ID: 1664
Presenting Author: Ifechukwu Adieze
Session: 654 - Culture's Role in Impact Assessment
Status: pending
Culturally grounded communication strategies are essential for building trust, enhancing participation, and sustainable outcomes, while cultural misalignment drives misinformation in EIAs
The effectiveness of EIA often hinges on how information is communicated and received by stakeholders. In Nigeria, where cultural diversity and linguistic plurality are defining features of society, the challenge of misinformation and disinformation in impact assessment is acute. This paper explores the role of culture as both a barrier and a solution in information dissemination during EIAs in Nigeria, arguing that communication strategies that are culturally grounded are essential in building trust, enhancing participation, and ensuring sustainable outcomes. It highlights how indigenous values, and knowledge systems shape perceptions of risks. It gave the limitations of conventional EIA communication, which often relies on technical jargon and English only reports, unintentionally fueling rumors, mistrust, and manipulation. From case studies across Nigeria, the paper reveals how cultural misalignment has driven misinformation as against culturally sensitive approaches. The paper identifies indigenous communication channels such as town criers, storytelling, religious institutions, and theatre-for-development as tools that can counter misinformation. It argued that embedding these culturally resonant methods into EIA framework can transform communication from a one-way dissemination of information into a participatory, trust-building one. The paper concludes with recommendations for policies that will ensure translation of EIA summaries into local languages, cultural competence training for consultants, and formalizing the role of traditional leaders in communication
Prof Ifechukwu Adieze is a faculty member at the Center of Excellence in Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Coauthor 1: Uchenna Uwakwe
Coauthor 2: Lewechi Nzeadibe