AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF MEDIA COVERAGE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE 2011 POST ELECTION VIOLENCE IN KADUNA STATE BY AL-KASIM YAHAYA KAJURU M.A/ARTS/7197/2009-2010 BEING A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS (M.A) DEGREE IN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS FACULTY OF ARTS, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA. JANUARY, 2015 1 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis entitled: Audience Perception of Media Coverage and Management of the 2011 Post Election Violence in Kaduna State was written by me in the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, under the Supervision of Prof. Oga Steve Abah and Prof. Emmy Idegu. The information derived from the literature were adequately and dully acknowledged in the text and the list of references provided. No part of this work has been presented for another Degree or Diploma in this or any institution. __________________________ _______________________________ Al-Kasim Yahaya Kajuru Date 2 CERTIFCATION This thesis titled: AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE 2011 POST ELECTIONS VIOLENCE IN KADUNA STATE by the researcher Al-kasim Yahaya Kajuru meets the regulation governing the award of the Degree of Masters of Art (M.A) in Development Communication of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and is approved for its contribution to knowledge and literary presentation. ________________________________ ________________________________ Prof. Oga Steve Abah Date Chairman, Supervisory Committee ________________________________ ________________________________ Prof. Emmy I.U. Idegu Date Member, Supervisory Committee ________________________________ ________________________________ Prof. Umar M.I Buratai Date Head, Department of Theatre and Performing Arts ________________________________ ________________________________ Professor Zoaka A. Hassan Date Dean, Post Graduate School 3 DEDICATION I dedicate this work to Almighty Allah (SWT) My Creator and Sustainer, my Parents, my Wife, my daughter and all the innocent citizens who lost their lives in various conflicts in Kaduna State (May the Good Lord have Mercy on their departed souls). 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I must start by expressing my profound and sincere gratitude to the Omnipotent King, Almighty Allah (SWT) the Creator, Provider and Sustainer of heavens and earth for not only creating me, but sparing my life to this moment by His divine guidance, protection and providence to accomplish this M.A Development Communication Programme. My unflinching acknowledgement goes to my supervisors Late Dr. Martins A. Ayegba (RIP), Prof. Oga Steve Abah and Prof. Emmy Idegu for their assistance, time and guidance, May God bless and guide you with all your families. I am indebted to express my appreciation and gratitude to my parents Prof. Y.K Kajuru and Alhaji Rilwan K. Kajuru for nursing, nurturing, caring and seeing me throughout my education, to this level, not forgetting my Mother Rabi‘atu Abdu, my beloved daughter Nana Aisha (Humaira) and my wife Salaha Salisu thank you very much for your love and understanding. I remain Sincerely grateful to lecturers in and outside the department, like Prof. Umar Buratai, Dr. Emmanuel Jegede, Mr. Steve Y. Daniel, Dr. Rashida Liman, Mallam Muhammad Rabi‘u, Malama Jamila Aliyu Muhammed, Dr. Sulaiman Salau, Dr. Sola Adeyanju, Dr. Yakubu Suleiman, Malama Binta Kasim Muhammad, Mallam Kabir Danladi, Mallama Amina Aminu, Mr. Cosmos Eze, Dr. M. Kabir and those whose names could not be mentioned, thank you very much. My sincere appreciation goes my friends and colleagues like, Sulaiman Haruna, Bello Tijjani, Dr. Kasim Pindiga, Dr. Adam Saidu, Dr. Ibrahim Ya‘u, Ahmadu Baba Jalingo, Abubakar Hassan, Hussain Ado, Gidado Alhassan, Rabi‘u Haruna, Babakuura Mallam, Alh. Sani Faska, Yahuza Rilwan, Ismail Muhammad, Aliyu Sulaiman (Sarkin Ikara), Aminu Saidu Jaja, Adamu Dadari, Abubkar T. Shika and many others, thanks for being good and supportive to me all this while. 5 ABSTRACT The media can be used as an instrument to build as well as to destroy the human society. This study has tried to establish the inherent nature of conflict and crises in human society as well as the significant role of media and communication in forming and shaping individual or group perception of events or issues, enhancing human interaction and also looked at the nature of violence to the well being of humanity. Vital roles of the media and the various conflict management apparatus like arbitration, collaboration, mediation, negotiation and reconciliation among other measures put in place to avert or control violent conflict in Kaduna state have been highlighted. The study is limited to only four local government areas of Kaduna state and examines the perception of the audience, elicits essential information that enhance better understanding of role of media in conflict management and reconciliation. The survey method was used and the instruments for data collection were the questionnaire and in-depth interview. The sampling methods considered for this study are purposive (non probability) sample in the selection of study population and accidental or convenience sampling in the selection of respondents because of the sensitivity of the problem under study. The study focuses on objectives that centred on investigating the perception of the audience on the roles of media in conflicts as well as in managing and resolving the post election conflict in Kaduna State. The study provides necessary information on the causes and effects of conflicts to the society and how the media can assist in the proper management of conflict before, during or after elections. Some causes of conflicts are looked into and solutions as well as suggestion on the possible ways of controlling and mitigating the effects of such conflicts were proffered.The study concludes, that there is need to enhance the performance of media in the process of conflict management and reconciliation so as to enable a peaceful common future for all citizens. 6 Table of Contents Cover page----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 Title page------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ i Declaration---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ii Certification-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii Dedication---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv Acknowledgements------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v Abstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vi Tables of Contents ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vii Abbreviations/Definition of Terms ---------------------------------------------------------------------- vii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Statement of the Research Problem............................................................................................................. 10 1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study. ................................................................................................................. 12 1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................................................................ 13 1.5 Research Assumptions/ Hypotheses………………………………………………………………….... 13 1.6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................................. ….... 14 1.7 Scope of the Study……......................................................................................................................... 14 1.8 Justification for the Study………………………………………………………................................... 15 1.9 Definitions of Key Terms……………………………………………………………………………… 16 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 Roles of the Media in the Society………………………………………………………………......... 19 2.3. Conflict Social Change and the Human Society …. .................................................................... ...... 24 7 2.4. Negative Roles of Media to Development ………… ........................................................ …………. 32 2.5 Background to Conflict in Nigeria………………………………………………………………....... 42 2.6. Understanding the Audience………………………………………………………………….......... 61 2.7. Political Conflict……………………………………………………………………………….......... 67 2.8. Crisis and Conflict Management………………………………………………………………......... 82 2.9 Conception of Peace…………………………………………………………………………............ 95 2.10 Theoretical Framework……………………………………………….……………………............... 101 2.10.1 The Functional Theory………………………………………..…………………………….............. 102 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 107 3.2 Study Design ........................................................................................................................................