In search of a solution: Nigerian newspaper coverage of peace initiatives in a time of national crisis

Abstract

Nduka N. Nwankpa, Agnes O. Ezeji, Philomena Effiong Umoren

The study analyzed Nigerian newspaper coverage of various stakeholders’ peace initiatives to resolve the Niger Delta crisis of 2006 to 2009. Four purposively selected dailies: the THISDAY, The Guardian, the Vanguard and The Sun published between January 1, 2006 and October 4, 2009 were content analyzed. The population was 5,532 issues from where a sample of 553 was systematically selected. Coding was by two independent coders and the inter-coder reliability stood at 0.77 using Scott’s pi. index. The pattern of coverage indicated that the peace initiatives of local leaders (39.47 %) were the most covered, followed by the peace initiatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria/ Oil firms (23.44 %). This was followed by peace efforts of other stakeholders (27%) and NGOs (10.09 %). The result could imply that local leaders in the Niger Delta were more concerned about the crisis and wanted it quickly resolved, hence initiated more peace efforts than the Federal Government / Oil Firms widely believed to have aggravated the crisis. On individual newspaper coverage, the Vanguard paid the most attention to peace efforts by various stakeholders (31.16 %), followed by the THISDAY (27.60 %). Both papers provided more than half of the coverage of peace initiatives. More studies are needed to establish whether the newspapers overlooked some peace efforts of the Federal Government / Oil firms.

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