Trust in Shared Narratives

Stories are a function of violent conflicts. Stories provide reasons for and can serve to instigate conflicts, they make conflicts readable, and they provide narrative closure, i.e., a sense of finality, and thus potentially restore trust between conflict parties. This study focuses on a specific form of storytelling used in a conflict setting, namely docudrama and re-enactment of traumatic experiences of conflict. The study posits that, in the absence of other forms of effective civic dissent to force better outcomes in governance and particularly the provision of security through the state, docudrama and the re-enactment of personal experiences of violence can lead to conscientization and healing, even as the stories expressed in re-enactment lay the groundwork for post-conflict narrative closure. The location of study is in Benue and Plateau States, Nigeria. Because of climate change and migratory pressures in the wake of the drying up of Lake Chad these states are prone to violent land disputes. The target population of the study are refugees affected by conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, who are currently estimated at over 100,000. The study offers an opportunity to be active participants and to acquire skills and training in storytelling and re-enactment primarily to women, children and youths. Interviews, focus group discussions (FGD s), and participatory observation are used to collect data. A pilot study in Daudu camp in Guma LGA (Local Government Area) and later in 2023, a Theatre for Development and a feature film was carried out in Adeke, Ogondu and Asyoko community of Benue State and a Theatre for Development Drama and Feature Film production carried out in Mikang LGA of Plateau State illustrate the methods and aims of the study. Anchored in “Reflective African Theory” the study uses Brecht’s “Forum Theatre” technique to show how docudrama can be used to explore the motives of the violent conflict and contribute to the rebuilding of trust in situations of conflict. The study, which results from a collaboration between the authors in the framework of the World Academy of Sciences, aims to contribute to the corpus of African studies and offer new perspectives for peace and conflict studies.