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Rethinking Crisis Communication in Nigeria: A phenomenological Study of How Political, Ethnic, and Religious Dynamics Influence the Adaptation of Western Crisis Communication Assumptions

Iwuchukwu-Udeagha, Olive Ihuoma LU (2025) SKOM12 20251
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
The study examines whether Nigerian communication practitioners engage with,
adapt to, or diverge from dominant Western crisis communication assumptions
when managing crises shaped by ethnic, political, and religious complexities. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach to explore their lived experiences, ten communication professionals from government, corporate, and consultancy sectors were interviewed through hypothetical crisis scenarios. Findings show that Nigerian practitioners adopt Western assumptions, such as stakeholder prioritization, institutional trust, and accountability, but adapt them through culturally grounded practices like diplomatic transparency and engagement with ethnic and religious leaders. However, they... (More)
The study examines whether Nigerian communication practitioners engage with,
adapt to, or diverge from dominant Western crisis communication assumptions
when managing crises shaped by ethnic, political, and religious complexities. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach to explore their lived experiences, ten communication professionals from government, corporate, and consultancy sectors were interviewed through hypothetical crisis scenarios. Findings show that Nigerian practitioners adopt Western assumptions, such as stakeholder prioritization, institutional trust, and accountability, but adapt them through culturally grounded practices like diplomatic transparency and engagement with ethnic and religious leaders. However, they significantly diverge from the assumption that a crisis is issue-driven due to the country’s dynamics. Ethnicity emerged as the most significant dynamic influencing public perception and strategic messaging in the crisis communication approach, outweighing politics and religion. Participants emphasized tailoring messaging that aligns with ethnic norms for effective crisis management. These findings challenge the universality of dominant Western models such as Situational Crisis Communication Theory and highlight the need for more context-sensitive frameworks incorporating ethnicity alongside PESTLE dimensions. (Less)
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author
Iwuchukwu-Udeagha, Olive Ihuoma LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Rethinking Crisis Communication in Nigeria
course
SKOM12 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Crisis Communication, Local dynamics, Nigerian practitioners, Lived experience, Phenomenology
language
English
id
9195485
date added to LUP
2025-06-23 09:46:48
date last changed
2025-06-23 09:46:48
@misc{9195485,
  abstract     = {{The study examines whether Nigerian communication practitioners engage with, 
adapt to, or diverge from dominant Western crisis communication assumptions 
when managing crises shaped by ethnic, political, and religious complexities. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach to explore their lived experiences, ten communication professionals from government, corporate, and consultancy sectors were interviewed through hypothetical crisis scenarios. Findings show that Nigerian practitioners adopt Western assumptions, such as stakeholder prioritization, institutional trust, and accountability, but adapt them through culturally grounded practices like diplomatic transparency and engagement with ethnic and religious leaders. However, they significantly diverge from the assumption that a crisis is issue-driven due to the country’s dynamics. Ethnicity emerged as the most significant dynamic influencing public perception and strategic messaging in the crisis communication approach, outweighing politics and religion. Participants emphasized tailoring messaging that aligns with ethnic norms for effective crisis management. These findings challenge the universality of dominant Western models such as Situational Crisis Communication Theory and highlight the need for more context-sensitive frameworks incorporating ethnicity alongside PESTLE dimensions.}},
  author       = {{Iwuchukwu-Udeagha, Olive Ihuoma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Rethinking Crisis Communication in Nigeria: A phenomenological Study of How Political, Ethnic, and Religious Dynamics Influence the Adaptation of Western Crisis Communication Assumptions}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}