ETHNO-RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS IN THE NORTHERN STATES OF NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA (1987-2012)

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Department of Education

ABSTRACT
The study is an investigation into “Ethno-Religious Conflicts in the Northern States of Nigeria: The Role of the Media (1987-2012)”. Worrying enough is that, the ethnoreligious conflicts are persistent and the attempt here is to examine what role the media is playing. The main objective of the study is to find out the role of the media in ethnoreligious conflicts in the northern states of Nigeria. In doing so, five specific objectives were stated. They seek information on the role of the media in aggravating ethnoreligious conflicts, factors that influence the media to aggravate ethno-religious conflicts, effects of such conflicts, impact of media in curbing ethno-religious conflicts and the role of the media in building peace. In the study a sample survey design was used. A set of questionnaire and interview techniques were employed to collect research data. The researcher himself, with the help of nine research assistants conducted the study. A total number of 1,620 copies of the questionnaire were administered to ethno-religious groups in the three states that represented the nineteen northern states of Nigeria for the study. One thousand two hundred and four (1,204) copies of the questionnaire were returned. The data collected with the questionnaire was presented and analyzed using tables and the interview served as complementary data in the discussion. In the analysis of the data; age, religion, position in religion and status in the society were the demographic variables analyzed with frequencies and percentages. Also, the items raised in the study to answer the five research questions were analyzed with frequencies and percentages. The five hypotheses were tested with means, standard deviations, two-tailed t-test, and analysis of variance. The findings of the study were quite revealing. In the test of hypotheses one, three and five, the groups involved differed in opinion on the role of the media in aggravating ethno-religious conflicts, the effects of such conflicts and the role of the media in peace-building. Hypotheses two and four showed no significant difference in opinion on the influences that make the role of the media to aggravate ethno-religious conflicts as well as the impact of the media in curbing them in the northern states of Nigeria. Conclusions from the study indicate that the media is a double-edged sword that can aggravate conflicts when used wrongly and can curb them and build peace when channeled to that course. Second, the effects of the conflicts aggravated by the role of the media are biting in different communities of the northern states of Nigeria. Finally, even though capable of building peace in the nation, the media has not done much in respect of the ethno-religious conflicts in the northern states of Nigeria. The recommendations from the study suggest educational campaign on peace, dialogue, truth and reconciliation commission, incentives to media houses or journalists that are peace-oriented in their reportage, license for practicing journalists and courses on peace in the institutions of learning. These require the joint effort of traditional/religious leaders, media parishioners and the government.