Peace education and the efficacy-trust paradox: cultivating democratic citizenship in Nigerian youth

Nigeria stands at a critical juncture where persistent resource conflicts, political instability, and democratic deficits necessitate a transition toward non-coercive intervention strategies. This paper investigates the intersection of structured Peace Education (PE) initiatives and the cultivation of youth agency as a catalyst for democratic participation in Southern Nigeria. Utilizing a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation design ( N  = 761), the study interrogates how PE programs influence conflict resolution preferences and civic engagement among adolescents. The findings reveal a significant “Efficacy-Trust Paradox”: while PE successfully enhances students’ critical consciousness and perceived capacity as agents of reform, there remains a pragmatic, deferred-agency reliance on adult authority (e.g., teachers) for high-stakes conflict resolution. This reliance underscores a structural bottleneck where adult intervention is perceived as the only trusted mechanism for physical safety and institutional order. Furthermore, the data confirms that PE serves as a vital conduit for “Action-Civics,” transforming the school into a Deweyan “micro-society” where democratic habits are practiced rather than merely memorized. The study argues that bridging the gap between latent agency and active participation requires a dual policy strategy: empowering student self-efficacy in relational disputes while institutionalizing “protected laboratories” like student-led Peace Clubs. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for the Nigerian national curriculum, positioning institutionalized peer mediation as an essential framework for long-term democratic resilience and the mitigation of the “Authoritarian Bottleneck.”