Content Analysis of Daily Trust Facebook Coverage of the #EndBadGovernance Protests

This study examined the thematic focus of Daily Trust’s Facebook coverage during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria, with emphasis on the prevalence of peace-themed narratives versus conflict-oriented reporting. The study was motivated by the increasing role of digital technology and social media as platforms for protest mobilisation, news dissemination, and peacebuilding efforts. Adopting a quantitative content analysis design, the researchers analysed 215 protest-related Facebook posts published between August 1 and August 10, 2024. Data were categorised into eight major themes and further disaggregated into sub-themes to evaluate frequency and audience engagement metrics. The study was anchored on Agenda-Setting Theory and Peace Journalism Theory. Findings revealed that “Protest” was the dominant theme, accounting for 46% of the posts, with significant emphasis on “General Reports” and “Violence/Destruction.” However, “Digital Storytelling as a Tool for Peace” emerged as the third most frequent category at 12%, indicating a deliberate attempt at peace journalism. The findings also showed that active debunking of misinformation and disinformation was relatively low at 4%, despite the volatile communication environment. Audience engagement remained high with over 160,000 total interactions, reinforcing Facebook’s role as a virtual public sphere during national crises. The study concluded that Daily Trust’s coverage reflected a hybrid approach combining traditional conflict reporting with emerging peace-building narratives. The study recommended that media organisations institutionalise real-time fact-checking units and proactive community management strategies to combat information disorder during periods of national unrest.

Keywords: Digital Storytelling, Conflict-Affected Regions, Misinformation, Peace Narratives, Social Media, Conventional Media.