Metaphors and Metonymies in Akosua Cartoons’ Representation of Ghana’s Electoral Politics

This chapter investigates the metaphors and metonymies used in the Akosua cartoons of the Daily Guide to portraythe two leading political parties in Ghana's 2020 elections: the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). This qualitative research used Cognitive Linguistics and Social Semiotics as conceptual and theoretical approaches . The study was framed within the Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Five cartoon frames were selected. Of these, three dealwith the major issue of choices for the elections namely: ‘Free SHS’ or ‘SHS Review’; university student loans or financial support; and policies related to ‘Youth in bicycle riding training’ or the building of onefactory in every district (popularly referred to as 1D1F). Two other cartoons deal with the shedding of 'crocodile' tears (Crocodile Cry) by members of the NDC upon learning that the founder of their party had passed on. The last one presents the presidential candidate of the NDC consoling two of his ministers who had been described as ‘babies with sharp teeth’. This study revealed that the elections were framed in terms of ‘Competition’ or ‘Choices’ while the metaphors and metonymies used in the cartoons showed that the NPP was projected in a positive light as opposed to the NDC.