Framing of the #Endbadgovernance Protests in three Nigerian Newspapers

Gabriel; Gladys Ekezie; Stella C. Enyindah PhD

doi:10.56201/rjmcit.vol.11.no9.2025.pg104.118

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Framing of the #Endbadgovernance Protests in three Nigerian Newspapers

Gabriel, Gladys Ekezie, Stella C. Enyindah PhD

Abstract

This study explores how three prominent Nigerian newspapers Punch, The Guardian, and Vanguard framed the #EndBadGovernance protests, utilizing quantitative content analysis of 230 articles published between August 1 and August 10, 2024, and grounded in framing theory and the protest paradigm. The research highlights a structurally biased narrative that constrained the public's perception of the civic movement. Analysis of the framing categories revealed an overwhelming dominance of the riot/disorder, confrontation/violence, and political/governmental frames, effectively positioning the protests as an issue of conflict and security threat rather than a legitimate democratic response to socio-economic grievances. This framing choice was reinforced by a predominantly negative or neutral focus of reportage and a structural reliance on official voices, where Government Officials and Security Agencies were systematically prioritized as sources over protesters or civil society groups. This research contributes significantly to the scholarship on African media by demonstrating the specific mechanism the synergy between elite sourcing, negative tone, and conflict frames through which the Protest Paradigm is enacted in contemporary Nigerian journalism. The study contributes to existing scholarship by situating the framing of the #EndBadGovernance protests within broader debates about media responsibility, democracy, and the power dynamics of news production in transitional societies. It concludes that a more inclusive and citizen-centered approach to protest reporting is essential for strengthening participatory democracy and public trust in the Nigerian media landscape. The study concluded that the press collectively contributed to the delegitimization of the #EndBadGovernance protests, prioritizing narratives of state authority and public order over the rigorous amplification of citizens' demands for accountability.

Keywords

Media FramingProtest ParadigmContent Analysis#EndBadGovernanceAgenda-SettingProtest CoverageNigerian Newspapers

References

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Framing of the #Endbadgovernance Protests in three Nigerian Newspapers

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