Communication and Conflict Resolution: An Exposé of Drum of War (DOW)

Jammy Seigha Guanah; Eseovwe Emakunu

doi:10.56062/

Authors

Jammy Seigha Guanah University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Eseovwe Emakunu Dennis Osadebay University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56062/

Keywords:

Conflict Resolution, Drama, Traditional Media, Peacebuilding

Abstract

The role of communication in conflict resolution remains pivotal in societies plagued by violence and unrest. This study explores how drama, as a form of traditional communication, is deployed in addressing conflict and promoting peace, using Ojo Rasaki’s Drums of War (DOW) as a case study. The paper applies the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) to analyse how characters in the play shift their communicative behaviours to either escalate or de-escalate tensions within a war-driven narrative. Through a qualitative, text-based analysis, the study highlights how the play captures the devastating effects of war, political manipulation, ethnic tension, and the marginalisation of the masses. It also foregrounds the significant roles of women and civil society in promoting peace through collective action and advocacy. Findings suggest that traditional African media, especially drama, holds immense potential as a tool for peacebuilding, social re-orientation, and conflict resolution. The study recommends leveraging indigenous communication platforms to promote national unity and sustainable development in multi-ethnic societies like Nigeria.

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