GRAFFITI IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY RESTROOMS: UNVEILING HIDDEN NARRATIVES AND SILENT MESSAGES AMONG STUDENTS

Abstract

This research explored the graffiti in the restrooms to understand its functions in communication among university students, as these restroom spaces, which are easily dismissed in scholarship, give a peek into the well-being of students. Three objectives were raised for the study focusing on identifying the predominant category of themes and narrative in students’ restrooms, the pattern of restroom graffiti and the extent to which restroom graffiti serves as a space for peer support, solidarity, and collective student identity. The study adopted the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT). Using a quantitative method of observed graffiti in five selected restrooms of the Prince Audu Abubakar University, Anyigba, 132 inscriptions or graffiti were observed, identified, and content analysed thematically. The study revealed that dominant messages on restroom walls are mainly on sexual (13.6%), political (16.7%), romance (21.2%) and academic life (25.8%). It also revealed that students mostly used convergence, unifying, communal terms as their main non-verbal communication pattern comprising 27.3% and revealed that encouraging graffiti messages served as the most commonly expressed (21.2%) which by implication shows that restroom graffiti serve as emotional message channels that students provide psychologically supportive contents and share their collective challenges, burdens and fears in building group solidarity. The study therefore concludes that although graffiti is an informal and mostly neglected channel of communication, it functions through silent means in creating an atmosphere for students to share a stronger group spirit and community identity, which provides an insight into the unexpressed thoughts, perceptions and opinions of students. It is based on this that the study recommends that universities methodically track restroom graffiti to identify and understand students' issues and to incorporate such concerns into the design of policies and programmes relating to students’ needs, welfare and general development.