Abstract:

This study examined the positive and negative impacts of propaganda of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. Nigeria, as other countries of the world, has from February 2020 till date suffered the pangs of corona virus pandemic. The discovery of corona virus vaccine by some health organizations in some parts of   the world marked a historic step towards ensuring that lives were saved from the pandemic. Nigeria is not an exception in the plan to vaccinate citizens and to help contain the spread of the virus. The intention of the Nigerian government to contain the spread of the disease has, however, been given different interpretations. While some people and organizations who are in support of the vaccine have come up with propaganda to encourage citizens to subject themselves to the vaccination, others have generated propaganda to dissuade citizens from subjecting themselves to taking the vaccine. The arguments in favour of the vaccine, on the one hand, and against the vaccine, on the other hand, seem to put the citizens in a dilemma that, even the citizens would not understand whether or not to accept the vaccine. This study has highlighted key aspects of propaganda in the communication of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. These propaganda are found in both positive and negative (plus and minus) communication about COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. The study recommended that authorities responsible for the administration of vaccine in the country should embark on more credible and educating messages that the citizens can make use of to independently accept or reject to be vaccinated against coronavirus.