Journal of Development Communication And Applied Theatre

Theatre for Development has proven its potency as an efficient tool for resolving conflicts between farmers-herders in Plateau state, Nigeria. It is a medium of communicating and promoting peaceful co-existence in conflict situations. The study assessed the potency of Theatre for Ddevelopment interventions in selected communities in Jos East, Mangu and Mikang Local Government Areas of Plateau state in resolving conflicts and promoting peaceful co-existence between the farmers and herders in rural communities in the state. It was anchored on participatory communication theory propagated by Paulo Freire in 1983.The study employed a mixed method design. It used both qualitative and quantitative research strategies. The population of the study comprises respondents from Jos East, Mangu and Mikang Local Government Areas representing the Northern, Central and Southern Senatorial Zones in Plateau state. The study employed Key Informant Interview (KII) and questionnaire as instruments of data collection. 18 key informants and 382 copies of questionnaire were administered in the three Local Government Areas in the state. Multistage sampling technique was employed. The first sampling stage was stratification; the respondents were stratified into northern, central and southern senatorial districts. The second stage involved purposive selection of one local government from each of the districts where Theatre for Development interventions were carried out. Also, random sampling was used to select three (3) communities in each local government area, which gave a total of six (9) communities for the research. Key informant interviews were conducted for those who witnessed the Theatre for Development interventions in the three senatorial districts in the state. KII and questionnaire were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The findings of the study revealed that Theatre for Development is a very effective tool for resolving conflicts and promoting peaceful co-existence between farmers and herders in Plateau state. It concluded that Theatre for Development plays significant role in resolving conflicts by providing a platform for dialogue, peace-building and opportunity for the warring groups to reconcile their differences. Finally, it recommended that government; Non-Governmental Orgainsations and peace and conflict experts should integrate Theatre for Development in their efforts in promoting peaceful co-existence between farmers and herders in the state and beyond.

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