Newspaper Editorial in Communicating Boko Haram Terrorism and Promoting Good Governance in Nigeria: A Review of Literature

Nigeria has always been confronted by contradictions due to its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural nature. Amid this, several approaches have been adopted aimed at tackling the onslaught. In view of this challenge, this paper adopts a qualitative approach in analysing secondary data gathered from books, journals and newspapers, and argues that editorial treatment of Boko Haram insurgency should be adopted more by newspapers than deadpan reportage of the rebellion to show the effect of the insurgency on the nation building process. Using the agenda setting theory of the mass media, the paper further argues that editorial will help to bring about good governance on the part of government due to its enlightening, forceful and advocacy nature, compared to straight news. It maintains that it will change the perceptions of some persons, including those in government that the insurgents are being applauded by newspapers while government is being condemned, due to the prominence given to such reports and the news slant. The paper, while citing cases of editorial contributions to national development and governance, concludes that since editorial weighs all sides to an issue and takes a position on it, if adopted by the Nigerian newspapers in communicating the Boko Haram terrorism, it will make all stakeholders involved in the fight against the insurgency to live up to their responsibilities and give the masses confidence in the government, which is the real meaning of good governance