Social Media and Peace Information: A Case for Enhance Peace- Building Initiatives

The incessant occurrence of security breach among Nigerians especially youths is of global concern. This has prompted peace advocacy groups to devise alternative mean of promoting peace through social media platforms. This is because social media has been adjudged as a potent tool in promoting peace across the globe. Literature is grounded on social media and peace, there is a dearth of studies on the social media contents and peace building knowledge among social media users. This study therefore, examines the social media peace information and peacebuilding initiatives among Nigerian. The study was anchored by Norm Activation Model and Connectivism theories. Descriptive survey research method was employed while questionnaire served as the instrument to gather data from 336 undergraduates systematically selected from University of Ilorin and Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.  The data gathered from the questionnaire were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Simple percentage and frequency tables were used to present the data. The findings revealed that the constant encounter with social media peace information coupled with the knowledge of ascribed responsibility of individuals by the youths enhanced their level of awareness of the need to promote peace in Nigeria, thereby, enhancing peace building knowledge among the undergraduates as it has motivated them to participate in peace advocacy campaigns and shun violence. The study recommended that policymakers should leverage on social media to promote peace and security in the country by creating platforms that can facilitate peaceful dialogue and participation of youths especially undergraduates in peacebuilding initiatives as this can foster unity and peaceful co-existence among various ethno-religious divides in Nigeria.