Fear of Expansion and Domination: Toxic and Ethnic Frames Amidst Call to #SayNoToRUGA on Nigerian Twittersphere

Author:

Ajetunmobi Umar Olansile1ORCID,Oseni Akinkunmi Ibrahim2,Onifade Abdurrahman Bello3ORCID,Adegboyega Teslim Abiodun4

Affiliation:

1. University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

2. Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

3. University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

4. Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerians have, over the years, lived with mutual distrust, often escalated by ethnoreligious sentiments and sectional profiling. Government policies, for example, are at times seen through the lens of the ethnic background or sectional affiliation of the president at any given time. This study examined the kinds of frames Nigerian X (formerly Twitter) users adopted during the #SayNoToRUGA movement on X. It also investigated how the digital movement predicted the polarisation of Nigerians across ethnic and sectional divides. Through a summative content analysis of 145 purposively selected tweets of #SayNoToRUGA and propositions of framing theory, the study found four dominant frames: toxic discourse, ethnic profiling, call to social action and misinformation. Findings also revealed that toxic discourse comprised more abusive tweets alongside tweets that unjustifiably accused the Fulani tribe and constructed identities for it and its people. Fear of domination and expansion of the tribe also fuelled the level of toxic discourse on #SayNoToRUGA. The findings also predicted a significant polarisation of Nigerian X users on the digital movement across ethnic and sectional divides. Therefore, it recommends that relevant government agencies [e.g., National Orientation Agency (NOA), communication and culture ministry] host regular cultural and ethnoreligious literacy skills on X Spaces. Through Spaces, they can also consult Nigerians, with each region making its inputs on sensitive national policies such as Rural Grazing Area (RUGA).

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Reference67 articles.

1. Investigating Frame Strength: The Case of Episodic and Thematic Frames

2. Adebayo T. (2019 July 6). ‘RUGA’: Steeped in history of distrust, Nigeria’s botched solution for deadly conflicts. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/339175-RUGA-steeped-in-history-of-distrust-nigerias-botched-solution-for-deadly-conflicts.html

3. Twitter, civil activisms and EndSARS protest in Nigeria as a developing democracy

4. Akinpelu Y. (2023, September 20). Nigerian fans demand justice after Afrobeat star’s death. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66867159.amp

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3