Rhetorical Visions of Fulani-Herdsmen Conflict in the Nigerian Press: A Fantasy Theme Analysis

Rhetorical Visions of Fulani-Herdsmen Conflict in the Nigerian Press:
A Fantasy Theme Analysis

Oredola Opeyemi, Oyesomi Kehinde, Tayo-Adigboluja Afolayan,
& Chinedu-Asogwa Nkechi
Covenant University, Nigeria

There has been a recurrent rate of prevalent and pervasive violent conflicts between herders and farmers in Nigeria. Issues emanating from environmental degradation, and socio-political disorder have shifted pastoralist migratory patterns and increased tensions between farmers and herders. This, however, has influenced conflicts and hostility between farmers and herders, leading to violent clashes, killings, forced displacement, attrition of inter-communal interactions, as well as the annihilation of agricultural and livestock outputs. The Nigerian press, however, has successfully created a shared meaning of the Fulani-herdsmen activities in the country within a particular rhetoric community. These include agents with different characteristics in a similar/different setting, taking several actions, thereby formulating a particular rhetorical vision. The major rhetorical vision established in this paper is conflict and the underlying symbolic reality of peace. This paper examined articles in the Nigerian press as related to Fulani-herdsmen’s activities and the fantasy themes embedded in it.
Keywords: Conflict, fantasy theme, farmers, Herdsmen, rhetoric visions

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Opeyemi Oredola is a post-graduate student in the Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University, Nigeria. His research focuses on war and crime journalism, development communication and health communication.
Kehinde Opeyemi Oyesomi is a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University. Her other research interest include gender, media, journalism, indigenous communication, political communication and development communication.
Tayo-Adigboluja Afolayan is a post-graduate student in the Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University. Her research interests are journalism, development communication, and political communication.
Chinedu-Asogbwa Nkechi is a post-graduate student in the Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University. Her research areas are journalism, development communication, and health communication.