A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE ROLE OF PEACE JOURNALISM IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: NIGERIA’S BOKO HARAM AND FULANI/HERDSMEN CONFLICTS AS CASE STUDIES.

ABSTRACT

Nigeria as a country in West Africa faces the challenge of violent-conflicts resulting in mass deaths and destruction of valuable properties worth millions of dollars. The problems seem to be spinning in a vicious cycle endlessly, from “Boko Haram to Herdsmen/Farmers conflict, from Niger-Delta militancy to ethnic clashes and other pockets of unrests. These conflicts have hampered the growth and development of Nigeria in many respects over the years. However, a number of journalists have played and still plays central role in managing these emergencies. This research work sought to put the precarious situation in the right perspective and context in order to reel out some helpful strategies for the enhancement of peace through effective and efficient journalism based on the ethics of the profession. In other words, peace journalism is probably the most potent weapon that could be used to reduce tension and effectively manage an ongoing conflict essentially through objective reportage, building platforms for dialogues, seeking true reconciliation, and helping conflicting parties to achieve compromise and consensus. Data Collection was done through In-depth Interview as a qualitative research methodology and the information was gotten from 10 journalists who are interested in peace journalism. Two communication theories, agenda Setting and Social Responsibility were used because of their fundamental and scientific role in determining peace and development agenda. This is particularly the responsibility of journalists in many respects. Recommendations were highlighted essentially to help in the advancement of peace efforts by journalists so the future of Nigeria could be secured.

Key Words: Peace Journalism, Nigeria, Conflict, Government, Media, Communication