Newspaper Framing of Biafra Agitation Under Buhari’s Administration and its Influence on Public Support for the Struggle

ABSTRACT

This study examined newspaper framing of Biafra agitation under Buhari's administration and its influence on public support for the struggle. Specific objectives of the study are to assess the patterns of news framing of the Biafra agitation under Buhari's administration; to know whether there is a difference in the patterns of news frames used by the pro-Igbo/pro-Biafra City newspapers and other national dailies in covering the Biafra agitation under Buhari's administration; to ascertain readers' perception of the Biafra agitation under Buhari's administration; to find out whether news stories on Biafra agitation influenced public support for the struggle under Buhari's administration. The survey and the content analysis methods were used as the research design. Findings from the study show that seven patterns of frames were used by the four selected newspapers in covering the Biafra agitation. The frames are: economic frame, political frame, ethnic frame, response frame, religious frame, human interest frame and attribution of responsibility frame. The study found that the pro-Igbo/Biafra (Daily Sun and Biafra Times) newspapers used frames that highlighted copiously the deprivation, marginalisation and oppression the Igbos are suffering under Buhari's administration thus lent support to the Biafra agitation. The other two national dailies (This Day and Guardian) used frames that tend to denounce the agitation. Finally, the study found that news stories on the Biafra agitation have had great influence on public support for the struggle.

KEYWORDS:

• newspaper framing
• Biafra agitation
• Buhari’s administration
• influence
• public support