GEL 102 – MODULE ELEVEN

SPEAKING FOR POLITICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES

Ayo-Obiremi, IfeKristi T.
and
Ojemola, Adeyoola Mercy
Mass Communication Programme
+234 813 443 3425
+234 816 305 1046

Contents

Introduction

It is often said that most of the best-known public speaking come from political leaders
especially because it is required for their career choice and they aim it at influencing the most
cynical of commentators. Some notable examples of such persons either in the past or present
are Martin Luther King with his iconic “I have a Dream” speech, Margaret Thatcher, Nelson
Mandela, Mahandas Ghandi, Nnamdi Azikwe, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Mohammed Buhari
and a host of many others. Not all speeches are political in nature but most will usually seek
to influence opinion. Speaking for political and other purposes involves having an idea of
what is to be said and communicating it appropriately to the audience. When preparing for
such speeches, it is important to know the audience, the general knowledge and/or perception
of the speaker and things in the environment that can be used in such a speech.

Anyone can be called upon to deliver a political or any other type of speech. It can be
impromptu where the speaker was not aware of the assignment and thus, had not planned
before hand; manuscript where the speaker has a planned and properly written speech and is
ready to read verbatim. It can also be extemporaneous where the speaker has the key points
to be discussed carefully spelt out but presents freely without being stuck to the manuscript.

Chuck (2017) explains that the goal of a political public speaker is not to only compel his
audience to listen but also has the role of answering the question, “What do I want my
audience to think, feel, or do when thus speech is over?” The end of the speech is an
opportunity to effect change in the audience and all these are achieved write from the
beginning of the speech delivery. An extension to these is the objective of inspiring them,
helping them to see their own potential, how you value their influence and to remind them of
what they are being asked to while it is fresh in their minds.

Objectives

 Identify and the things to consider in preparing for political speeches

 Explain the things to note when preparing for any kind of speech

Things to note when preparing to speak for political and other purposes

1. Know your audience- having a good knowledge of the people a speaker will
communicate with cannot be overemphasized. The speaker should know the general
characteristics, values, thoughts and demographic distribution of the audience
expected at a political or any other kind of speech. A good knowledge of the audience
will enable the speaker use the right words and communicate effectively such the
audience will not be lost.
2. Use of language- political speeches are more often than not informative and
persuasive speeches. They are often designed to persuade and convince people to
adopt an idea, support a person or uphold a political party. Appropriate formal
language should therefore be used. The speaker can use different figures of speech to
interact with the audience- repetition, synonym, metaphor etc. The speaker can also
use stories to drive home the major points.
3. Analyse the speech venue- a political speech or any other kind of speech can be
indoors in a large hall or can be outside like an open rally. The audience may be few
or run to thousands of people. The speaker should analyse the venue before the
scheduled date of speech delivery. This will help the speaker to prepare adequate
materials and know how far his or her voice can travel to reach everyone. An analysis
of the venue will also help in maximizing available stage space.
 4. Confidence and voice techniques- political and other speeches tests the confidence of
the speaker. The speaker should be bold enough to drive home the points and vary the
voice speech when necessary. The tone of the speech is suggested to be
conversational with the hope that the audience will almost if not totally forget that it is
a pre-prepared speech.
5. Good knowledge of the material- political speakers should not read verbatim from
their manuscripts to avoid boredom. If the speaker wants to use every single word in
the manuscript, he or she should ensure the head is raised from the manuscript from
time to time to ensure eye contact.
6. Address the main points first- political speakers should ensure they go straight to their
main points first. Addressing the main points first and persuasively helps to bring the
audience to the side of the speaker and then other minute information and points can
come later in the speech. This helps to keep the audience calm and certain that the
speaker has good things to offer and is not there to joke.
7. Lighten up the mood- as serious as the occasion may be, it makes delivery easier
when a political speech includes some humour. The opening lines of a speech are
critical to the success of the speech but establishing some rapport and connection with
the audience. This helps to ease the tension of wanting to gain and sustain the
attention and interest of the audience. To achieve this, saying some relevant few jokes
can create that atmosphere.
8. Make the speech emotionally compelling- this relates to giving the audience a stake in
the speech and at the same time getting them on your side. This is achievable through
concrete details that makes and keeps them interested in your delivery and the point
you seek to make.
9. Don’t be negative about rivals- doing this will cheapen the message of the speech and
the audience will usually react against it.

Nikitina (2011) uses the acronym SMART to help understand the basics in speech
preparation.

Select relevant materials

Map out an outline
Add humour and personality
Revise the speech
Tighten all loose ends
Summary and Conclusions
Speaking to any type of audience-political or others can be tasking and requires commitment
to making flawless speeches. It is important that before delivering a political speech, the
speaker must be certain of the main point to be delivered. This point is what the speaker will
seek that the audience remember if they remember nothing else said. A speaker should be
ready at all times and follow the necessary steps to deliver great speeches without fear. In all,
the key to political public speaking and speaking for other purposes is to be warm, confident,
positive and carry the audience along.

Assignment

Write a persuasive speech of not more than one page on why you should be voted as the
president of your programme.

Exercise

1. The key to political public speaking is ------------------

a) Using big grammar the audience won't understand

b) To be warm, confident, positive and carry the audience along

c) Read the speech from the manuscript and not look at the audience

2. In accessing the speech venue, I should -----------------

a) Ensure there are at least 6 windows in the hall

b) Learn to maximise the stage space for good speech performance

c) Paste pictures around the hall for your audience to appreciate you
References

Begala, P., Brower, R., Grant, M. et al. (n.d.). Tips from the Insiders: How to Write a
Political Speech https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/tips-insiders-
how-write-political-speech/

Chuck, G., (2017). An effective Politician’s Secret to Public Speaking.

chuckgarcia.com/2017/06/29/effective-politicans-secret-public-speaking/

MacDonnell, O. (2009). Political Public Speaking Techniques- Secrets to David Cameron’s

Speech Uncovered. Confident Speak. https://www.confidentspeak.com/public-speaking-
techniques-cameron/. Retrieved April, 2020

Nikitina, A. (2017.) Successful Public Speaking. Bookbon.com