In my post graduate studies at the University of Nigeria, a
secessionist movement named Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was gaining momentum in the southeast of
Nigeria. This hovered an uncertain future for individuals, families, businesses and residents of the
region and the Nigerian society at large.
As a communication evangelist with expert knowledge of the power the media wields in setting agenda for the society and framing their mind to issues at hand. I led a research team on a fact finding and audience assessment of the role of communication in peace building in the southeast of Nigeria. The research found out that the Nigerian media gave coverage to the secessionist movement, however, they failed in creating platforms for peace talks, peace negotiation and setting agenda for peace building between the Nigerian government and leaders of the secessionist group. They also failed to frame the mind of the populace on the importance of peace. We now recommended that the media can improve from just reporting news about agitations for secession and start focusing more on peace building, peace negotiations and pace talk. They should start setting the agenda for peace discussion and dialogue and address the root cause of the agitation. A platform should be created by TV and Radio stations where the government team and leaders of the agitators sit down and table their concerns. That the Ministry of information should take the lead in championing the role of communication in peace building to media stations, and encourage the stakeholders in the industry to key in into communication for peace in order to achieve peace in the region. In conclusion we stated that having witnessed the historical tragedy of the Nigerian civil war, it will amount to a repeat of history and failure of leadership and nationhood if our leaders fails to use the instrumentality of dialogue and compromises to contain the lingering agitations before it explodes into a conflagration in our faces and as Karl Marx states, history repeats itself, first time as a tragedy and second time as a farce.
As a communication evangelist with expert knowledge of the power the media wields in setting agenda for the society and framing their mind to issues at hand. I led a research team on a fact finding and audience assessment of the role of communication in peace building in the southeast of Nigeria. The research found out that the Nigerian media gave coverage to the secessionist movement, however, they failed in creating platforms for peace talks, peace negotiation and setting agenda for peace building between the Nigerian government and leaders of the secessionist group. They also failed to frame the mind of the populace on the importance of peace. We now recommended that the media can improve from just reporting news about agitations for secession and start focusing more on peace building, peace negotiations and pace talk. They should start setting the agenda for peace discussion and dialogue and address the root cause of the agitation. A platform should be created by TV and Radio stations where the government team and leaders of the agitators sit down and table their concerns. That the Ministry of information should take the lead in championing the role of communication in peace building to media stations, and encourage the stakeholders in the industry to key in into communication for peace in order to achieve peace in the region. In conclusion we stated that having witnessed the historical tragedy of the Nigerian civil war, it will amount to a repeat of history and failure of leadership and nationhood if our leaders fails to use the instrumentality of dialogue and compromises to contain the lingering agitations before it explodes into a conflagration in our faces and as Karl Marx states, history repeats itself, first time as a tragedy and second time as a farce.