Mediated self-presentation, authenticity, and image construction: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of an African Vice President’s communication on Twitter

Given the paucity of studies on the communicative approaches employed by vice presidents in political public relations and studies on Africa in public relations, the current study analyzes how the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, enacted authenticity to construct his public image on Twitter. The study used Multimodal Discourse Analysis to analyze 161 tweets, finding the manifestation of cues of authenticity: ordinariness, consistency, immediacy, and intimacy in Dr. Bawumia’s display of strategic humility and respect, his commitment to technology and Information, Communication, and Technology in Ghana, and his leadership by example. We argue that he constructs the image of an exemplary, caring, trustworthy, pious, and proactive leader, which helps him to build social and political capital. Implications of our study for public communication are discussed.