the expression can be interpreted in diverse ways. This is of essence means that the linguistic resource is crafted in an ambiguous manner that can lead the censor board astray from the real sexual themes

Excerpt 49:

Baby girl because your body dey burst my brain oh girl I'm going insane oh

(Wizkid “Bombay”, 2014).

Wizkid in the above excerpt employs hyperbole to exaggerate the description of the female. These statements are chosen intentionally to woo the lady. The purpose is to create a larger-than-life effect and overemphasize a specific point. These statements are used to describe the enormous effect of the sexuality of the female body on him.

Consequently, he does not know what he is doing any longer (goes insane). This is expected to persuade the lady to have sex with him. The theme of sex and sexuality of the male and female is the main focus of the artiste.

Such sentences usually convey an action or sentiment that is generally not practically or realistically possible or plausible. It helps to emphasize his emotion. Wizkid, after the first exaggeration, declares his intention about sex as captured below:

Excerpt 49: Trans

Na you dey for my mind you are on my mind

Oh baby girl, your body bad nunu Come close, give me kiss nunu

I dey for heat give me breeze nunu I am on heat, give me breeze

I'm spending with ease come and eat nunu 5

Oh baby girl your body bad

(Wizkid “Bombay,” 2014)

Excerpt 50: Trans

Yah n yah...

Iwo,iwo, you killing it eeeh You killing it Baby show me your ability eeh

Baby whine to the rhythm and eeh

I want to know your availability eh 5

High me like a sense milla

120 Baby dance baby kill the sh*t oh

(Runtown “Gallardo” 2015) However, in the track, “Bend down pause,” the artiste uses hyperbole for a different stylistic effect. Humorous exaggerations are used to express the height of the artiste‟s feelings towards the lady when he requests that she shakes her buttocks. These exaggerated statements are crafted to bear the messages in complex and impressive forms. These overstated declarations merged with interesting images in the videos to convey his message about the effect of the buttocks of a lady.

Excerpt 51: Trans

The way you whine your body

Gimme thunder give me thunder

If I catch you for corner

I go chop you up liket5w9 I will eat you like t5w9

This your backside you must shake am o…it‟s Davido And your front side I must to look am o

Baby, baby, you confuse me o Girl, you confuse me o

You confuse me o…you confuse me o

(Oritsefemi “Sexy ladies,” 2014)

In the above extract, Oritsefemi exaggerates the sensual effect of the body of his lover on him, as he compares it to that of thunder. He also says he will eat her up like a meal called tuwo. Here, anticipated sexual intercourse is metaphorically compared to the consumption of food. He describes the body of the lady as one that can make one not to think straight. This is to create a vivid image in the mind of the listeners, of how beautiful or sexy the lady looks. This is an exaggerated expression. There is also some exaggeration in Wande Coal‟s song below:

Excerpt 52: Trans

She say make I wife am She saidIshould marry her But I get so many girls But I have many girlfriends I no fit lie for am I could not tell her lies Ha ha ha...

And I dey die for am And I am dying for her 5

(Wande Coal “The Kick”, 2012)

The description of the feelings of the artiste is almost ridiculous and unrealistic. One can only suggest that the artiste employs this hyperbolic device to create humorous and entertaining effects in the song. The lyrics rendered above are all for the artiste to have his way with the girl. He describes his feelings as so uncontrollable that he can die for her. The same is true of Seyi Shay in her track, “Crazy.” She uses hyperbole to describe the height of her love and the extent she can go for her lover. She chooses some exaggerated statements to create the image and provide a clear description in the mind of her listeners. Some of these statements are extreme and unrealistic:

Excerpt 53: Trans

You be driving me crazy You are driving me crazy

You tell me jump baby, I say how high baby

I dey kolo, you take me low oo (caro) I am high, you take me low

You dey scatter my brain oo, high me like champagne You are scattering my brain, high me like champagne

(Seyi Shay “Crazy,” 2014)

While she issues these exaggerated proclamations, she also intersperses them with simile, another device, to describe the love she has for her lover. This is evident in the use of the expression: “high me like champagne.” This love has made her lose her mind and now she is “low,” that is, she is ready for sex. The combination of hyperbole with simile creates emphasis and a vivid mental picture.