A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED PRAYER POINTS IN DR. DANIEL OLUKOYA’S PRAYER BATTLE PART 1

Abstract

This study “A Pragmatic Analysis of Selected Prayer Points in Dr. Daniel Olukoya‟s Prayer Battle Part 1” is a qualitative research and focusses on highlighting the pragmatic features in prayer points used by Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries‟ members. The Speech Act Theory is adopted as the theoretical framework. Data for the study were generated from the book Prayer Battle by Dr. Daniel Olukoya the founder and General Overseer of the church. These prayers are grouped based on their themes since they are meant to achieve different things. The groupings are Converting Lamentation to Laughter, Banishing the Eaters of Flesh and Drinkers of Blood and Connecting to the Ocean Divider. The study found that the way speech acts are expressed vary from culture to culture. The prayer points considered are heavily laden with the African cultural beliefs. Directive and Commissive acts are mostly performed in these prayers because the subject takes it upon himself to cut himself completely off such evil linkages through commanding, requesting and confrontations. Christian religious leaders and preachers recognize the power of language in persuading, asserting, threatening, etc. and so specially deploy language to achieve these purposes. In conclusion, from the analysis, it is observed that the prayer points do not preach love, are all about warfare.