Ethnic prejudice in online media commentary about National issues in Nigeria

Abstract

Exploring how ethnic prejudices manifest in online media, particularly in Facebook comments on national issues, the study highlights that online platforms promote expressions of ethnicity, racism, hate speech, stereotyping, and incitement, often reflecting Nigeria's complex socio-political and ethnic landscape. Using the Critical Race Communication Theory (CRCT) it analyses Facebook comments on two national issues the 2025 Presidential Pardon and the alleged fake certificate of a Former Minister, sourced from two online news outlets that has presence on Facebook. The analysis reveals prevalent ethnic labelling, stereotyping, and inciting language, especially targeting ethnic groups and underscoring regional and ethnic polarizations. The discourse exacerbate ethnic marginalization, social injustice, and mistrust among ethnic groups. Underscoring how social media platforms can deepen ethnic divisions and disrupt peaceful coexistence by spreading misinformation, hate speech, and ethnic biases. It concludes that online media commentary in Nigeria is intertwined with ethnic prejudice, and calls for media literacy programs, responsible journalism, fact checking, stricter content moderation, and grassroots initiatives for ethnic reconciliation to promote national unity and social cohesion.