Media and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Communities: A Study of Radio Nsukka’s Role in Community Reconciliation

Community radio stations operating in post-conflict environments in Africa have increasingly been recognised as instruments of social healing, dialogue facilitation, and community reconciliation, yet their specific role in Southeast Nigerian post-conflict communities remains undertheorised in communication literature. This study examined the peacebuilding role of Radio Nsukka in fostering reconciliation and communal cohesion within selected post-conflict communities in Nsukka Local Government Area. The study was anchored on the Peacebuilding Communication Theory, which posits that media institutions in conflict-affected communities can serve transformative functions by amplifying peace narratives, facilitating inter-group dialogue, and countering divisive rhetoric. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining a survey of 280 purposively selected community members with qualitative interviews of eight community radio producers and four community leaders. Findings revealed that Radio Nsukka's community dialogue programmes, dispute resolution features, and cultural programming were perceived as significant contributors to post-conflict normalisation by a majority of surveyed respondents. However, resource limitations, staff capacity gaps, and occasional political interference constrained the station's peacebuilding programming scope. Community members most affected by conflict reported the highest levels of trust in radio as a neutral platform for grievance expression. The study concluded that Radio Nsukka demonstrates meaningful peacebuilding potential but requires sustained institutional support to fulfil its reconciliation mandate. It was recommended that the National Broadcasting Commission establish a dedicated peacebuilding media support framework and that international development organisations provide capacity-building assistance to community radio stations in post-conflict zones.
Keywords: media peacebuilding, community radio, reconciliation, Radio Nsukka, post-conflict communication