Tag: media

This paper examined the ways radio contributed to peacebuilding and promotion using the case
of armed banditry and cattle rustling in Zamfara State. The study was guided by four specific objectives: to find out whether radio can be used as a mechanism of peacebuilding; to find out if the intervention by radio programs have influenced the escalation or de-escalation of armed bandits’ conflict in Zamfara; to examine the extent to which the people of Zamfara use radio as a mechanism of peacebuilding; and finally to survey the perceptions of people of Zamfara towards the use of radio in peacebuilding. The study used survey research design and data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to 338 respondents. The data were thematically analyzed by classifying major issues and recurrent themes. Then they were presented in narrative form. The findings of the study showed that radio served as an appropriate, cheap and easily accessible medium of passing peace messages; contributed considerably to the de-escalation of conflict; and reduced the frequency of conflict in the state. An overwhelming majority of the respondents (98%) agreed that radio has been the best medium for promoting peacebuilding. In conclusion, radio proves to be effective in dousing tensions and disseminating information on what needs to be done. Finally, the paper recommended that the government should formulate policies that make it possible to involve radio in conflict resolution efforts since it is cheap and easily accessible to many people.