Before the next NUJ elections
The people are drunk on the spiritual booze
of religion or are available for mobilization
around ethno-regional platforms which the
ruling elite manipulate, but which deepen
the poverty of the people. Modibbo Kawu.
I was privileged to hear a conversation between two veteran journalists last week in Gombe about the upcoming NUJ elections and imbroglio between the ‘to be’ contestants and their supporters. I was rather surprised by the way these two veteran journalists were arguing, not on the credibility of the candidates, but from which part of the country the contestants come from. This clearly shows the level of the problem we are in this country. If an organization like the Nigerian Union of Journalists can decide who should lead them by virtue of which part of the country they come from then I can’t foresee any change in what obtains in the mainstream of Nigeria politics.
If I could remember the issue of regionalism started cropping into the Union long ago but it was not prominent till when Mr. Smart Adeyemi was elected Chairman of NUJ. Those who supported Adeyemi at the time did so according to them because he was a Northerner from Kogi state, knowing fully, Smart was more of a Lagosian than a Northerner. Anyway that was an assumption.
I wanted to be a member of NUJ when I completed my studies, however I changed my mind. By any standard I am qualified to be a member of the professionals’ body (you are an automatic member of NUJ when you read journalism or mass communication and when you are practicing). Sincerely speaking I am not quite impressed with the activities of the union. Throughout my stay in the university I had an interaction with them once, when we went to Kaduna on an excursion then. We were privileged to visit the NUJ secretariat at Muhammadu Buhari way before entering New Nigerian office.
It was General Abacha that described Nigerian journalists as ‘sectional champions’ in a long speech he delivered when alive. That statement was a food for thought for all journalists but few paid attention to what he was saying then. Today this statement is coming back as if it was said this morning.
Today being a member of NUJ does not give a guarantee that NUJ will help you if in trouble. So many examples abound but the one that strikes me most is what happened to a friend in one of the North-Eastern states. He got problem with governor of his state, the NUJ in that state folded their arms and watched him humiliated and demoted from grade level 10 to 7 in the state civil service just because of a problem that was not his making.
The NUJ in the state were busy finding a way of pleasing the governor so that at the end of the month they will collect their ‘welfare’ from the government house a token sum of N10000 for each member of NUJ or Correspondent Chapel. How on earth can anybody with his right senses think of joining an organization like this?
Thank God this person has now succeeded in obtaining a job with one of the reputable media outfit in the world and he is comfortably reporting the way a journalist can report, without fear of intimidation or sack.
This is Nigerian Union of Journalists. That is why Mallam Mohammed Haruna said that journalists do have enemies, but our greatest enemies are ourselves. To me the issue of electing northerner from Kano or Gombe does not arise because this is not what will solve the problem in NUJ. Whether we like it or not we have to sensor ourselves by adhering to laid down principles guiding the formation of the Union. If lawyers, engineers, builders, architects and others will have professional bodies I see no reason why journalists should not have one.
I want to make an appeal to our elders in the profession, I am sure they know where the problem started and they know how to solve it. Masters Ray Ekpu, Mohammed Haruna, Mahmud Jega, Dan Agbese, Kayode Soyinka, Segun Osoba, Sani Zorro, Henry Udokomoya, (Mrs.) Bilkisu Yusuf, Modibbo Kawu, Mr Clement Isiah, Adamu Adamu, with others not mentioned – I know you have your own differences, but for the sake of the profession do salvage young and new comers in this profession so that the zeal and enthusiasm with which they enter this profession will be sustained. Please do not allow this profession to be bastardized by unscrupulous element within the profession. Quacks have infiltrated this profession so much that it is very hard for a professional to practice the job they way it should be.
NUJ cannot do this because the Union has failed in many instances, that’s what I believe, because I have seen who they are and what they do in various states of the federation. It is unfortunate and pathetic and if what obtained in most states is what is practice in NUJ at the centre let us change the name to Nigerian Union of Praise Singers and Quacks, NUPSQ, it is then that we will know who we are and stop bothering about professionalism or lack of it.
Kabiru Danladi
Lawanti Village, KM25 along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko Local Government Area,
Gombe State.
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08035150369, 08054546764
Friday, March 13, 2009
TRUST IS BURDEN
TRUST IS BURDEN
I received Ashaka’s call sometimes on Monday last week on my way back to Gombe from Abuja. That was the first time we had telephone conversation with him. I was the one who earlier sent him a sms telling him that I was passing briefly through Jos that day. On that day I could remember Saleh told me that someone has posted something on the man with 86 wives but I should not respond to him. I told him it was George Omonya because I read George’s earlier write up on the issue, which I responded rather harshly. I promised him I won’t respond instead I’ll advice that the chapter be closed. That decision was supported by some members and I was happy. Unfortunately, other members continued to bring up the matter repeatedly.
The whole idea of establishing writers forum was to establish a forum for marketing ideas, criticisms for, not only enlightening members, but for the promotion of democracy, good governance and to encourage leaders especially in this part of the country to live up to expectation by planning and executing projects that will help our people out of their present predicament.
However, this morning I received a sms from no other person but my friend Saleh Ashaka which read thus; ‘I hv asked d chairman to block my subscription from now on’ he went further to explain that ‘d people r nt serious n I know why I asked people not to talk abt Masaba issue’. I was unable to visit my mail box for almost 24 hours because I was out, but I know from the tone of the sms my friend was not happy with the way members continued talking about the Masaba’s issue.
Chairman will not block your subscription Mallam Saleh and from now henceforth anybody who talks about this issue will be blocked. Let’s try to bring order to the group. We cannot continue talking about attaining good governance and that we want to see order in our affairs but fail to do so in a small group like the Trust Writers with just 300 members. Let us not carry our ‘Nigerian hang over’ to this group. Even if in our daily lives we fail to attain that word ‘order’, which is the genesis of our problem in this country, let us try for once have the feeling of being members of an organized group.
Trust Writers I believe is a group of disciplined, matured and intellectual individuals who act with conviction and reasoning. If we can’t have order in this group then we have failed and indeed failed in our quest for making our country great. TRUST IS BURDEN let us uphold it and remain committed group. Thank you and God bless.
Yours truly,
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25, Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA,
Gombe State.
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764, 08035150369
I received Ashaka’s call sometimes on Monday last week on my way back to Gombe from Abuja. That was the first time we had telephone conversation with him. I was the one who earlier sent him a sms telling him that I was passing briefly through Jos that day. On that day I could remember Saleh told me that someone has posted something on the man with 86 wives but I should not respond to him. I told him it was George Omonya because I read George’s earlier write up on the issue, which I responded rather harshly. I promised him I won’t respond instead I’ll advice that the chapter be closed. That decision was supported by some members and I was happy. Unfortunately, other members continued to bring up the matter repeatedly.
The whole idea of establishing writers forum was to establish a forum for marketing ideas, criticisms for, not only enlightening members, but for the promotion of democracy, good governance and to encourage leaders especially in this part of the country to live up to expectation by planning and executing projects that will help our people out of their present predicament.
However, this morning I received a sms from no other person but my friend Saleh Ashaka which read thus; ‘I hv asked d chairman to block my subscription from now on’ he went further to explain that ‘d people r nt serious n I know why I asked people not to talk abt Masaba issue’. I was unable to visit my mail box for almost 24 hours because I was out, but I know from the tone of the sms my friend was not happy with the way members continued talking about the Masaba’s issue.
Chairman will not block your subscription Mallam Saleh and from now henceforth anybody who talks about this issue will be blocked. Let’s try to bring order to the group. We cannot continue talking about attaining good governance and that we want to see order in our affairs but fail to do so in a small group like the Trust Writers with just 300 members. Let us not carry our ‘Nigerian hang over’ to this group. Even if in our daily lives we fail to attain that word ‘order’, which is the genesis of our problem in this country, let us try for once have the feeling of being members of an organized group.
Trust Writers I believe is a group of disciplined, matured and intellectual individuals who act with conviction and reasoning. If we can’t have order in this group then we have failed and indeed failed in our quest for making our country great. TRUST IS BURDEN let us uphold it and remain committed group. Thank you and God bless.
Yours truly,
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25, Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA,
Gombe State.
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764, 08035150369
Analysing Nigeria’s Economy From a Layman Perspective
Analysing Nigeria’s Economy From a Layman Perspective
It is very difficult or impossible for a layman like me to give a professional and objective analysis of the Nigeria’s economy. I was a ‘run away’ economist. I was offered admission to read Economics in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria but due to some problems I switched over to Mass Communications. And now I find myself where I am today. Although this is not relevant to my discussion but I have to bring it here because of what transpired between me and a woman (a mother to me in fact). I will not mention her name because she is a public servant.
I met this woman accidentally and she gave me a shock of my life. I entered her office to confirm something, but when I told her I am a journalist she did not waste time, as if she was waiting for a man called journalist to outpour what was inside her. She just looked at me and said ‘you people are the problem of this country’. I thought Hajiya was joking and I was about to turn and leave the office when she instructed me to sit down.
She told me that all what we have been doing for the past 3-4 decades ago was built on lies, deception and satisfying the interest of few politicians. She said no country in this world can progress without tackling its real problems. She said journalists succeeded in building the foundation of our democracy, but have failed in their approach to our real problems – poverty, killer diseases, and general lack of basic amenities. According to her Nigerians have been taking for a ride since after the departure of first generation politicians.
Whether she was doing that on purpose or she wanted to pass a message that is exactly what I don’t know. But what this elderly woman told me about the condition of Nigeria’s civil service made me feel sorry for the generations to come. One might be absolutely skeptical, but to me unless serious measures are taken and urgently, civil service in Nigeria will be a thing of the past. Hajiya gave examples of eminent people who served this country and diligently but today they can’t afford a decent living, because they have not amassed wealth when they were in office, coupled with poor pension service.
Many public servants gave their lives, family and everything to keep the machinery of government working but today most of them (unless they steal enough) are languishing in poverty. Their pension is uncertain and even if it comes it won’t take them more than a day. Therefore a civil servant is faced with numerous problems.
First if he is working in state government he has to publicly announce his 100% loyalty to party in power. He should also as a matter of fact steal enough from the public coffers to secure his future, if not he will end up facing a humiliating retirement. Remember still the minimum salary of a state government staff is N5000. A bag of maize cost over N6000; that was the last time I entered market. For goodness sake how do you expect this man to survive? Remember he has as many as dependent relatives from his extended family.
He has his children to take care of; their feeding, school fees and medical bills plus miscellaneous expenses not budgeted for. That is a Nigerian civil servant. How on earth can our economy move where the purchasing power of more than 95% of Nigerians is below 1%. If in doubt, just stroll out of your house and ask the first ten people you meet on the road on how much were they able to spend that day.
One other thing that Hajiya told me was the issues of disparity in salary structure, the people with a chance to steal are obtaining fat salary. Permanent secretaries according to her are collecting N450000 a month which is the annual salary of a director in the ministry. She said as long as this continues there is no hope for eradicating poverty in this country. People’s purchasing power has to be improved, if someone collecting N47000 a month cannot solve his immediate problem then think of the one I said collecting N5000. It is a simple arithmetic, for someone who has three children in the university, every year he has to part with nothing less than N115000 for school fees. Then he should prepare food for them which has to be every other day. An average of N20,000 for each per semester that is N60000 per head. Then that multiply by three and plus N115000 earlier stated.
Tell me how many people in this country can afford to do that? Remember I have not said anything about, may be, unforeseen circumstances of illness, PHCN bills, day to day activities and dependent relatives who always come to you for help when you least expect them. I reflected on all these problems highlighted by Hajiya after leaving her office. It was then that I realized that Nigeria has a long way to go.
Journalists and writers alike are busy highlighting Yar’adua’s health, whether he is fit to rule us or he should be replaced, or government of national unity or Buhari’s case in court, while on the other hand some people are there pursuing their job honestly but dying in silence. Unless we shift our attention to our real problems we will continue repeating mistakes upon mistakes and succeed in leaving behind bad legacies in history books.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village,
KM25, Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe state.
Kblondon2003@ahoo.com
It is very difficult or impossible for a layman like me to give a professional and objective analysis of the Nigeria’s economy. I was a ‘run away’ economist. I was offered admission to read Economics in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria but due to some problems I switched over to Mass Communications. And now I find myself where I am today. Although this is not relevant to my discussion but I have to bring it here because of what transpired between me and a woman (a mother to me in fact). I will not mention her name because she is a public servant.
I met this woman accidentally and she gave me a shock of my life. I entered her office to confirm something, but when I told her I am a journalist she did not waste time, as if she was waiting for a man called journalist to outpour what was inside her. She just looked at me and said ‘you people are the problem of this country’. I thought Hajiya was joking and I was about to turn and leave the office when she instructed me to sit down.
She told me that all what we have been doing for the past 3-4 decades ago was built on lies, deception and satisfying the interest of few politicians. She said no country in this world can progress without tackling its real problems. She said journalists succeeded in building the foundation of our democracy, but have failed in their approach to our real problems – poverty, killer diseases, and general lack of basic amenities. According to her Nigerians have been taking for a ride since after the departure of first generation politicians.
Whether she was doing that on purpose or she wanted to pass a message that is exactly what I don’t know. But what this elderly woman told me about the condition of Nigeria’s civil service made me feel sorry for the generations to come. One might be absolutely skeptical, but to me unless serious measures are taken and urgently, civil service in Nigeria will be a thing of the past. Hajiya gave examples of eminent people who served this country and diligently but today they can’t afford a decent living, because they have not amassed wealth when they were in office, coupled with poor pension service.
Many public servants gave their lives, family and everything to keep the machinery of government working but today most of them (unless they steal enough) are languishing in poverty. Their pension is uncertain and even if it comes it won’t take them more than a day. Therefore a civil servant is faced with numerous problems.
First if he is working in state government he has to publicly announce his 100% loyalty to party in power. He should also as a matter of fact steal enough from the public coffers to secure his future, if not he will end up facing a humiliating retirement. Remember still the minimum salary of a state government staff is N5000. A bag of maize cost over N6000; that was the last time I entered market. For goodness sake how do you expect this man to survive? Remember he has as many as dependent relatives from his extended family.
He has his children to take care of; their feeding, school fees and medical bills plus miscellaneous expenses not budgeted for. That is a Nigerian civil servant. How on earth can our economy move where the purchasing power of more than 95% of Nigerians is below 1%. If in doubt, just stroll out of your house and ask the first ten people you meet on the road on how much were they able to spend that day.
One other thing that Hajiya told me was the issues of disparity in salary structure, the people with a chance to steal are obtaining fat salary. Permanent secretaries according to her are collecting N450000 a month which is the annual salary of a director in the ministry. She said as long as this continues there is no hope for eradicating poverty in this country. People’s purchasing power has to be improved, if someone collecting N47000 a month cannot solve his immediate problem then think of the one I said collecting N5000. It is a simple arithmetic, for someone who has three children in the university, every year he has to part with nothing less than N115000 for school fees. Then he should prepare food for them which has to be every other day. An average of N20,000 for each per semester that is N60000 per head. Then that multiply by three and plus N115000 earlier stated.
Tell me how many people in this country can afford to do that? Remember I have not said anything about, may be, unforeseen circumstances of illness, PHCN bills, day to day activities and dependent relatives who always come to you for help when you least expect them. I reflected on all these problems highlighted by Hajiya after leaving her office. It was then that I realized that Nigeria has a long way to go.
Journalists and writers alike are busy highlighting Yar’adua’s health, whether he is fit to rule us or he should be replaced, or government of national unity or Buhari’s case in court, while on the other hand some people are there pursuing their job honestly but dying in silence. Unless we shift our attention to our real problems we will continue repeating mistakes upon mistakes and succeed in leaving behind bad legacies in history books.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village,
KM25, Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe state.
Kblondon2003@ahoo.com
American Financial Crisis And the death of capitalism
I have to admit that apart from my problem in putting things the way they should be, due to my deficiency in the English language, my other problem is giving my essay a title. Therefore, when the idea of writing this piece came up I spent a week thinking of a suitable title that can capture my intent. No title is new on this subject; so much is written on the subject that it will be difficult to give it a title without using someone else’s title. But I have decided to borrow from other writers and commentators to come up with the above caption.
After two centuries of being a world super power, recent events point to the fall of greatest super power of modern world - the American Empire. Writing in his Foundation stories to show that every Empire, even the most powerful one, has to fall eventually, Isaac Asimov, a Russian commentator said that everyone knows that America achieved its' peak power and world influence in the twentieth century. But how much longer is it going to last?
It is very hard to predict what will happen in the next few years, basically because we still have little knowledge of what is happening inside the country. The only thing that came to us is what is sieved through their powerful media and the media help a lot to hide the realities on ground. But, as Asimov observed, there are certain signs that may give early hints that the end is approaching. One of them is the recent financial crisis that hit the country. Today the father and mother of modern capitalism is making provision for ‘intervention’ to save their financial market from shrinking further.
But from all indications these intervention as sweet as they sound are doing nothing to save the country. Repeated attempts brought failure after failure in spite of closely following blueprints put together by best brains from Harvard, Oxford and London School of Economics and Political Science. Asimov wrote in his Foundation Stories ‘I knew that this time the funeral march is being played for the most powerful country on earth – the United States of America…’
Today, as I am writing this piece the United States of America has a debt of over $10,266 trillion. And they collect close to $3 billion daily to finance their senseless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. America, in reality, is dependent on foreign debt to finance itself. Robert Kuttner, a newspaper columnist and commentator, wrote in his book sometime in 2007, The Squandering of America: How the Failure of Our Politics Undermines Our Prosperity, explaining the above situation. Kuttner notes that the devaluation of the dollar, which reached a humiliating low during the time of George Bush (jnr) until now, and the deterioration of moral values in the economic sphere are what led to the present havoc we see in the US financial market.
According to Kuttner, the war in Iraq resulted in the destruction of democracy and the rule of law upon which the foundation of the American nation was laid. Although there are several factors that caused the deterioration of US status in the world, most analysts agree that the war in Iraq was the straw that broke the camel's back. The invasion of Iraq remains the greatest blunder and miscalculation orchestrated by the neo-cons, thinking that in a matter of few weeks they can get hold of Iraq’s oil to compensate their loss in Afghanistan.
Although most commentators attributed past American presidents for the deterioration of America's status, many call Bush Junior’s presidency as the most disastrous in America's history. In the next few weeks Bush Junior will be leaving the White House after breaking his promises to the American people and blundering to historic proportions. It is a fact that the country is fighting three wars: one in Iraq, the second against the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, and the third in the economy. The war in Iraq has depleted the US budget, divided America like no other war and with no prospective end, and alienated old friends while creating new enemies in Muslim countries who view America even before the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, with disdain.
Decision wrongly taken by George Bush after the September 11, 2001 attack on World Trade Centre, by invading Afghanistan and the official lies of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, has been the main reason for the current financial crisis. You don’t have to be economist to argue that out. It is a bitter truth that they won’t accept. It was said over and over by defense analysts and public commentators, how billions of dollars were budgeted for the war and still put forward by George Bush so many times to fight insurgence in Iraq. And up to this day there are no indications as to when this war will come to an end. Bush has dragged America into the cemetery to satisfy his family’s interest of having a hold on Iraq’s oil which Saddam denied them for over 10 years.
It is not my intention to suggest ways to ‘bail’ America out of its present mess because back home here in Nigeria we have enough to worry about. But there is a lesson to be learnt from all this turmoil in the current financial market, especially to our small Harvard economics graduates who made us believe that the only way to development is through following economic policies of the IMF/World Bank.
We attended university during a time of transition – the fall of the Berlin wall and the disintegration of Soviet Union; when the World New Order was introduced and capitalism became the only acceptable system. Books, journals and all write-ups on socialism were systematically removed from library shelves. We were left with no thought of our own, nobody can think beyond his nose. Then terms and concepts like liberalization, privatization, market economy etc became catch words and phrases even among intellectuals and academics.
Can anyone from the liberal school come and explain to me in a convincing essay why the financial market crumbled? I know some may try because they are very good in inventing concept, which is why words like ‘intervention’, ‘bail out’, started becoming prominent in news everyday, something we were told during our school days is prohibited in capitalism. Why are they intervening now?
That is why it is very good to have your own economic policy that will suit your socio-cultural background, not the one invented and nurtured by people whose sole aim is to satisfy their own interest not yours.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti village, KM25 along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe State.
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
I have to admit that apart from my problem in putting things the way they should be, due to my deficiency in the English language, my other problem is giving my essay a title. Therefore, when the idea of writing this piece came up I spent a week thinking of a suitable title that can capture my intent. No title is new on this subject; so much is written on the subject that it will be difficult to give it a title without using someone else’s title. But I have decided to borrow from other writers and commentators to come up with the above caption.
After two centuries of being a world super power, recent events point to the fall of greatest super power of modern world - the American Empire. Writing in his Foundation stories to show that every Empire, even the most powerful one, has to fall eventually, Isaac Asimov, a Russian commentator said that everyone knows that America achieved its' peak power and world influence in the twentieth century. But how much longer is it going to last?
It is very hard to predict what will happen in the next few years, basically because we still have little knowledge of what is happening inside the country. The only thing that came to us is what is sieved through their powerful media and the media help a lot to hide the realities on ground. But, as Asimov observed, there are certain signs that may give early hints that the end is approaching. One of them is the recent financial crisis that hit the country. Today the father and mother of modern capitalism is making provision for ‘intervention’ to save their financial market from shrinking further.
But from all indications these intervention as sweet as they sound are doing nothing to save the country. Repeated attempts brought failure after failure in spite of closely following blueprints put together by best brains from Harvard, Oxford and London School of Economics and Political Science. Asimov wrote in his Foundation Stories ‘I knew that this time the funeral march is being played for the most powerful country on earth – the United States of America…’
Today, as I am writing this piece the United States of America has a debt of over $10,266 trillion. And they collect close to $3 billion daily to finance their senseless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. America, in reality, is dependent on foreign debt to finance itself. Robert Kuttner, a newspaper columnist and commentator, wrote in his book sometime in 2007, The Squandering of America: How the Failure of Our Politics Undermines Our Prosperity, explaining the above situation. Kuttner notes that the devaluation of the dollar, which reached a humiliating low during the time of George Bush (jnr) until now, and the deterioration of moral values in the economic sphere are what led to the present havoc we see in the US financial market.
According to Kuttner, the war in Iraq resulted in the destruction of democracy and the rule of law upon which the foundation of the American nation was laid. Although there are several factors that caused the deterioration of US status in the world, most analysts agree that the war in Iraq was the straw that broke the camel's back. The invasion of Iraq remains the greatest blunder and miscalculation orchestrated by the neo-cons, thinking that in a matter of few weeks they can get hold of Iraq’s oil to compensate their loss in Afghanistan.
Although most commentators attributed past American presidents for the deterioration of America's status, many call Bush Junior’s presidency as the most disastrous in America's history. In the next few weeks Bush Junior will be leaving the White House after breaking his promises to the American people and blundering to historic proportions. It is a fact that the country is fighting three wars: one in Iraq, the second against the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, and the third in the economy. The war in Iraq has depleted the US budget, divided America like no other war and with no prospective end, and alienated old friends while creating new enemies in Muslim countries who view America even before the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, with disdain.
Decision wrongly taken by George Bush after the September 11, 2001 attack on World Trade Centre, by invading Afghanistan and the official lies of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, has been the main reason for the current financial crisis. You don’t have to be economist to argue that out. It is a bitter truth that they won’t accept. It was said over and over by defense analysts and public commentators, how billions of dollars were budgeted for the war and still put forward by George Bush so many times to fight insurgence in Iraq. And up to this day there are no indications as to when this war will come to an end. Bush has dragged America into the cemetery to satisfy his family’s interest of having a hold on Iraq’s oil which Saddam denied them for over 10 years.
It is not my intention to suggest ways to ‘bail’ America out of its present mess because back home here in Nigeria we have enough to worry about. But there is a lesson to be learnt from all this turmoil in the current financial market, especially to our small Harvard economics graduates who made us believe that the only way to development is through following economic policies of the IMF/World Bank.
We attended university during a time of transition – the fall of the Berlin wall and the disintegration of Soviet Union; when the World New Order was introduced and capitalism became the only acceptable system. Books, journals and all write-ups on socialism were systematically removed from library shelves. We were left with no thought of our own, nobody can think beyond his nose. Then terms and concepts like liberalization, privatization, market economy etc became catch words and phrases even among intellectuals and academics.
Can anyone from the liberal school come and explain to me in a convincing essay why the financial market crumbled? I know some may try because they are very good in inventing concept, which is why words like ‘intervention’, ‘bail out’, started becoming prominent in news everyday, something we were told during our school days is prohibited in capitalism. Why are they intervening now?
That is why it is very good to have your own economic policy that will suit your socio-cultural background, not the one invented and nurtured by people whose sole aim is to satisfy their own interest not yours.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti village, KM25 along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe State.
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
Akko LGA: Beyond the Politics of marginalisation
Grassroots politics is the most difficult game to play especially here in Nigeria. For anyone to be a grassroots politician he has to, at one time stay there and identify with the people and second he has to be like the late Adedibu. It is very tricky and sometimes deceptive. There are prominent people in this country that cut a niche for themselves in national politics and become very popular with Nigerian people, but cannot win elections in their wards. This might not be unconnected with the way these people lost contact with their people, especially when they think they had enough, after attending university or lucky to have gone overseas for further education.
When I started writing this article I had a second thought, because I am afraid of being call an advocate of local politics, or narrow minded individual. Anyway this is what normally local politicians are called. But I convinced myself that if what I am doing can touch the life of my people then I have to ignore any comment that will come from anyone that feels it is ‘local’ to talk about those issues.
Akko LGA is one of the few lucky area councils in Nigeria, apart from being blessed with prominent people; the council is endowed with natural resources, vast land and hard working people who excel in their various endeavours. However the Local Government suffers from what I will term a group of decomposed elements who for years grabbed the affairs of the Local Government to their own benefits. It is very hard to point out a single project executed by the Local Council anywhere outside the LG headquarters in the last nine years of our democracy.
For years, these set of people receive grant from the federation account or what was left of it and share it among themselves. They have built big mansions in Kumo and Gombe, buy big cars while they left their people under developed as ever. A visit to the local government secretariat will surely justify what I am saying. The local government secretariat becomes alive only when salaries are paid or may be if the Chairman sneaks in, which is once in a blue moon. It is surprising or rather shocking to find that a local government created 30 years ago and regarded as the largest in Nigeria its people were better of thirty years ago than what they found themselves in today. The local government headquarters still suffers from acute shortage of water, while a cashier in one of the departments is building a big mansion in Kumo. You wonder where a person at level six get the money to build that expensive house in one of the most expensive site in Kumo.
Paradoxically in Akko LGA there are villages that drag water from their wells using cattle as if they live in part of Niger republic or Mali. You will also find in many villages children taking lessons under the trees. A village, Hammadu Kafi, just 2km away from the Gombe state capital, which happened to be under Akko LGA has no functioning Primary School. Also in Tunfure, a suburban of Gombe which is also in Akko LGA, the village has no Primary School Graduate as of 2003. While people in these villages languished in poverty and illiteracy the officials of the LGA are either busy looting or sharing our money.
In the whole of the local government, apart from the federal highway or the road built by state government, from Maraba Tumu to Pindiga, one cannot point a single road constructed by the local council. The people of Kalshingi, Lombo, Zongomari, Bula, Kidda, Dumbe, Dolli and Tukulma can testify to that. In terms of health care the sector fared badly. A youth corper Dr I Looper, as his Community Development project, tried to upgrade the Lawanti maternity to a modern health care centre, however up to the day the Health Centre was launched, no official from the local council visited this centre and the local council up to this day failed to redeem its pledge of assisting the centre. The project gulped over N2million and was mostly funded by SACA, the local community and the youth corper.
Akko LGA is one of the fortunate local governments in Nigeria, especially in the present dispensation. Created in 1976, Akko LGA is the largest local government in the country and has produced prominent people in this country. From 1999 to date, the local government produced apart from a senator, two ministers, SSG, seven commissioners, dozen permanent secretaries and Chairmen of board, presently the State Governor is from Akko LGA, etc. Unfortunately these people consider themselves too big to meddle into the affairs of the local council. The only time they find it relevant to talk is during Local Council elections, where each try to put his son or brother to be the Council Chairman, not minding whether he/she will meet people expectation or not. Others appear only to ensure their party wins the local election in the local government to avoid being a laughing stock among party stalwarts of not winning their constituency.
While most of us are busy castigating Mr President and sometimes our governors for poor performance, we forget about what is happening in the third tier of government which has direct impact on common man. One can hardly see comment or analysis on the activities of local councils. It is time we shift our attention from more general issues to specifics, so that these set of people whose idea of governance was to find themselves in public office to loot enough in order to turn round and use what they looted to buy security agents, election officials and the already poverty stricken masses to secure another political position are removed or stopped from attaining position of authority.
Akko local government deserves better than what we are seeing today. When the present Chairman came on board we thought there would be a change from what used to be obtained knowing his background as a lawyer, but unfortunately Barrister is even worst than his predecessors. Instead of using that to bring change, Barrister is busy pursuing perceived political opponents and hardly stays in the local government secretariat to face the numerous challenges attached to that exalted office. Barrister needs to change, not just for himself as a person but for the Profession he represents.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA,
Gombe State.
kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764, 08035150369, 08098150369
Grassroots politics is the most difficult game to play especially here in Nigeria. For anyone to be a grassroots politician he has to, at one time stay there and identify with the people and second he has to be like the late Adedibu. It is very tricky and sometimes deceptive. There are prominent people in this country that cut a niche for themselves in national politics and become very popular with Nigerian people, but cannot win elections in their wards. This might not be unconnected with the way these people lost contact with their people, especially when they think they had enough, after attending university or lucky to have gone overseas for further education.
When I started writing this article I had a second thought, because I am afraid of being call an advocate of local politics, or narrow minded individual. Anyway this is what normally local politicians are called. But I convinced myself that if what I am doing can touch the life of my people then I have to ignore any comment that will come from anyone that feels it is ‘local’ to talk about those issues.
Akko LGA is one of the few lucky area councils in Nigeria, apart from being blessed with prominent people; the council is endowed with natural resources, vast land and hard working people who excel in their various endeavours. However the Local Government suffers from what I will term a group of decomposed elements who for years grabbed the affairs of the Local Government to their own benefits. It is very hard to point out a single project executed by the Local Council anywhere outside the LG headquarters in the last nine years of our democracy.
For years, these set of people receive grant from the federation account or what was left of it and share it among themselves. They have built big mansions in Kumo and Gombe, buy big cars while they left their people under developed as ever. A visit to the local government secretariat will surely justify what I am saying. The local government secretariat becomes alive only when salaries are paid or may be if the Chairman sneaks in, which is once in a blue moon. It is surprising or rather shocking to find that a local government created 30 years ago and regarded as the largest in Nigeria its people were better of thirty years ago than what they found themselves in today. The local government headquarters still suffers from acute shortage of water, while a cashier in one of the departments is building a big mansion in Kumo. You wonder where a person at level six get the money to build that expensive house in one of the most expensive site in Kumo.
Paradoxically in Akko LGA there are villages that drag water from their wells using cattle as if they live in part of Niger republic or Mali. You will also find in many villages children taking lessons under the trees. A village, Hammadu Kafi, just 2km away from the Gombe state capital, which happened to be under Akko LGA has no functioning Primary School. Also in Tunfure, a suburban of Gombe which is also in Akko LGA, the village has no Primary School Graduate as of 2003. While people in these villages languished in poverty and illiteracy the officials of the LGA are either busy looting or sharing our money.
In the whole of the local government, apart from the federal highway or the road built by state government, from Maraba Tumu to Pindiga, one cannot point a single road constructed by the local council. The people of Kalshingi, Lombo, Zongomari, Bula, Kidda, Dumbe, Dolli and Tukulma can testify to that. In terms of health care the sector fared badly. A youth corper Dr I Looper, as his Community Development project, tried to upgrade the Lawanti maternity to a modern health care centre, however up to the day the Health Centre was launched, no official from the local council visited this centre and the local council up to this day failed to redeem its pledge of assisting the centre. The project gulped over N2million and was mostly funded by SACA, the local community and the youth corper.
Akko LGA is one of the fortunate local governments in Nigeria, especially in the present dispensation. Created in 1976, Akko LGA is the largest local government in the country and has produced prominent people in this country. From 1999 to date, the local government produced apart from a senator, two ministers, SSG, seven commissioners, dozen permanent secretaries and Chairmen of board, presently the State Governor is from Akko LGA, etc. Unfortunately these people consider themselves too big to meddle into the affairs of the local council. The only time they find it relevant to talk is during Local Council elections, where each try to put his son or brother to be the Council Chairman, not minding whether he/she will meet people expectation or not. Others appear only to ensure their party wins the local election in the local government to avoid being a laughing stock among party stalwarts of not winning their constituency.
While most of us are busy castigating Mr President and sometimes our governors for poor performance, we forget about what is happening in the third tier of government which has direct impact on common man. One can hardly see comment or analysis on the activities of local councils. It is time we shift our attention from more general issues to specifics, so that these set of people whose idea of governance was to find themselves in public office to loot enough in order to turn round and use what they looted to buy security agents, election officials and the already poverty stricken masses to secure another political position are removed or stopped from attaining position of authority.
Akko local government deserves better than what we are seeing today. When the present Chairman came on board we thought there would be a change from what used to be obtained knowing his background as a lawyer, but unfortunately Barrister is even worst than his predecessors. Instead of using that to bring change, Barrister is busy pursuing perceived political opponents and hardly stays in the local government secretariat to face the numerous challenges attached to that exalted office. Barrister needs to change, not just for himself as a person but for the Profession he represents.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA,
Gombe State.
kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764, 08035150369, 08098150369
Advising Governor Nyako
Governor Murtala Hammanyero Nyako, retired Admiral of the Nigerian Navy, a farmer and industrialist, is many things to many people. Only former Governor of Anambra state, Chris Ngige can equal him as the most controversial governor in the current dispensation. He was described as the best of all who contested the governorship seat of Adamawa in terms of credentials, his past records and everything. He is the man of the time and to be fair to him received widespread support never seen in the recent history of Adamawa politics. The Governor himself testify to that when he said on the day he was re-elected as governor, after his earlier elections were annulled by the election tribunal, ‘ I won the re-run election basically because of the trust, which the people of Adamawa have on me. The previous administration that ruled the state for eight years did practically nothing. It did so badly, hence the people trusted me with their votes’.
No sooner was he sworn in than accusations started emerging on the way he runs his government. First of all he was accused by his opponents of using public funds to renovate his personal apartment. In addition, he was also accused of nepotism among other things. And to me, these are very serious allegations. The issue generated so much noise in Adamawa to the extent that some people went ahead to call the governor all sort of unprintable names. He was accused of giving his three wives stupendous amount of money as feeding allowances every month.
These are just some of the few allegations leveled against the governor. Although it can be very difficult for someone far from the governor to substantiate these allegations however it is also very difficult for us to dismiss them as handy work of detractors.
Another issue is for instance what the ThisDay, 9/12/2008 reported that in the wake of his re-election in June, over 2000 special assistants were discovered to be in possession of forged appointment letters, and benefiting from allowances meant for poverty alleviation scheme. Some media organization revealed that some top government functionaries were discovered to have brought in their boys as special assistants thereby enriching themselves at the expense of beneficiaries.
During a screening exercise been carried out, it was revealed that one of the personal assistants to the wife of a top functionary and who is incidentally a sister to the wife was found to have been collecting the allowances in 17 slots using different names but bearing same passport photograph. Another wife of the functionary was also said to have submitted 36 names of which were non-indigenes and were enjoying the money. But all these are considered trivial issues as they did not affect him directly and he would hardly account for it after leaving office.
The serious and most dangerous is the allegation of involvement of his family members; (sons, daughters, brothers) into the act of governance and contracts. Because that might have negative consequences for both the family and his person after he might have left office. We have seen how families who were made part of government in so many countries were subjected to all kinds of humiliations from government that immediately succeeded them. The Suharto family is a good example. After serving his country diligently, Suharto found himself in trouble after he left office, because he was accused of using his position to enrich his family.
The Abacha family case here in Nigeria is also a very good example. Abacha’s family was so much involved in the affairs of government that one cannot differentiate between what is Abacha or the government he is running. We are all leaving witnesses of what the family went through after the demise of Abacha. Some may ask ‘me ruwan biri da gada’, as a boy, Nyako was one of my role models and I grow to like him. I felt happy for Adamawa people to have a man like him as their governor. And every Adama son can testify to that, but my likeness for him cannot stop me from calling his attention in what I feel is wrong. It will be embarrassing and painful for his admirers including this writer to see his family going through what the Abacha’s went through after he might have left office.
One of the allegations leveled against the Governor, which was even listed in the impeachment letter served him by the State House of Assembly was the controversial loan the state collected from a company. The loan turned out to be that the financier, the consultant and contractor, Messrs SNECOU Group of Companies Ltd happened to be the same company. Despite advises from close associates against the collection of the loan, Governor Nyako went ahead to collect the loan. And that landed him in serious trouble with the state assembly. One of the sad aspects of the allegation was that he was facilitated by one of his wives to collect the loan. Though, I don’t want to believe the story.
Apart from that it was also alleged that many of his children are fully engaged in the execution of juicy contracts awarded in the state and one of his distant relatives, Sado Maliki is alleged to have been carrying out or overseeing state government contracts. This to me does not augur well for Governor Nyako. I know some people might say’in bai musu ba wa zai yiwa’ but the issue is that will these people stop the EFCC from harassing him or any of his family members if he leaves office after 4 or 8 years?
Nobody, even his critics can doubt the integrity of Governor Nyako, but he has to be very careful. He should run his family separate from governance, especially his children. No provision is made in the constitution whatsoever as to the role of Governor’s children in governance and it will be good for them to distance themselves from that. That might be harsh to some sycophants but I believe Nyako will know that this is a honest advice from someone that loves him dearly.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25, Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA Gombe State.
kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08035150369, 08054546764
Governor Murtala Hammanyero Nyako, retired Admiral of the Nigerian Navy, a farmer and industrialist, is many things to many people. Only former Governor of Anambra state, Chris Ngige can equal him as the most controversial governor in the current dispensation. He was described as the best of all who contested the governorship seat of Adamawa in terms of credentials, his past records and everything. He is the man of the time and to be fair to him received widespread support never seen in the recent history of Adamawa politics. The Governor himself testify to that when he said on the day he was re-elected as governor, after his earlier elections were annulled by the election tribunal, ‘ I won the re-run election basically because of the trust, which the people of Adamawa have on me. The previous administration that ruled the state for eight years did practically nothing. It did so badly, hence the people trusted me with their votes’.
No sooner was he sworn in than accusations started emerging on the way he runs his government. First of all he was accused by his opponents of using public funds to renovate his personal apartment. In addition, he was also accused of nepotism among other things. And to me, these are very serious allegations. The issue generated so much noise in Adamawa to the extent that some people went ahead to call the governor all sort of unprintable names. He was accused of giving his three wives stupendous amount of money as feeding allowances every month.
These are just some of the few allegations leveled against the governor. Although it can be very difficult for someone far from the governor to substantiate these allegations however it is also very difficult for us to dismiss them as handy work of detractors.
Another issue is for instance what the ThisDay, 9/12/2008 reported that in the wake of his re-election in June, over 2000 special assistants were discovered to be in possession of forged appointment letters, and benefiting from allowances meant for poverty alleviation scheme. Some media organization revealed that some top government functionaries were discovered to have brought in their boys as special assistants thereby enriching themselves at the expense of beneficiaries.
During a screening exercise been carried out, it was revealed that one of the personal assistants to the wife of a top functionary and who is incidentally a sister to the wife was found to have been collecting the allowances in 17 slots using different names but bearing same passport photograph. Another wife of the functionary was also said to have submitted 36 names of which were non-indigenes and were enjoying the money. But all these are considered trivial issues as they did not affect him directly and he would hardly account for it after leaving office.
The serious and most dangerous is the allegation of involvement of his family members; (sons, daughters, brothers) into the act of governance and contracts. Because that might have negative consequences for both the family and his person after he might have left office. We have seen how families who were made part of government in so many countries were subjected to all kinds of humiliations from government that immediately succeeded them. The Suharto family is a good example. After serving his country diligently, Suharto found himself in trouble after he left office, because he was accused of using his position to enrich his family.
The Abacha family case here in Nigeria is also a very good example. Abacha’s family was so much involved in the affairs of government that one cannot differentiate between what is Abacha or the government he is running. We are all leaving witnesses of what the family went through after the demise of Abacha. Some may ask ‘me ruwan biri da gada’, as a boy, Nyako was one of my role models and I grow to like him. I felt happy for Adamawa people to have a man like him as their governor. And every Adama son can testify to that, but my likeness for him cannot stop me from calling his attention in what I feel is wrong. It will be embarrassing and painful for his admirers including this writer to see his family going through what the Abacha’s went through after he might have left office.
One of the allegations leveled against the Governor, which was even listed in the impeachment letter served him by the State House of Assembly was the controversial loan the state collected from a company. The loan turned out to be that the financier, the consultant and contractor, Messrs SNECOU Group of Companies Ltd happened to be the same company. Despite advises from close associates against the collection of the loan, Governor Nyako went ahead to collect the loan. And that landed him in serious trouble with the state assembly. One of the sad aspects of the allegation was that he was facilitated by one of his wives to collect the loan. Though, I don’t want to believe the story.
Apart from that it was also alleged that many of his children are fully engaged in the execution of juicy contracts awarded in the state and one of his distant relatives, Sado Maliki is alleged to have been carrying out or overseeing state government contracts. This to me does not augur well for Governor Nyako. I know some people might say’in bai musu ba wa zai yiwa’ but the issue is that will these people stop the EFCC from harassing him or any of his family members if he leaves office after 4 or 8 years?
Nobody, even his critics can doubt the integrity of Governor Nyako, but he has to be very careful. He should run his family separate from governance, especially his children. No provision is made in the constitution whatsoever as to the role of Governor’s children in governance and it will be good for them to distance themselves from that. That might be harsh to some sycophants but I believe Nyako will know that this is a honest advice from someone that loves him dearly.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25, Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA Gombe State.
kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08035150369, 08054546764
Understanding Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Northern Nigeria
It is very difficult for anyone to discuss the socio-economic cum political problems bedevilling Nigeria without attributing it to two things. First, lack of social justice which characterised our political landscape and secondly the rampant corruption that eats deep into the fabrics of Nigerian society. Even if other factors are responsible for the problems we see today, for instance, in some parts of the country, the underlying factor has to do with lack of order - leissasfair and lack of ensuring conformity to the rules governing our lives. Nigeria has been faced with so many conflicts since before independence and after it, to the civil war in 1967.
But no time in Nigeria’s history that lives were lost, and people became suspicious of each other than in recent times. Apart from the crises in Niger-Delta of kidnapping, killings and vandalisation of the country’s main economic stay, no crises threaten the unity of this country like the ethno-religious crises that engulfed the Northern parts of the country. It is not the intention of this writer to discuss the functional and dysfunctional forms of these conflicts, as a sociologist could do because, in our case, since the introduction of non-ideological politics after the scrapping of all political parties during the unending political transition in the late ‘80s, functional conflicts ceased to exist. Therefore, conflicts in Nigeria became dysfunctional, mostly ignited by politicians who became irrelevant in their communities, therefore mobilise their people for riots which in many cases led to loss of lives, property and displaced hundred of thousands of people and rendered them homeless and refugees in their own country.
Writers, analysts and political commentators alike, have, in the past tried to identify the remote causes of these crises and have attributed it to hypocrisy and insincerity on the part of most of our religious leaders, traditional rulers and politicians. This might be correct, considering the fact that from the Kafanchan crises to Zangon Kataf and reprisal killings in Kano, Aba and other similar crises in other places, nobody was punished as a result of role he played in the crises. This gave other people the courage to ignite further crises in other areas that have no history of such crises in the past.
However, the issue of ethno-religious crises in Northern Nigeria, although might be caused by some of the reasons above, it is compounded by the total breakdown of institutions that ensure societal control. These institutions include the family, law enforcement agencies, religious and community leaders, and more importantly the political system. Most of these institutions over the years are left on their own. Our educational institutions are in shambles, there are no regulations guiding the practice of religion in the country; so the country becomes a breeding ground for all sorts of criminals, hoodlums and thugs.
Moreover, as the elder statesman Alhaji Abbas Dabo said in an interview recently (Suday Trust, March 8, 2009) we don’t want to hear the truth. We all want things to be done to favour us and our families and to large extent our ethnic and religious groups. It is quite unfortunate that after twenty years of going through the same problem, our leaders failed to come up with workable solutions to ethno-religious crises in the North. The North started experiencing religious crises back in the late 1980s, which later spread to schools. I quite remember when most secondary schools in 1990 in the then Bauchi State were closed down due to unrest between Christian and Muslim students. Almost all secondary school in Bauchi state had had their own test of the crises at that time, in some cases resulting in the death of some students and destruction of school property. Don’t you think that now after about 18 or 20 years these same students that were part of what happened in most secondary schools are at the centre stage that carries this to larger society?
Gradually these crises were taken to next level, engulfing the entire North. Politicians at all levels try to capitalise on the ignorance of the populace, introducing divide and rule tactics, thereby creating a permanent enmity between different ethnic and religious group. This serves them (the politicians) because as the people, walloped by poverty, hunger and lack of basic amenities maim and kill each other; they are busy stripping the public purse naked building mansions in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Port Harcourt or even in places like Dubai, London and Washington. The political elites continue to exploit these differences by keeping them focussed on trivial issues, forgetting about their real problems like lack of good roads, portable water, hospitals, schools and the teeming unemployed youth.
Do we deserve this? Is that the dream of our founding fathers? If Sardauna, Tafawa Balewa and even Murtala were to come back today would they be proud of the kind of leaders they trained to develop the North? This will be hash, but the generation of leaders trained with tax payers’ money in the ’70s and ‘80s need a rethink. Someone should start taking responsibility. They failed the North and the entire country. The North and the country deserve better than what we are seeing today.
How can the North get out of this and establish a harmonious relationship between various ethnic and religious groups? The answer is very simple; ensure social justice. Justice as some writers put it is constant and perpetual will to give every man his due. When each and every one of us feels he has less to worry about feeding his children, educating them and providing medical care, nobody can accuse his neighbour (a settler) of trying to take over his land. But as long as we continue deceiving our people, stealing the money for healthcare, for education etc. the crises will continue and who knows and God forbid when the entire North will be at war with itself.
As long as we continue to show non-challant attitude towards education, towards agriculture and we continue emphasizing on spending money on projects that have no direct bearing on our people, then expect the institutions of societal control to fall under the tutelage of Okada riders, local manicurists, hooligans, and restive youth. Then these set of people according to one scholar, who in the first place are ignorant of the teaching of their religion and who hardly, if at all, pray and know nothing about the religion other than its name become its defenders. The result is what we saw in Jos, Bauchi and Kaduna. And it is bound to happen again and again.
And as long as perpetrators of these heinous crimes remained the peace-makers and conflicts managers, who in many cases exhibit duplicity, bias, and show opportunistic piety of its operatives and discriminatory patronage of one religion against the other we will not see peace in the North for a foreseeable future.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe State,
Nigeria
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764, 08035150369
It is very difficult for anyone to discuss the socio-economic cum political problems bedevilling Nigeria without attributing it to two things. First, lack of social justice which characterised our political landscape and secondly the rampant corruption that eats deep into the fabrics of Nigerian society. Even if other factors are responsible for the problems we see today, for instance, in some parts of the country, the underlying factor has to do with lack of order - leissasfair and lack of ensuring conformity to the rules governing our lives. Nigeria has been faced with so many conflicts since before independence and after it, to the civil war in 1967.
But no time in Nigeria’s history that lives were lost, and people became suspicious of each other than in recent times. Apart from the crises in Niger-Delta of kidnapping, killings and vandalisation of the country’s main economic stay, no crises threaten the unity of this country like the ethno-religious crises that engulfed the Northern parts of the country. It is not the intention of this writer to discuss the functional and dysfunctional forms of these conflicts, as a sociologist could do because, in our case, since the introduction of non-ideological politics after the scrapping of all political parties during the unending political transition in the late ‘80s, functional conflicts ceased to exist. Therefore, conflicts in Nigeria became dysfunctional, mostly ignited by politicians who became irrelevant in their communities, therefore mobilise their people for riots which in many cases led to loss of lives, property and displaced hundred of thousands of people and rendered them homeless and refugees in their own country.
Writers, analysts and political commentators alike, have, in the past tried to identify the remote causes of these crises and have attributed it to hypocrisy and insincerity on the part of most of our religious leaders, traditional rulers and politicians. This might be correct, considering the fact that from the Kafanchan crises to Zangon Kataf and reprisal killings in Kano, Aba and other similar crises in other places, nobody was punished as a result of role he played in the crises. This gave other people the courage to ignite further crises in other areas that have no history of such crises in the past.
However, the issue of ethno-religious crises in Northern Nigeria, although might be caused by some of the reasons above, it is compounded by the total breakdown of institutions that ensure societal control. These institutions include the family, law enforcement agencies, religious and community leaders, and more importantly the political system. Most of these institutions over the years are left on their own. Our educational institutions are in shambles, there are no regulations guiding the practice of religion in the country; so the country becomes a breeding ground for all sorts of criminals, hoodlums and thugs.
Moreover, as the elder statesman Alhaji Abbas Dabo said in an interview recently (Suday Trust, March 8, 2009) we don’t want to hear the truth. We all want things to be done to favour us and our families and to large extent our ethnic and religious groups. It is quite unfortunate that after twenty years of going through the same problem, our leaders failed to come up with workable solutions to ethno-religious crises in the North. The North started experiencing religious crises back in the late 1980s, which later spread to schools. I quite remember when most secondary schools in 1990 in the then Bauchi State were closed down due to unrest between Christian and Muslim students. Almost all secondary school in Bauchi state had had their own test of the crises at that time, in some cases resulting in the death of some students and destruction of school property. Don’t you think that now after about 18 or 20 years these same students that were part of what happened in most secondary schools are at the centre stage that carries this to larger society?
Gradually these crises were taken to next level, engulfing the entire North. Politicians at all levels try to capitalise on the ignorance of the populace, introducing divide and rule tactics, thereby creating a permanent enmity between different ethnic and religious group. This serves them (the politicians) because as the people, walloped by poverty, hunger and lack of basic amenities maim and kill each other; they are busy stripping the public purse naked building mansions in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Port Harcourt or even in places like Dubai, London and Washington. The political elites continue to exploit these differences by keeping them focussed on trivial issues, forgetting about their real problems like lack of good roads, portable water, hospitals, schools and the teeming unemployed youth.
Do we deserve this? Is that the dream of our founding fathers? If Sardauna, Tafawa Balewa and even Murtala were to come back today would they be proud of the kind of leaders they trained to develop the North? This will be hash, but the generation of leaders trained with tax payers’ money in the ’70s and ‘80s need a rethink. Someone should start taking responsibility. They failed the North and the entire country. The North and the country deserve better than what we are seeing today.
How can the North get out of this and establish a harmonious relationship between various ethnic and religious groups? The answer is very simple; ensure social justice. Justice as some writers put it is constant and perpetual will to give every man his due. When each and every one of us feels he has less to worry about feeding his children, educating them and providing medical care, nobody can accuse his neighbour (a settler) of trying to take over his land. But as long as we continue deceiving our people, stealing the money for healthcare, for education etc. the crises will continue and who knows and God forbid when the entire North will be at war with itself.
As long as we continue to show non-challant attitude towards education, towards agriculture and we continue emphasizing on spending money on projects that have no direct bearing on our people, then expect the institutions of societal control to fall under the tutelage of Okada riders, local manicurists, hooligans, and restive youth. Then these set of people according to one scholar, who in the first place are ignorant of the teaching of their religion and who hardly, if at all, pray and know nothing about the religion other than its name become its defenders. The result is what we saw in Jos, Bauchi and Kaduna. And it is bound to happen again and again.
And as long as perpetrators of these heinous crimes remained the peace-makers and conflicts managers, who in many cases exhibit duplicity, bias, and show opportunistic piety of its operatives and discriminatory patronage of one religion against the other we will not see peace in the North for a foreseeable future.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe State,
Nigeria
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764, 08035150369
Thursday, March 5, 2009
PERCEPTION OF RADIO PROGRAMME AMONG YOUTH IN ZARIA ; A STUDY OF RADIO DRAMA PROGRAMME
“GARIN MUNA FATA”
By
KABIRU DANLADI
U01MM1068CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND
The idea of establishing radio as any other mass medium is to educate, entertain, inform, and socialize the people. The emphasis largely has to do with creating awareness, surveillance of the environment, and correlation of the parts of the society in responding to its environment and the transmission of cultural heritage (Mcquil, 1998). It also helps in providing individual reward, relaxation and reduction of tension, which makes it easier for people to cope with real life problems and for societies to avoid breakdown (Mendelson, 1966). That radio has had a tremendous social impact, affecting attitudes and behaviour is undeniable.
In recognition of the unique nature of radio in terms of simplicity, wider coverage bringing the world to those who cannot read, its immediacy (Mcleish, 1978), its transmission in various local languages (Moemeka, 1981) as well as its contribution to the development of a nation, it is still the most credible source of news and enlightenment in most part of Africa (Okigbo, 1990). This made radio one of the most appropriate means of communication in any society, beating literacy barriers (Moemeka, 1981). In addition, radio has that personal touch that lends urgency to change.
Basically, communication is the process through which one person (the communicator) elicits responses from another person (the communicant) by the use of symbols (Hall, 1967). In radio programme, the communicator is far more apt to be a group than an individual. He is almost always a member of a large group – the audience. Audiences are made up of people who are different from each other, in a great many respects. These differences may be social, educational economic, psychological, cultural, ethical, religious, political, physical or intellectual. This wide diversity of backgrounds, skills, attitudes, produce problems for radio programmers. Hence, the subject matter of this work – Perception of radio programme among youth in Zaria .
The success of any communication is determined by response behaviour of the listener. The contribution a radio programme can make in behaviour or attitude change depends largely on the contents of the message. In the past i.e. in the 1930s, when media were well developed in the developed countries, they were credited with considerable power to shape opinion and belief, change habit of life, mould behaviour actively more or less according to the will of those who could control the media and their contents (see Bauer and Bauer in Mcquil, 1993). Over time, this assumption was dated. Researchers in media effects subsequently indicated that there are intervening variables relating to and from personal contact and social environment that affects the influence of media in attitudes and behaviour change (Mcquil, 1993).
Producing a radio programme is a mixture of the ideal and the expedient (Chester, et.al., 1978). Thus, the programme must have the ability to capture the mind’s eye of its audience. The producer has to have a deep knowledge and understand the people and the community he is directing the progrmame to. By this, we can produce a programme that his audience can feel it might help them in taking decision about their life. Sociologists believes that people of different social positions will share similar demographic characteristics and would exhibit similar reaction to messages. Variables as gender, age, education, income, ethic background and religion have influence on the kind of information selected. Social categories theories ‘takes account of the fact that the audience is stratified according to such variables of social position as life cycle, occupation, class, religion, sex etc.” (Deflewer, 1970). Members of a particular category will select more or less the same content and will respond to it in roughly equal ways.
1.2 THE SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HEALTH
The Society for Family Health (SFH), a Nigerian NGO affiliated to Population Services International (PSI), has been working in the area of sexual and reproductive health since 1995. Since the early 1990s, it has focused mainly on HIV and AIDS. SFH takes a two-pronged approach to its work; on the one hand, together with variety of partners, it undertakes behaviour change campaigns to motivate (for HIV/AIDS including safer sexual and reproductive health behaviour through partner reduction, fidelity, or abstinence), and on the other, it ensures easy access to affordable commodities such as condoms, pills, injectables, IUD, etc. for those who desire this form of protection against infection and or unplanned pregnancy.
Specifically, SFH employs mass media and interpersonal communication (IPC) to promote safe sex practices among sexually active Nigerians. This demand creation effort is complimented by distributing condoms and other family planning products mostly through the existing network of pharmaceutical outlets to the nook and cranny of Nigeria . Original goal was to entertain listeners and educate them on issues concerning oral conceptive. The emphasis was on the side effects of oral conceptive and their management. The first drama was entitled “One thing at a time” and was in English. This drama ran on 16 radio stations in South in 1998. Following a post broadcast evaluation by SFH research unit, fresh episodes of the drama was produced in Pidgin English in 1998, incorporating messages concerning HIV/AIDS, began airing on 16 Southern radio stations. Recognizing the needs to broaden communications work to the North of the country, the SFH issued a brief for Hausa Language drama in 1998 called “Garin Muna Fata”. The Hausa drama started airing in January 2000, and followed the same themes as had been used for “One thing at a time” in 1997. There is an also similar programme in Yoruba and Igbo Languages to improve comprehension in respective population. The Yoruba drama is called “Abule Oloke Merin” while the Igbo version is called “Oderinjin”. The main message themes remained the same, however, in 2002, the campaigns themes expanded to address other issues related to AIDS, such as fatalism and HIV prevention, invulnerability of HIV/AIDS and condom, misconceptions, issues on Family Planning (FP), types of FP methods, their advantages and how to manage side effects.
The overall objective of the drama series is to build awareness, increase knowledge, promote role models and influence societal norms with the aim of increasing safer sexual and family planning practices among the target audience.
1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
A good understanding of people’s culture, religion, income, and educational background is needed in planning interventions to change their attitudes and behaviour change. It is not easy to change the pattern of a man who is used to marrying four wives, bearing many children, using condom or negotiate sex with his wife. These issues are very foreign to him. In the light of the above the study intends to investigate how youth in Zaria perceive the drama programme ‘Garin Muna Fata”. Zaria is Muslim with few minority Christians, Hausa speaking and a closed society and very difficult in accepting changes (Maiangwa, 2004).
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study aim at:
(1) Determining whether youth in Zaria are aware of the drama programme “Garin Muna Fata”;
(2) Determine whether they listen to it or not;
(3) Determine how they perceive the programme;
(4) Determine factors responsible for their perception;
(5) Find out how the programme affects their attitudes and behaviour in their response to HIV/AIDS and family panning.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
(1) Are youth in Zaria aware of the programme ‘Garin Muna Fata”?
(2) Do they listen to the programme?
(3) How do they perceive the programme?
(4) Are their perception of the programme has to do with their existing attitudes and belief?
(5) What is their view about condom use, sex negotiation, early pregnancy and child spacing (FP)?
(6) Does the programme change their attitude toward HIV/AIDS and Family Planning?
(7) Do they use the knowledge learned on the programme?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Like every research work, this study sought to add to the existing knowledge. The research also intends to fill the vacuum created by previous works on the issues of radio programme perception and attitude change and its consequences for producers and programmers. It also intends to break new grounds by coming out with a very comprehensive, critical and unique work by seeking to know variables relating to intervention in the perception of media contents. It is therefore, hoped that this study would be of benefit to students of Journalism and Mass Communication on one hand and programme producers on the other.
1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study will be limited to Federal Radio Corporation Kaduna listeners of the programme “Garin Muna Fata”. However, since many radio stations are airing the programme, response from listeners that listen to the programme on other station shall be used. Also, bearing in mind, the economic constraints prevailing in the country at the time of study, the researcher lacked funds to undertake more elaborate study. Therefore, this study did not lay claim to have identified adequately all the issues in media perception.
Another limitation of this study was the nature of its population, limited only to Zaria . The programme is aired all over Northern Nigeria, since FRCN Kaduna covers the whole North and some part of Niger Republic . In addition, the questionnaire could only be administered on the youth, who are the main focus of the programme. One cannot completely avoid human errors from the study; we should expect some errors in filling and answering the questionnaire. These are some of the limitations of the study.
1.8 THEORETICAL FRAME OF REFERNCE
1.9 THE MEANING PERCEPTION
According to Coon (2000) perception is a mental process of organizing sensation into a meaningful pattern. The concept of perception is a key dimension in understanding the diffusion of ideas. An idea could be new but may be regarded by experts in that field as important or useful but someone may not perceive that idea in a similar manner. Therefore, perception is the way in which he detects (See Lindsmith & Strauss in Rogers, 1962).
Perception is largely subject, but since our concern here is how people perceive media messages targeted at them, we shall limit ourselves to selective processes; selective perception, retention, exposure and attention.
According to Burgoon & Ruffner (Folarin, 1980) perception is the process of making sense out of experience. It is how individual makes sense out of his/her world (See Corner & Hawthon in Folarin, 1998). Perception depends on complex of variables such as psychological disposition, past experiences, cultural expectation and relationships. People want their beliefs and judgments about things to be consistent with one another. In order to reduce dissonance created by inconsistencies in belief, judgments and action, people expose themselves to information that is consistent with their ideas and actions and they shut out other communications. One has to expose himself to a message before he can attend to it, pay attention to it, before he can perceive it then he has to perceive it, before he can retain it for future use. This assumption according to Folarin (1998) means that the information receiver, or ‘user’ is selective in what he or she is exposed to, what is perceived and what is retained.
Media effect study has been characterized over time on the basis of assumption ( Griffin , 2000). Severin and Tankard (1979) depict the time between 1915 and 1939 as the era of ‘Bullet Theory’ (also known as ‘hypodermic needle theory’) of strong media effects. Jaffae (1995) argued that influential theories of this period, which included the development of propaganda, cinema and broadcast radio industries, presumed the exposure alone to mass mediated messages, resulted in cognitive, effective and behavioural changes. The limited effect theories or minimally powerful media theories were characterized by scholarship (e.g. Klapper, 1960, Mcquil, 1993, and Folarin, 1998), claiming that mass media actually had little or no strong effects on audiences. They argued that although the media might contribute to changes through a nexus of mediating factors and influences, the audiences on their part were assumed to be selective in their exposure, attention, perception and retention.
Critical mass theory, social influence model of media use and adaptive structuration theory – suggest that individual’s perception of media messages emerge as a result of their interaction with others (Baron, 2004). According to Jaffae (1995) interractional influence was better predictor of individual’s perceptions of media messages than were individuals demographic characteristics or characteristics of media. Mcquil (1998) posited that, it was not that the media had been found, under all conditions to be without effects, but they operate within a pre-existing structure of social relationships and a particular social and cultural context. The social and cultural factors therefore, become most important in shaping the opinions, attitudes and behaviour understudy. Attention, choice and response to media message by the audience can be derived from their cultural and social context in which they live (see Trennan and Mcquil in Mcquil 1993).
Mass media in any society is seen as a formidable means of social change. This is because in addition to its classical role of education, information and entertainment, it mobilizes and integrates different segments of society, but programme producers must consider societal sanctions norms and beliefs of people in order to produce programmes that can induce attitude change. The assumptions that the ‘preaching’ approach to communication can succeed with any type of message are dated (Klapper, 1960). According to Moemeka (1981) a programme producer has to be a good listener, rather than a good talker. He should recognize the worth of the people, their customs and beliefs. The programme should be built on and from the accumulated knowledge of the people, which has sustained them for centuries.
1.9.1 THE PROCESS OF PERCEPTION
As stated earlier, people tend to expose themselves to those media messages, which are in accord with their existing attitudes and interests. Messages that improve their lives morally rather than lower their social esteem. The processes involved in this self-protective exercise according to Klapper (1960) have become known as selective processes. They are; Selective exposure (or more classically ‘self selection); selective perceptions and selective retention Folarin (1998) added selective attention.
1.8.1(a) SELECTIVE EXPOSURE
According to Folarin (1998) “it is natural that people seek out information that caters to their own interest, confirms their beliefs and boost their own ego while avoiding those that are contrary to their own predispositions and attack their self-image. Cannel and Macdonald in a study discovered that articles on health, including those dealing with the possible relationship between smoking and cancer, were consistently read by 60% of non-smoking males, but only 32% of the male smokers to whom the material presented more of a threats; among women, for whom the threat was considerably less, the respective percentages were 69 and 59 (Klapper, 1960). It is quite common for someone who subscribes to V-mobile network to suddenly start to see more of that network’s advertising than someone who subscribes to for instance MTN (Baran, 2004).
1.8.1 (b) SELECTIVE PERCEPTION
Selective perception predicts that people will interprets messages in a manner consistent with their pre-existing attitudes and beliefs. It is the study of perception that actually led to the discovery of the selective process (Folarin, 1998). Our previous experience and current dispositions – our needs, moods and memories determine the way we perceive and then decode messages. Allport and Postman in a study of the metamorphosis of rumors, presented virtual case histories of oral message (Klapper, 1960). The messages were changed in the process of social diffusion to fit existing spheres of knowledge and attitudes. They argued that material, which does not fit the predisposition of a perciver, is likely to be.
‘Recast to fit not only his span of comprehension and……………… retention, but, likewise, his own personal needs and interests. What was outer becomes inner, what was objective becomes subjective’ (Klapper, 1960).
Although, the study initially was a psychological research, it can be applied to mass media. This is because it is found that media messages are vulnerable to similar selective perception (Klapper, 1960, Baran, 2004).
1.8.1 (c) SELECTIVE RETENTION
Selective retention assumes that people remember best and longest those messages that are consistent with their pre-existing attitudes and beliefs. According to Folarin (1998) some messages are forgotten more quickly than others. Messages that are favourable to our self-image and us can be remembered with more accuracy than unfavourable ones.
1.8.1 (d) SELECTIVE ATTENTION
Scientifically the eye processes information much faster than the brain can interpret. The brain has to select which information to pay attention to at any given time, in order to avoid confusion (Folarin, 1998). Attention should only be given to messages that one fills are important to him.
However, the most powerful selective strategy is selective perception, since it makes people interpret messages (including mass mediated messages) not necessarily according to the meaning intended by the source but mainly on the basis of the personal factors like past experience, current dispositions and the linguistics resources at out disposal (Folarin, 1998).
New perspective and discoveries in mass media research held that the media role in shaping attitudes and behaviour is minimal (Folarin, 1998). Mass media messages ordinarily work through mediators, rather than shaping they reinforce the attitudes already existing. The mediators tend to render the media messages as agents, but not the sole cause of reinforcement (e.g. Klapper, 1960). Hence, the proposed theory “Users and Gratification Theory”.
1.8.1 (e) USES AND GRANTIFICATION THEORY
Blumer and Katz’s uses and gratification theory suggested that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media or its messages. Users take an active part in the communication process and are goal oriented in their media use (Katz, 1974). The theorists say that a media user seek out a media source that best fulfils the needs of the user i.e. the user has alternate choices to satisfy their needs. Blumer and Katz values are clearly seen by the fact that they believe that media consumers can chose the influence media has on them as well as the idea users choose media alternatives merely as a means to an end. Rubin (1986) believes that uses and gratification research will be best served by continuing to explore and explain the specific links among attitudes, motives, behaviour and communication effect. Employing the uses and gratification perspective has potentially significant benefits for programme producers. If they can identify, the form and content that satisfy their audience they have a dependable vehicle for successfully communicating persuasive messages.
1.10 FACTORS AFFECTING PERCEPTION
Media audiences already have their set of beliefs and attitudes some are relatively flexible, but some are so rigid that they can stubbornly defend them. The mass media have only a limited influence on people’s beliefs and behaviour (Billington, et. al., 1991). The society is organized through various groups and organizations whose strong ties and interdependences created stable group pressures that shielded the individual from direct media influence (se Bell in Billington et. al., 1991). Thus, the media help us make sense of our world. Thus, media rely on the idea that society operates on the basis of a shared common culture; that the majority, if not all of its members are in agreement on a wide range of norms, values and ideas and there is agreement on what are reasonable and acceptable patterns of behaviour. Stuart Hall in Billington et al., (1991) writes:
“It is assumed that we share a common stock of cultural knowledge with our fellow men… This ‘consensual’ viewpoint has important political consequences, when used as the taken for granted basis of communication”.
Therefore, the mass media is seen as performing function in a society. Functionalist (e.g. Comte 1798-1857), Herbert Spencer, 1820-1903) and Merton and Lazersfeld (Bryant and Myron, 2004) applied the theory in communication, view society as a system of interconnected parts which together form a whole. The foundation of this thesis is the metaphor of the living organism, whose parts and organs is grouped and organized, function to keep its essential processes going. The other parts i.e. family, religion, education, economy and culture.
A society is simply people in communication i.e. a network of interpersonal relationship. Merceiver and Page (Mahmood, 2005) defined society as any group of people with common culture who occupies a particular territory with a common feeling of unity and they regarded themselves as distinguishable”.
Indeed, virtually all discussions and literature by scholars and researchers on the factors affecting perception of radio programme (e.g. Roger, 1970, Gardner , 1969) have identified the family, religion, education, economy (income) and culture.
The most fundamental is culture. Culture is defined as the total way of life of people. We have come to see that the life of an individual cannot be understood in isolation from the socio-historical situation in which he finds himself. The sort of relationships, which exist between family members in a given society, are closely related to the educational system, prevailing economy, religion, family is very important in attitude formation, the school on the other hand promote social values and attitude. Religion determines the way people behave, the way they relate to their fellow beings. Culture on the other hand informs people orientation of social norms, attributes and values.
The underlying assumption of this argument is that society has certain basic needs if it is to operate normally – needs for information, for control, for continuity of norms and values. Peterson (Mcquil, 1969) describes the approach as ‘objective theory’ of communication. The theory according to Peterson holds that:
‘The media are seen as a mode of social interaction of various sorts; among individuals, between individuals and institutional orders of society, among institutions themselves. All this they do by the symbolic transfer of meaning, values and beliefs. Characteristically they purvey the ethos of the social order in which they operate. Yet they also provide the means of response and for potential challenges to that order…. Which of these tendencies is stronger at a given moment depends upon the stability or instability of the society’s power structure’.
Klapper (1963) noted that a study by Lazasfeld, Berelson and Graudet in 1948 pointed out predisposition on the part of audience toward opinions characteristics of their family groups or even readiness to adhere to a given point of view for no other reason than that it was family anchored. But Klapper was quick to point out that current theory regarding the resistance of group anchored attitudes to change and their susceptibility to reinforcement is not sufficiently refined, however, to permit wholly accurate prediction. Quite aside from providing anchorage for existing opinions, group membership (religious, family etc) may facilitate reinforcement and impede conversion by intensifying selective exposure.
Therefore, groups and group norm serve in various ways to mediate the perception of media message. The audience are guided in their viewing (for TV audience), in their listening (for radio audience and reading (for newspaper audience) by social circumstances, ranging from culture, religion, their family and the level of their education.
According to Sambe (2005) the earlier concept of prime influence of the media has now given way to more complex considerations that depend heavily on family, educational and cultural background etc, environment for the interpretation and utility of media messages. Religious beliefs, peer groups and gender, all give individuals’ different approaches and background to interpretation of media messages. When we interpret mass media messages, how we react to them depends on how they affect us
2.9 BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE COMMUNICATION
The problem of HIV/AIDS at national prevalence rate of 5.0% (The Federal Ministry of Health, 2003 National ANC Sero prevalence Survey data) is a major national development issue. The epidemic is spreading rapidly, further affecting the quality of life of Nigerians. At least, 80% of the infection is contacted through sexual intercourse and the presence of sexually transmitted infection (STI’s) increases susceptibility to HIV/AIDS. Young people between the ages of 15-29 years have the highest rate of infection. Heterosexual intercourse is said to be driving the epidemic. Experience in other countries (e.g. Uganda ) has shown that a holistic approach that includes promotion of abstinence, partner reduction and consistent condom use for the sexually active in a context where social support favourable can lead to a reduction in the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with a current estimated population of 126.6 million people. Total fertility rate (TFR) is estimated to have remained at 6 children per woman since 1990. This figure is disputed and probably ranges between 5.2 and 6.0, but is thought to be closer to 6.0 (NDHS). In the North women have almost 3 more children per woman than in other regions.
In 2002, the society for Family Health began to implement the Promoting and Reproductive Health and HIV prevention programme (PSRHH) with the aim of:
· Increasing use of condoms with non-spousal partners among target groups;
· Reducing incidence of unprotected sex among key target groups;
· Reducing members of sexual partners (among key target groups).
· Delaying the age of sexual debut, particularly for girls;
· Increasing modern contraceptive prevalence rate (the use of modern family planning methods.
uThe target groups for the radio drama are general population married and unmarried between ages 18 to 35 years; youth multiple partners and those at the verge of being sexually active. The method adopted is behavior change. The method has been an important strategy for combating HIV since the beginning of the epidemic. However, encouraging behaviour change is often complicated due to cultural norms. Traditionally having many children is a pride on the side of the father and Islamically a man is allowed to marry four wives. And the idea of using condom is believed by many people that it encourages sexual promiscuity, which is harem in both Islam and Christianity.
.
Since the main focus of this study is perception as it relates to behaviour change. The overall behaviour change strategy is based on the information, motivation and behavioural skills (IMB) model with elements of diffusion theory and social cognitive theory (SCT). Diffusion theory is particularly relevant as a theoretical basis for how innovations are diffused from the early adopters to reach a majority of the individuals in a social network (Community) and guides the integrated use of mass media, entertainment – education (Edutainment) efforts and interpersonal communication (Rogers, 1962). The IMB model focused on interventions that are based on information, motivational and behavioural skills determinants of behaviour change (Bandura, 1971). The social cognitive theory advocates that people learn from role models whose behaviour they wish to emulate. Modeling acknowledges that people learn from variety of experiences, often vicariously, by observing the action of others. Thus, behaviours, which are modeled from media experiences, can become habitual if found useful and/or if they are reinforced in the environment. It accounts for normal human behaviour like the way we dress, phrases we use and the way we groom ourselves etc (Coon, 2002).
One other theory that is relevant here is the uses and gratification theory (Katz, 1990). It posits that there should be less attention paid to what the media do to people and more attention on what people do with media. The theory perceive the recipient as actively influencing the effect process, since he selectively chooses, attends to, perceives and retain the media messages on the basis of his/her needs and belief etc.
Theories are systematically related generalizations, which attempt to explain and predict. The bottom line on these theories is; we are all different because we have different experiences and we are made differently. Those differences affect how we receive and understand media messages. So, instead of a mass media messages{all the same way}, our differences limit the effect of the messages.. Thus, a mass media messages’ influence seem to be mediated by factors and condition.
DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS
1. Abstinence: This means refraining from casual and multiple sex and sticking to one partner.
2. Attitudes: This comprises the feeling and belief of people about an idea and their behaviour towards it.
3. Audience: Those whom a programme is designed for. In this context, it means the youth, poor and vulnerable in Hausa speaking area.
4. Awareness: This is to inform people about the existence and nature of something; in this context, it is referred to the target audience having the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and realizing the importance of family planning technique.
5. Content: Messages contained in a programme.
6. Correlation: This means bringing a mutual relationship between policy makers and their audiences.
7. Behaviour: This means a situation where if full knowledge were available all human action can be analyzed into stimulus and response.
8. Mass medium: This refers to a means through which information action is disseminated to influence the ideas of enormous number of people. The phrase here can be used interchangeably with radio.
9. Media: This is a means of communication like interpersonal group, radio, television, newspaper, etc.
10. Messages: This is a content of a programme i.e. what the communicator wants his audience to receive.
11. Partner reduction: This is a process of reducing sex partners to only one so that the risk of contacting HIV/AIDS is reduced.
12. Perception: This is the act and power of becoming aware of change either in mind or through the eyes. In this context is referred to how audiences understand and interprets the concept of the radio programme.
13. Producers: These are the people responsible for a broadcast programme.
14. Programme: This means a radio or televise broadcast; which in the context refer to the drama programme.
15. Post broadcast evaluation: This is an assessment conducted by SFH after airing the radio drama.
16. Sexually active: This means a person who is not virgin i.e. he had engaged even once in sexual intercourse.
17. Stratified: This means the social class or division in a society.
18. Surveillance: In mass communication parlance the word surveillance means a process whereby the media perform a role of checking the excesses of policy makers.
CHAPTER TWO
2.1. INTRODUCTION
The pioneer research work into perception studies was Joseph Klappers’ work published in 1960, ‘The effect of mass communication’. According to Mcquil (1993). Klapper distinguished between ‘conversion’, ‘minor change’ and ‘reinforcement’ – respectively. This means that in any media message, there is a change according to the intention of the communicator; change in form or intensity, then confirmation by the receiver of his or her own existing beliefs and opinions.
With emphasis on current volume, this chapter presents synthesis of related literature on perception, which constitutes the subject matter of this study. Derivatively, the chapter takes a look at the history of radio medium, then radio drama, attitudes and behaviour, general diffusion theory, media research and diffusion theory.
2.2 RADIO AS A MEDIUM
Radio communication was of many minds. What started as Henrich Hertz a German, thereby creating what are now called Radio waves, demonstrated prediction by James Maxwell in 1860’s. In 1895 Gugliemo Marconi transmitted signals at a short distance and in 1901 and 1902 conducted successful transatlantic tests. This new communication medium was known as ‘wireless’, later in 1912 the American started calling it radio.
Radio broadcasting is customarily an ensemble task in which numbers of people have a part; announcers, musicians, engineers, writers, publicists and others. It is also depend on complex electromagnetic devices and associated materials.
2.3 RADIO PROGRAMME (DRAMA)
The symbol output of radio is called programming. According to Hall (1967) radio is ‘blind medium’ and the type of programmes it produces is derived largely from the simple fact that, unlike television, it provides no visual message to the listener. Radio programmes, unlike the printed pages of books or newspapers, are also ephemeral products; very few people bother to record radio programmes (Chester et. al., 1978). So they cannot be so easily ‘re-read’. Radio programmes therefore have to provide the listener with extra auditory clues to compensate for the lack of images and must ensure that the listener understands these clues at the first and almost certainly only – hearing. Communication theorist suggest that, if people tend to interpret the world largely through their ability to see it, then being deprived of visual clues will compel them to supply such clues for themselves.
Radio has been called the art of imagination. According to Hilliard (1967) the writer for radio is restricted by the breadth and mind’s eye of his audience. He has to create through effective combinations of sounds, music, dialogue and silence whatever stimuli he wishes to and may place the audience in any physical relationship to any character he wishes. Thus, when listening to a radio play, one needs to imagine not only a character’s thought but also that person’s appearance and surroundings. Radio dramatists argue that this offers greater intellectual and emotional reward to a listener – as opposed to a viewer – and allows the writer to create stories and characters that are truly experimental and fantastical. According to Zola (1994) the playwright is like a doctor who must expose a disease in order to cure it – drama therefore had to bring social ills into the open. The result of this was drama that focused on the seamier elements of society rather than beautiful or ideal.
2.4 ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR
Gasket (2003) pointed out that the means of communicating have grown alongside the increased power of people to shape their physical world as their increasing interdependence. With the telecommunication and data communications revolutions the world has been turned into a ‘global village’ (Mcluhan, 1964). The influence of media on the lives of people increased the study of their effect and their role in shaping attitudes and behaviour. It is believed by some that, the media tend to reinforce personal views, (e.g. Klapper, 1964, Mcquil, 1999, Baron, 2004) and by others that political conversion of transmitting information is relevant. Nonetheless, the changing communications media have proven to have a long term effect, which bring subtle but very important changes to views and perception of media (Baron, 2004).
2.4.1 MEANING OF ATTITUDES
In social psychology, the idea of ‘attitudes’ is central to explaining the need for a link between an individual’s perception of the world and his/her action within it (Coon, 2000). According to him an attitude is a mixture of belief and emotion that predispose a person to respond to other people, objects or institutions in a positive or negative way. An assumption common to various models of attitude change is that these three components co-exist harmoniously and are internally consistent. This is such that an induced change in one component of an attitude creates on inconsistency that can be resolved by compensatory changes in other two components. This essentially perceptual or cognitive perspective is due, in large measure, to the early and continuing influence of Gestalt Psychology (Coon, 2000). Gestalt Psychology is a school, which emphasizes the study of thinking, learning and perception in whole unit not by analysis into parts.
2.4.2 BEHAVIOUR
Psychologically, behaviour is anything one does – eating sleeping, talking, thinking or sneezing (Coon, 2000). So also, dreaming, watching television, learning English. Our behaviour is guided by our attitudes towards people, objects, or institution. Attitudes are acquired in several basic ways. Direct contact (experience), interaction with people through discussion with people holding a particular attitude, then child rearing (the effects of parental values, beliefs and practices). Although, attitudes are relatively stable, they do change (Coon, 2004), through persuasion. Festinger (1950) discussed the concept when he talked about cognitive dissonance theory. According to him individuals tend to avoid information that is dissonant or oppose to their own point of view, and they tend to seek out information that that is, in consonant, or in support of their own attitude.
Festinger’s theory points out that, people whose attitudes can be influenced most readily are those who have not yet made up their minds. Understanding the theory and its potential for influencing the silent majority is extremely important for a programme producer, whose objective is to make his audience accept his ideas through thoughtful, clear and persuasive communication.
2.5 DIFFUSSION OF INNOVATION
The study of diffusion theory is potentially valuable in the study of perception and mass media effects. According to Rogers (1995), Diffusion is defined as the process by which an innovation is adapted and gains acceptance by members of certain community. While a number of factors interact to influence diffusion of an innovation Rogers (1995) pointed out four factors that influence the process of diffusion. These are: the nature of the innovation itself; how information about the innovation is communicated; time and the nature of the social system into which the innovation is being introduced. Diffusion research in its simplest form, investigate how these major factors, and a multitude of other factors, interact, to either facilitate or impede the adopter group.
But before discussing how diffusion theory has been incorporated into media research, we will provide a brief background and overview of general diffusion theory.
2.5.1 GENERAL DIFFUSSION THEORY
The most important fact to consider in discussing diffusion theory is that it is not one well-defined, unified and comprehensive theory. A large number of theories, from a wide variety of disciplines, each focusing on a different element of the innovation process, combine to create a meta-theory of diffusion (Surry, 2000).
The most likely reason for the lack of unified theory of diffusion is that the study of innovation diffusion is fairly recent. Roger (1995) points out that a 1943 study by Ryan and Gross at Iowa University provided the genesis of modern diffusion research. The Ryan and Gross study, from the field of rural sociology used interviews with adopters of innovation to examine a number of factors related to adoption. The interview-based methodology used in the Ryan and Gross study has remained the predominant diffusion research methodology ever since ( Rogers , 1995).
2.5.2 MEDIA AND DIFFUSION OF INOVATION
Roger 1962 contributed to the findings of Ryan and Gross by studying this diffusion phenomenon in articles across the discipline and produced the five stages of adoption process, namely awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and finally adoption. He also refined their distinction between the early accepters, early adopters, the majority and later accepters by producing the popular diffusion of innovation curve and a corresponding defined set of individual adopter types, including innovators, early adopters, early majority, and late majority and laggards, each with their own location on the adoption curve.
Figure 6.4
Figure 6.5
Roger explained diffusion of innovation as a theory that analyses, as well as helps explains, the adaptation of a new innovation. It help the process of social changes .An innovation is an idea practice and object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption .the perceived newness of the idea for the individual determine his/her reaction to it [Roger 1995] .As a result diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channel over time among the member of a social system. Thus, the four main element of the theory are the innovation, communication channel, time and the social system .The realization of the diffusion of innovation theory might seem simple at first, but various other earlier works were critical in helping communication researchers arrive at it. The two-step flow of communication was a hypothesis that was under considerable examination. Katz [1957] hypothesized that ideas flow from radio to opinion leader and from these to the less active sections of the population.
Information source are important stimuli to the adoption process .The individual becomes aware of innovation mainly by impersonal and cosmopolite sources such as the mass media .The media are readily available and attractive source of innovations. They provide symbolic innovation of almost every conceivable form of behaviour. Sociologists concerned with social and economic development have attached much importance to the mass media continuing a tradition [Defleur, 1995]. They are looked at as an efficient instrument for spreading information and altering attitudes towards innovation [Baran, 2004]. The field of diffusion studies, while concerned primarily with the adoption of innovations in rural areas and focusing on the structural determinants of adoption rather than on large-scale effects of mass media, is very relevant to the present discussion.
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter attention shall focus on the methodology of data collection and analysis used in this research. The chapter discusses the research population, sample selection, research design, construction and validation of instrument, data gathering procedure, and data analysis.
3.1 INDENTIFICATION OF POPULATION
In any research especially scientific the goal is to describe the nature of a population. Population is sometimes referred to as the universe and it is defined as the entire group whose characteristics are to be estimated (Ndagi, 1984). According to Wimmer and Dominic (2000) population is a group or class of subjects, variables, concept or phenomena. We can have population of persons such as students; geographic area such as residential areas objects such as textbooks or test items. Population could be infinitely large (e.g Nigerians, past, present and future) or finite (such as 400 level students that participated in the fight against HIV). The research population in this study is the youth in Zaria town, Kaduna State . In order to simplify the process, the usual procedure in these instances is to take sample from the population.
3.2 STUDY AREA
Zaria can be described as the mother of all towns in Kaduna State , because all the major towns had at one time or another been under its administration. It was one of the original seven Hausa state (Hausa Bakwai). It was established by Gimguma, the son of Bawo and the grandson of Bayajidda, the great legendary warrior of Daura, whose sons established the seven Hausa states.
According to the 1991 population census, Zaria has a total population of 277,187 people. The town comprises the old Zaria city, Tudun Wada, Sabon gari, Palladan, Kwangila, Samaru, Gaskiya and Wusasa. The main ethnic groups include Hausa and Fulani. There are also various ethnic groups from different part of Nigeria who come to settle in Zaria . The main occupation of Zaria people is farming, Arabic scholarly, blacksmithing and trading being the busiest activity for both men and women. With the establishment of higher institution of learning in the early sixties, western education triumphed which saw the influx of many people from different part of the country and beyond into the town. Majority of the population in Zaria are Muslims, however, there are Christians and animist as well.
3.3 SAMPLE SELECTION
A sample is a subset of the population that is representative of the entire population. Sample is defined as a limited number of elements selected from a population (Ndagi, 1984). Being representative does not imply that a sample is a mini-population, i.e having the exact characteristics of the parent’s population except in the case of some populations that have been completely studied, e.g census reports (Wimmer and Dominic, 2000). Any sample that is not representative of the population regardless of its size is inadequate for testing purposes (Ndagi, 1984). This is because the results cannot be generalized.
3.4 DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE
The researcher used combination of primary and secondary methods of data collection. The primary method employed in this research is the survey method. It is used in collecting intensive data for study and analysis. Primary data are data collected which contain no unknown quantities in respect of method of collection, accuracy of measurement of which member of population in investigated. The survey method is a technique that involves drawing up a number of questions on various subjects or on various aspects of a subject to which selected members of a population are requested to react (Sobowale, 1983). According to him it is commonly used by behavioural scientists because it is an important instrument for obtaining information from people about their perception, opinion, attitudes and behaviours in survey stdy.
Two types are used in survey methods: Descriptive and Analytical. A descriptive survey attempts to picture or document current conditions or attitude – i.e describes what exists at the moment (Wimmer and Dominic, 2000). Analytical on the other hand describes and explains why certain situation exist. In this approach, two or more variables are usually examined to test research hypotheses. The results allow researcher, to examine the interrelationships among variables and to draw explanatory inferences. In the current study the analytical survey is used to obtain information.
Due to time constraints and lack of funds, the study adopted the stratified random sampling to collect information from respondents. According to Ndagi (1984) the srs is the process of dividing a population into strata or sub-populations. The researcher divided the population into districts, for e.g Zaria City , Tudun Wada, Sabon Gari, Samaru, Wusasa, etc. Selections are made randomly and independently from each stratum. The estimate of the parameter over all strata is computed. The reason why the study adopted the srs is that the stratification allows variability of the elements selected within each stratum to be more homogenous than is the variability of elements between strata (Ndagi, 1984).
3.5 CONSTRUCTION AND VALIDATION OF INSTRUMENTS
The study employed questionnaire as instrument for gathering data. The questionnaire is made up of structured questions related to the research questions, objective and research problem. Respondents are expected to answer these questions. It is a proper method of data collection and it is simple. It is suitable for very large population, but is major problem is high rate of non-return of questionnaire which affect the analysis (Adenji, 2006). For this research one hundred questionnaire were distributed randomly to the sample selected.
3.6 DATA ANALYSIS
The method of data analysis to be employed is simple statistics, where data collected could be analysed using the measure of central tendency. They can be grouped in terms of educational background and income. The data could be put into tables and or charts where necessary.
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 INTRODUTION
This chapter shall focus on presenting data collected, based on the reaction of respondent on how they are perceiving the programme “Garin Muna Fata”. Data collected shall be presented in simple percentage and tables for easy interpretation.
A total of 100 questionnaires were returned, out of the 100 administered, which represent a response rate of 100% (percent). This was made possible by the researcher where questionnaires missing were re-administered. However in supplying answers, many questions were skipped by respondents that they were suppose to answer all. In analyzing the data, therefore the researcher presented all skipped questions in percentages in order to give an accurate presentation of all the data. The following findings are presented in the order of the question asked or raised in tables.
TABLE ONE
SEX DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS
Variables
Numbers of Respondents
Percentage
Male
69
69%
Female
31
31%
Total
100
100%
In table one above, 69 or 69% of the respondents were males, while 31 or 31% of the respondents were females. This invariably means majority of the respondents were males which, means they have the highest opportunity of answering the questionnaire.
TABLE TWO
AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondent
Percentage
15 – 18 years
9
9%
19 – 25 years
42
42%
26 – 30 years
29
29%
31 – 35 years
17
17%
Total
100
100%
In table two 9 or 9% of the respondents were between the ages of 15 – 18 years of age, 42% or 42 respondents were 19 – 25 years old, 29% were between 26 – 30 years while 17 or 17% were between the ages of 31 – 35 years. The average mean age of all the respondents is 20 years. From the table we will be able to deduce that majority of the respondents were between the ages of 19 – 25 years.
TABLE THREE
MARITAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Single
71
71%
Married
27
27%
Divorced or separated
2
2%
TOTAL
100
100%
In table three, 71 or 71% of the respondents were single, 27 or 27% of the respondents are divorced, separated or widowed. This means majority of the respondents which made 71 (71%) of the respondents were single.
TABLE FOUR
OCCUPATIONAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number or Respondents
Percentage
Students
63
63%
Civil servants
18
18%
Farmers
10
10%
Others
7
7%
Total
100
100%
In table four, 63, or 63% of the respondents are students which are the majority, 18 or 18% are civil servants, 10 or 10% of the respondents are farmers, while 7 or 7% of the respondents are either businessmen or engage in other jobs.
TABLE FIVE
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Tertiary
79
79%
Secondary
21
21%
Primary
-
-
Others
-
-
Total
100
100%
In table five majority of the respondents were in tertiary institutions, 79 or 79% have an advanced level certificate. While 21 percent were in secondary school or have a senior school certificate.
TABLE SIX
ANNUAL INCOME OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Less than N5000
17
17%
N5000 – N14000
42
42%
N15000 – N25000
29
29%
N26 – N50,000
9
9%
Total
100
100
In table six, the income level of the respondents were sought where 17 or 17% of the respondents have an income of N5, 000 or less. Majority had an income of 14,000 to as small as N5, 000 while 29 or 29% had an income of between N15, 000 to N25,000. The rest i.e 9 or 9% had an income of N25, 000 to 50,000 per annum. The average mean of the entire respondent is N20, 000.
TABLE SEVEN
OWNERSHIP OF RADIO SET BY RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Yes
88
88%
No
12
12%
Total
100
100%
In table seven, 88 respondents or 88% owner radio set while 12% or 12 of the respondents did not have radio set this means majority of the respondents had radio sets i.e. 88% which is a good indication of good response.
TABLE EIGHT
RESPODENTS WHO HAVE NO RADIO CCESS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Always
1
8.3%
Occasionally
5
41.5%
Rarely
5
41.5%
Never
1
8.3%
Total
12
100%
In table eight, 12 people or 12% of the respondents did not have radio set. Out of these 1 or 8.3% had access to radio set always, 5 respondents or 41.5% occasionally, 5 or 41.5% rarely while 1 respondent or 8.3% said he never had access to radio.
TABLE NINE
FAVOURITE RADIO STATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
FRCN
62
62%
KSMC
25
25%
PRTV
3
3%
OTHERS
10
10%
TOTAL
100
100%
In table nine, the respondents’ favourite radio station indicates that majority 62 or 62% of the respondents choose Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria , Kaduna as their favourite radio station. 25 or 25% KSMC, 3 or 3% PRTV while 10 or 10% others like Nagarta Radio, BBC.
TABLE TEN
FREQUENCY OF LISTENERSHIP
Variable
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Always
56
56%
Occasionally
31
31%
Rarely
12
12%
Skip
1
1%
“GARIN MUNA FATA”
By
KABIRU DANLADI
U01MM1068CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND
The idea of establishing radio as any other mass medium is to educate, entertain, inform, and socialize the people. The emphasis largely has to do with creating awareness, surveillance of the environment, and correlation of the parts of the society in responding to its environment and the transmission of cultural heritage (Mcquil, 1998). It also helps in providing individual reward, relaxation and reduction of tension, which makes it easier for people to cope with real life problems and for societies to avoid breakdown (Mendelson, 1966). That radio has had a tremendous social impact, affecting attitudes and behaviour is undeniable.
In recognition of the unique nature of radio in terms of simplicity, wider coverage bringing the world to those who cannot read, its immediacy (Mcleish, 1978), its transmission in various local languages (Moemeka, 1981) as well as its contribution to the development of a nation, it is still the most credible source of news and enlightenment in most part of Africa (Okigbo, 1990). This made radio one of the most appropriate means of communication in any society, beating literacy barriers (Moemeka, 1981). In addition, radio has that personal touch that lends urgency to change.
Basically, communication is the process through which one person (the communicator) elicits responses from another person (the communicant) by the use of symbols (Hall, 1967). In radio programme, the communicator is far more apt to be a group than an individual. He is almost always a member of a large group – the audience. Audiences are made up of people who are different from each other, in a great many respects. These differences may be social, educational economic, psychological, cultural, ethical, religious, political, physical or intellectual. This wide diversity of backgrounds, skills, attitudes, produce problems for radio programmers. Hence, the subject matter of this work – Perception of radio programme among youth in Zaria .
The success of any communication is determined by response behaviour of the listener. The contribution a radio programme can make in behaviour or attitude change depends largely on the contents of the message. In the past i.e. in the 1930s, when media were well developed in the developed countries, they were credited with considerable power to shape opinion and belief, change habit of life, mould behaviour actively more or less according to the will of those who could control the media and their contents (see Bauer and Bauer in Mcquil, 1993). Over time, this assumption was dated. Researchers in media effects subsequently indicated that there are intervening variables relating to and from personal contact and social environment that affects the influence of media in attitudes and behaviour change (Mcquil, 1993).
Producing a radio programme is a mixture of the ideal and the expedient (Chester, et.al., 1978). Thus, the programme must have the ability to capture the mind’s eye of its audience. The producer has to have a deep knowledge and understand the people and the community he is directing the progrmame to. By this, we can produce a programme that his audience can feel it might help them in taking decision about their life. Sociologists believes that people of different social positions will share similar demographic characteristics and would exhibit similar reaction to messages. Variables as gender, age, education, income, ethic background and religion have influence on the kind of information selected. Social categories theories ‘takes account of the fact that the audience is stratified according to such variables of social position as life cycle, occupation, class, religion, sex etc.” (Deflewer, 1970). Members of a particular category will select more or less the same content and will respond to it in roughly equal ways.
1.2 THE SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HEALTH
The Society for Family Health (SFH), a Nigerian NGO affiliated to Population Services International (PSI), has been working in the area of sexual and reproductive health since 1995. Since the early 1990s, it has focused mainly on HIV and AIDS. SFH takes a two-pronged approach to its work; on the one hand, together with variety of partners, it undertakes behaviour change campaigns to motivate (for HIV/AIDS including safer sexual and reproductive health behaviour through partner reduction, fidelity, or abstinence), and on the other, it ensures easy access to affordable commodities such as condoms, pills, injectables, IUD, etc. for those who desire this form of protection against infection and or unplanned pregnancy.
Specifically, SFH employs mass media and interpersonal communication (IPC) to promote safe sex practices among sexually active Nigerians. This demand creation effort is complimented by distributing condoms and other family planning products mostly through the existing network of pharmaceutical outlets to the nook and cranny of Nigeria . Original goal was to entertain listeners and educate them on issues concerning oral conceptive. The emphasis was on the side effects of oral conceptive and their management. The first drama was entitled “One thing at a time” and was in English. This drama ran on 16 radio stations in South in 1998. Following a post broadcast evaluation by SFH research unit, fresh episodes of the drama was produced in Pidgin English in 1998, incorporating messages concerning HIV/AIDS, began airing on 16 Southern radio stations. Recognizing the needs to broaden communications work to the North of the country, the SFH issued a brief for Hausa Language drama in 1998 called “Garin Muna Fata”. The Hausa drama started airing in January 2000, and followed the same themes as had been used for “One thing at a time” in 1997. There is an also similar programme in Yoruba and Igbo Languages to improve comprehension in respective population. The Yoruba drama is called “Abule Oloke Merin” while the Igbo version is called “Oderinjin”. The main message themes remained the same, however, in 2002, the campaigns themes expanded to address other issues related to AIDS, such as fatalism and HIV prevention, invulnerability of HIV/AIDS and condom, misconceptions, issues on Family Planning (FP), types of FP methods, their advantages and how to manage side effects.
The overall objective of the drama series is to build awareness, increase knowledge, promote role models and influence societal norms with the aim of increasing safer sexual and family planning practices among the target audience.
1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
A good understanding of people’s culture, religion, income, and educational background is needed in planning interventions to change their attitudes and behaviour change. It is not easy to change the pattern of a man who is used to marrying four wives, bearing many children, using condom or negotiate sex with his wife. These issues are very foreign to him. In the light of the above the study intends to investigate how youth in Zaria perceive the drama programme ‘Garin Muna Fata”. Zaria is Muslim with few minority Christians, Hausa speaking and a closed society and very difficult in accepting changes (Maiangwa, 2004).
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study aim at:
(1) Determining whether youth in Zaria are aware of the drama programme “Garin Muna Fata”;
(2) Determine whether they listen to it or not;
(3) Determine how they perceive the programme;
(4) Determine factors responsible for their perception;
(5) Find out how the programme affects their attitudes and behaviour in their response to HIV/AIDS and family panning.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
(1) Are youth in Zaria aware of the programme ‘Garin Muna Fata”?
(2) Do they listen to the programme?
(3) How do they perceive the programme?
(4) Are their perception of the programme has to do with their existing attitudes and belief?
(5) What is their view about condom use, sex negotiation, early pregnancy and child spacing (FP)?
(6) Does the programme change their attitude toward HIV/AIDS and Family Planning?
(7) Do they use the knowledge learned on the programme?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Like every research work, this study sought to add to the existing knowledge. The research also intends to fill the vacuum created by previous works on the issues of radio programme perception and attitude change and its consequences for producers and programmers. It also intends to break new grounds by coming out with a very comprehensive, critical and unique work by seeking to know variables relating to intervention in the perception of media contents. It is therefore, hoped that this study would be of benefit to students of Journalism and Mass Communication on one hand and programme producers on the other.
1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study will be limited to Federal Radio Corporation Kaduna listeners of the programme “Garin Muna Fata”. However, since many radio stations are airing the programme, response from listeners that listen to the programme on other station shall be used. Also, bearing in mind, the economic constraints prevailing in the country at the time of study, the researcher lacked funds to undertake more elaborate study. Therefore, this study did not lay claim to have identified adequately all the issues in media perception.
Another limitation of this study was the nature of its population, limited only to Zaria . The programme is aired all over Northern Nigeria, since FRCN Kaduna covers the whole North and some part of Niger Republic . In addition, the questionnaire could only be administered on the youth, who are the main focus of the programme. One cannot completely avoid human errors from the study; we should expect some errors in filling and answering the questionnaire. These are some of the limitations of the study.
1.8 THEORETICAL FRAME OF REFERNCE
1.9 THE MEANING PERCEPTION
According to Coon (2000) perception is a mental process of organizing sensation into a meaningful pattern. The concept of perception is a key dimension in understanding the diffusion of ideas. An idea could be new but may be regarded by experts in that field as important or useful but someone may not perceive that idea in a similar manner. Therefore, perception is the way in which he detects (See Lindsmith & Strauss in Rogers, 1962).
Perception is largely subject, but since our concern here is how people perceive media messages targeted at them, we shall limit ourselves to selective processes; selective perception, retention, exposure and attention.
According to Burgoon & Ruffner (Folarin, 1980) perception is the process of making sense out of experience. It is how individual makes sense out of his/her world (See Corner & Hawthon in Folarin, 1998). Perception depends on complex of variables such as psychological disposition, past experiences, cultural expectation and relationships. People want their beliefs and judgments about things to be consistent with one another. In order to reduce dissonance created by inconsistencies in belief, judgments and action, people expose themselves to information that is consistent with their ideas and actions and they shut out other communications. One has to expose himself to a message before he can attend to it, pay attention to it, before he can perceive it then he has to perceive it, before he can retain it for future use. This assumption according to Folarin (1998) means that the information receiver, or ‘user’ is selective in what he or she is exposed to, what is perceived and what is retained.
Media effect study has been characterized over time on the basis of assumption ( Griffin , 2000). Severin and Tankard (1979) depict the time between 1915 and 1939 as the era of ‘Bullet Theory’ (also known as ‘hypodermic needle theory’) of strong media effects. Jaffae (1995) argued that influential theories of this period, which included the development of propaganda, cinema and broadcast radio industries, presumed the exposure alone to mass mediated messages, resulted in cognitive, effective and behavioural changes. The limited effect theories or minimally powerful media theories were characterized by scholarship (e.g. Klapper, 1960, Mcquil, 1993, and Folarin, 1998), claiming that mass media actually had little or no strong effects on audiences. They argued that although the media might contribute to changes through a nexus of mediating factors and influences, the audiences on their part were assumed to be selective in their exposure, attention, perception and retention.
Critical mass theory, social influence model of media use and adaptive structuration theory – suggest that individual’s perception of media messages emerge as a result of their interaction with others (Baron, 2004). According to Jaffae (1995) interractional influence was better predictor of individual’s perceptions of media messages than were individuals demographic characteristics or characteristics of media. Mcquil (1998) posited that, it was not that the media had been found, under all conditions to be without effects, but they operate within a pre-existing structure of social relationships and a particular social and cultural context. The social and cultural factors therefore, become most important in shaping the opinions, attitudes and behaviour understudy. Attention, choice and response to media message by the audience can be derived from their cultural and social context in which they live (see Trennan and Mcquil in Mcquil 1993).
Mass media in any society is seen as a formidable means of social change. This is because in addition to its classical role of education, information and entertainment, it mobilizes and integrates different segments of society, but programme producers must consider societal sanctions norms and beliefs of people in order to produce programmes that can induce attitude change. The assumptions that the ‘preaching’ approach to communication can succeed with any type of message are dated (Klapper, 1960). According to Moemeka (1981) a programme producer has to be a good listener, rather than a good talker. He should recognize the worth of the people, their customs and beliefs. The programme should be built on and from the accumulated knowledge of the people, which has sustained them for centuries.
1.9.1 THE PROCESS OF PERCEPTION
As stated earlier, people tend to expose themselves to those media messages, which are in accord with their existing attitudes and interests. Messages that improve their lives morally rather than lower their social esteem. The processes involved in this self-protective exercise according to Klapper (1960) have become known as selective processes. They are; Selective exposure (or more classically ‘self selection); selective perceptions and selective retention Folarin (1998) added selective attention.
1.8.1(a) SELECTIVE EXPOSURE
According to Folarin (1998) “it is natural that people seek out information that caters to their own interest, confirms their beliefs and boost their own ego while avoiding those that are contrary to their own predispositions and attack their self-image. Cannel and Macdonald in a study discovered that articles on health, including those dealing with the possible relationship between smoking and cancer, were consistently read by 60% of non-smoking males, but only 32% of the male smokers to whom the material presented more of a threats; among women, for whom the threat was considerably less, the respective percentages were 69 and 59 (Klapper, 1960). It is quite common for someone who subscribes to V-mobile network to suddenly start to see more of that network’s advertising than someone who subscribes to for instance MTN (Baran, 2004).
1.8.1 (b) SELECTIVE PERCEPTION
Selective perception predicts that people will interprets messages in a manner consistent with their pre-existing attitudes and beliefs. It is the study of perception that actually led to the discovery of the selective process (Folarin, 1998). Our previous experience and current dispositions – our needs, moods and memories determine the way we perceive and then decode messages. Allport and Postman in a study of the metamorphosis of rumors, presented virtual case histories of oral message (Klapper, 1960). The messages were changed in the process of social diffusion to fit existing spheres of knowledge and attitudes. They argued that material, which does not fit the predisposition of a perciver, is likely to be.
‘Recast to fit not only his span of comprehension and……………… retention, but, likewise, his own personal needs and interests. What was outer becomes inner, what was objective becomes subjective’ (Klapper, 1960).
Although, the study initially was a psychological research, it can be applied to mass media. This is because it is found that media messages are vulnerable to similar selective perception (Klapper, 1960, Baran, 2004).
1.8.1 (c) SELECTIVE RETENTION
Selective retention assumes that people remember best and longest those messages that are consistent with their pre-existing attitudes and beliefs. According to Folarin (1998) some messages are forgotten more quickly than others. Messages that are favourable to our self-image and us can be remembered with more accuracy than unfavourable ones.
1.8.1 (d) SELECTIVE ATTENTION
Scientifically the eye processes information much faster than the brain can interpret. The brain has to select which information to pay attention to at any given time, in order to avoid confusion (Folarin, 1998). Attention should only be given to messages that one fills are important to him.
However, the most powerful selective strategy is selective perception, since it makes people interpret messages (including mass mediated messages) not necessarily according to the meaning intended by the source but mainly on the basis of the personal factors like past experience, current dispositions and the linguistics resources at out disposal (Folarin, 1998).
New perspective and discoveries in mass media research held that the media role in shaping attitudes and behaviour is minimal (Folarin, 1998). Mass media messages ordinarily work through mediators, rather than shaping they reinforce the attitudes already existing. The mediators tend to render the media messages as agents, but not the sole cause of reinforcement (e.g. Klapper, 1960). Hence, the proposed theory “Users and Gratification Theory”.
1.8.1 (e) USES AND GRANTIFICATION THEORY
Blumer and Katz’s uses and gratification theory suggested that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media or its messages. Users take an active part in the communication process and are goal oriented in their media use (Katz, 1974). The theorists say that a media user seek out a media source that best fulfils the needs of the user i.e. the user has alternate choices to satisfy their needs. Blumer and Katz values are clearly seen by the fact that they believe that media consumers can chose the influence media has on them as well as the idea users choose media alternatives merely as a means to an end. Rubin (1986) believes that uses and gratification research will be best served by continuing to explore and explain the specific links among attitudes, motives, behaviour and communication effect. Employing the uses and gratification perspective has potentially significant benefits for programme producers. If they can identify, the form and content that satisfy their audience they have a dependable vehicle for successfully communicating persuasive messages.
1.10 FACTORS AFFECTING PERCEPTION
Media audiences already have their set of beliefs and attitudes some are relatively flexible, but some are so rigid that they can stubbornly defend them. The mass media have only a limited influence on people’s beliefs and behaviour (Billington, et. al., 1991). The society is organized through various groups and organizations whose strong ties and interdependences created stable group pressures that shielded the individual from direct media influence (se Bell in Billington et. al., 1991). Thus, the media help us make sense of our world. Thus, media rely on the idea that society operates on the basis of a shared common culture; that the majority, if not all of its members are in agreement on a wide range of norms, values and ideas and there is agreement on what are reasonable and acceptable patterns of behaviour. Stuart Hall in Billington et al., (1991) writes:
“It is assumed that we share a common stock of cultural knowledge with our fellow men… This ‘consensual’ viewpoint has important political consequences, when used as the taken for granted basis of communication”.
Therefore, the mass media is seen as performing function in a society. Functionalist (e.g. Comte 1798-1857), Herbert Spencer, 1820-1903) and Merton and Lazersfeld (Bryant and Myron, 2004) applied the theory in communication, view society as a system of interconnected parts which together form a whole. The foundation of this thesis is the metaphor of the living organism, whose parts and organs is grouped and organized, function to keep its essential processes going. The other parts i.e. family, religion, education, economy and culture.
A society is simply people in communication i.e. a network of interpersonal relationship. Merceiver and Page (Mahmood, 2005) defined society as any group of people with common culture who occupies a particular territory with a common feeling of unity and they regarded themselves as distinguishable”.
Indeed, virtually all discussions and literature by scholars and researchers on the factors affecting perception of radio programme (e.g. Roger, 1970, Gardner , 1969) have identified the family, religion, education, economy (income) and culture.
The most fundamental is culture. Culture is defined as the total way of life of people. We have come to see that the life of an individual cannot be understood in isolation from the socio-historical situation in which he finds himself. The sort of relationships, which exist between family members in a given society, are closely related to the educational system, prevailing economy, religion, family is very important in attitude formation, the school on the other hand promote social values and attitude. Religion determines the way people behave, the way they relate to their fellow beings. Culture on the other hand informs people orientation of social norms, attributes and values.
The underlying assumption of this argument is that society has certain basic needs if it is to operate normally – needs for information, for control, for continuity of norms and values. Peterson (Mcquil, 1969) describes the approach as ‘objective theory’ of communication. The theory according to Peterson holds that:
‘The media are seen as a mode of social interaction of various sorts; among individuals, between individuals and institutional orders of society, among institutions themselves. All this they do by the symbolic transfer of meaning, values and beliefs. Characteristically they purvey the ethos of the social order in which they operate. Yet they also provide the means of response and for potential challenges to that order…. Which of these tendencies is stronger at a given moment depends upon the stability or instability of the society’s power structure’.
Klapper (1963) noted that a study by Lazasfeld, Berelson and Graudet in 1948 pointed out predisposition on the part of audience toward opinions characteristics of their family groups or even readiness to adhere to a given point of view for no other reason than that it was family anchored. But Klapper was quick to point out that current theory regarding the resistance of group anchored attitudes to change and their susceptibility to reinforcement is not sufficiently refined, however, to permit wholly accurate prediction. Quite aside from providing anchorage for existing opinions, group membership (religious, family etc) may facilitate reinforcement and impede conversion by intensifying selective exposure.
Therefore, groups and group norm serve in various ways to mediate the perception of media message. The audience are guided in their viewing (for TV audience), in their listening (for radio audience and reading (for newspaper audience) by social circumstances, ranging from culture, religion, their family and the level of their education.
According to Sambe (2005) the earlier concept of prime influence of the media has now given way to more complex considerations that depend heavily on family, educational and cultural background etc, environment for the interpretation and utility of media messages. Religious beliefs, peer groups and gender, all give individuals’ different approaches and background to interpretation of media messages. When we interpret mass media messages, how we react to them depends on how they affect us
2.9 BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE COMMUNICATION
The problem of HIV/AIDS at national prevalence rate of 5.0% (The Federal Ministry of Health, 2003 National ANC Sero prevalence Survey data) is a major national development issue. The epidemic is spreading rapidly, further affecting the quality of life of Nigerians. At least, 80% of the infection is contacted through sexual intercourse and the presence of sexually transmitted infection (STI’s) increases susceptibility to HIV/AIDS. Young people between the ages of 15-29 years have the highest rate of infection. Heterosexual intercourse is said to be driving the epidemic. Experience in other countries (e.g. Uganda ) has shown that a holistic approach that includes promotion of abstinence, partner reduction and consistent condom use for the sexually active in a context where social support favourable can lead to a reduction in the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with a current estimated population of 126.6 million people. Total fertility rate (TFR) is estimated to have remained at 6 children per woman since 1990. This figure is disputed and probably ranges between 5.2 and 6.0, but is thought to be closer to 6.0 (NDHS). In the North women have almost 3 more children per woman than in other regions.
In 2002, the society for Family Health began to implement the Promoting and Reproductive Health and HIV prevention programme (PSRHH) with the aim of:
· Increasing use of condoms with non-spousal partners among target groups;
· Reducing incidence of unprotected sex among key target groups;
· Reducing members of sexual partners (among key target groups).
· Delaying the age of sexual debut, particularly for girls;
· Increasing modern contraceptive prevalence rate (the use of modern family planning methods.
uThe target groups for the radio drama are general population married and unmarried between ages 18 to 35 years; youth multiple partners and those at the verge of being sexually active. The method adopted is behavior change. The method has been an important strategy for combating HIV since the beginning of the epidemic. However, encouraging behaviour change is often complicated due to cultural norms. Traditionally having many children is a pride on the side of the father and Islamically a man is allowed to marry four wives. And the idea of using condom is believed by many people that it encourages sexual promiscuity, which is harem in both Islam and Christianity.
.
Since the main focus of this study is perception as it relates to behaviour change. The overall behaviour change strategy is based on the information, motivation and behavioural skills (IMB) model with elements of diffusion theory and social cognitive theory (SCT). Diffusion theory is particularly relevant as a theoretical basis for how innovations are diffused from the early adopters to reach a majority of the individuals in a social network (Community) and guides the integrated use of mass media, entertainment – education (Edutainment) efforts and interpersonal communication (Rogers, 1962). The IMB model focused on interventions that are based on information, motivational and behavioural skills determinants of behaviour change (Bandura, 1971). The social cognitive theory advocates that people learn from role models whose behaviour they wish to emulate. Modeling acknowledges that people learn from variety of experiences, often vicariously, by observing the action of others. Thus, behaviours, which are modeled from media experiences, can become habitual if found useful and/or if they are reinforced in the environment. It accounts for normal human behaviour like the way we dress, phrases we use and the way we groom ourselves etc (Coon, 2002).
One other theory that is relevant here is the uses and gratification theory (Katz, 1990). It posits that there should be less attention paid to what the media do to people and more attention on what people do with media. The theory perceive the recipient as actively influencing the effect process, since he selectively chooses, attends to, perceives and retain the media messages on the basis of his/her needs and belief etc.
Theories are systematically related generalizations, which attempt to explain and predict. The bottom line on these theories is; we are all different because we have different experiences and we are made differently. Those differences affect how we receive and understand media messages. So, instead of a mass media messages{all the same way}, our differences limit the effect of the messages.. Thus, a mass media messages’ influence seem to be mediated by factors and condition.
DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS
1. Abstinence: This means refraining from casual and multiple sex and sticking to one partner.
2. Attitudes: This comprises the feeling and belief of people about an idea and their behaviour towards it.
3. Audience: Those whom a programme is designed for. In this context, it means the youth, poor and vulnerable in Hausa speaking area.
4. Awareness: This is to inform people about the existence and nature of something; in this context, it is referred to the target audience having the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and realizing the importance of family planning technique.
5. Content: Messages contained in a programme.
6. Correlation: This means bringing a mutual relationship between policy makers and their audiences.
7. Behaviour: This means a situation where if full knowledge were available all human action can be analyzed into stimulus and response.
8. Mass medium: This refers to a means through which information action is disseminated to influence the ideas of enormous number of people. The phrase here can be used interchangeably with radio.
9. Media: This is a means of communication like interpersonal group, radio, television, newspaper, etc.
10. Messages: This is a content of a programme i.e. what the communicator wants his audience to receive.
11. Partner reduction: This is a process of reducing sex partners to only one so that the risk of contacting HIV/AIDS is reduced.
12. Perception: This is the act and power of becoming aware of change either in mind or through the eyes. In this context is referred to how audiences understand and interprets the concept of the radio programme.
13. Producers: These are the people responsible for a broadcast programme.
14. Programme: This means a radio or televise broadcast; which in the context refer to the drama programme.
15. Post broadcast evaluation: This is an assessment conducted by SFH after airing the radio drama.
16. Sexually active: This means a person who is not virgin i.e. he had engaged even once in sexual intercourse.
17. Stratified: This means the social class or division in a society.
18. Surveillance: In mass communication parlance the word surveillance means a process whereby the media perform a role of checking the excesses of policy makers.
CHAPTER TWO
2.1. INTRODUCTION
The pioneer research work into perception studies was Joseph Klappers’ work published in 1960, ‘The effect of mass communication’. According to Mcquil (1993). Klapper distinguished between ‘conversion’, ‘minor change’ and ‘reinforcement’ – respectively. This means that in any media message, there is a change according to the intention of the communicator; change in form or intensity, then confirmation by the receiver of his or her own existing beliefs and opinions.
With emphasis on current volume, this chapter presents synthesis of related literature on perception, which constitutes the subject matter of this study. Derivatively, the chapter takes a look at the history of radio medium, then radio drama, attitudes and behaviour, general diffusion theory, media research and diffusion theory.
2.2 RADIO AS A MEDIUM
Radio communication was of many minds. What started as Henrich Hertz a German, thereby creating what are now called Radio waves, demonstrated prediction by James Maxwell in 1860’s. In 1895 Gugliemo Marconi transmitted signals at a short distance and in 1901 and 1902 conducted successful transatlantic tests. This new communication medium was known as ‘wireless’, later in 1912 the American started calling it radio.
Radio broadcasting is customarily an ensemble task in which numbers of people have a part; announcers, musicians, engineers, writers, publicists and others. It is also depend on complex electromagnetic devices and associated materials.
2.3 RADIO PROGRAMME (DRAMA)
The symbol output of radio is called programming. According to Hall (1967) radio is ‘blind medium’ and the type of programmes it produces is derived largely from the simple fact that, unlike television, it provides no visual message to the listener. Radio programmes, unlike the printed pages of books or newspapers, are also ephemeral products; very few people bother to record radio programmes (Chester et. al., 1978). So they cannot be so easily ‘re-read’. Radio programmes therefore have to provide the listener with extra auditory clues to compensate for the lack of images and must ensure that the listener understands these clues at the first and almost certainly only – hearing. Communication theorist suggest that, if people tend to interpret the world largely through their ability to see it, then being deprived of visual clues will compel them to supply such clues for themselves.
Radio has been called the art of imagination. According to Hilliard (1967) the writer for radio is restricted by the breadth and mind’s eye of his audience. He has to create through effective combinations of sounds, music, dialogue and silence whatever stimuli he wishes to and may place the audience in any physical relationship to any character he wishes. Thus, when listening to a radio play, one needs to imagine not only a character’s thought but also that person’s appearance and surroundings. Radio dramatists argue that this offers greater intellectual and emotional reward to a listener – as opposed to a viewer – and allows the writer to create stories and characters that are truly experimental and fantastical. According to Zola (1994) the playwright is like a doctor who must expose a disease in order to cure it – drama therefore had to bring social ills into the open. The result of this was drama that focused on the seamier elements of society rather than beautiful or ideal.
2.4 ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR
Gasket (2003) pointed out that the means of communicating have grown alongside the increased power of people to shape their physical world as their increasing interdependence. With the telecommunication and data communications revolutions the world has been turned into a ‘global village’ (Mcluhan, 1964). The influence of media on the lives of people increased the study of their effect and their role in shaping attitudes and behaviour. It is believed by some that, the media tend to reinforce personal views, (e.g. Klapper, 1964, Mcquil, 1999, Baron, 2004) and by others that political conversion of transmitting information is relevant. Nonetheless, the changing communications media have proven to have a long term effect, which bring subtle but very important changes to views and perception of media (Baron, 2004).
2.4.1 MEANING OF ATTITUDES
In social psychology, the idea of ‘attitudes’ is central to explaining the need for a link between an individual’s perception of the world and his/her action within it (Coon, 2000). According to him an attitude is a mixture of belief and emotion that predispose a person to respond to other people, objects or institutions in a positive or negative way. An assumption common to various models of attitude change is that these three components co-exist harmoniously and are internally consistent. This is such that an induced change in one component of an attitude creates on inconsistency that can be resolved by compensatory changes in other two components. This essentially perceptual or cognitive perspective is due, in large measure, to the early and continuing influence of Gestalt Psychology (Coon, 2000). Gestalt Psychology is a school, which emphasizes the study of thinking, learning and perception in whole unit not by analysis into parts.
2.4.2 BEHAVIOUR
Psychologically, behaviour is anything one does – eating sleeping, talking, thinking or sneezing (Coon, 2000). So also, dreaming, watching television, learning English. Our behaviour is guided by our attitudes towards people, objects, or institution. Attitudes are acquired in several basic ways. Direct contact (experience), interaction with people through discussion with people holding a particular attitude, then child rearing (the effects of parental values, beliefs and practices). Although, attitudes are relatively stable, they do change (Coon, 2004), through persuasion. Festinger (1950) discussed the concept when he talked about cognitive dissonance theory. According to him individuals tend to avoid information that is dissonant or oppose to their own point of view, and they tend to seek out information that that is, in consonant, or in support of their own attitude.
Festinger’s theory points out that, people whose attitudes can be influenced most readily are those who have not yet made up their minds. Understanding the theory and its potential for influencing the silent majority is extremely important for a programme producer, whose objective is to make his audience accept his ideas through thoughtful, clear and persuasive communication.
2.5 DIFFUSSION OF INNOVATION
The study of diffusion theory is potentially valuable in the study of perception and mass media effects. According to Rogers (1995), Diffusion is defined as the process by which an innovation is adapted and gains acceptance by members of certain community. While a number of factors interact to influence diffusion of an innovation Rogers (1995) pointed out four factors that influence the process of diffusion. These are: the nature of the innovation itself; how information about the innovation is communicated; time and the nature of the social system into which the innovation is being introduced. Diffusion research in its simplest form, investigate how these major factors, and a multitude of other factors, interact, to either facilitate or impede the adopter group.
But before discussing how diffusion theory has been incorporated into media research, we will provide a brief background and overview of general diffusion theory.
2.5.1 GENERAL DIFFUSSION THEORY
The most important fact to consider in discussing diffusion theory is that it is not one well-defined, unified and comprehensive theory. A large number of theories, from a wide variety of disciplines, each focusing on a different element of the innovation process, combine to create a meta-theory of diffusion (Surry, 2000).
The most likely reason for the lack of unified theory of diffusion is that the study of innovation diffusion is fairly recent. Roger (1995) points out that a 1943 study by Ryan and Gross at Iowa University provided the genesis of modern diffusion research. The Ryan and Gross study, from the field of rural sociology used interviews with adopters of innovation to examine a number of factors related to adoption. The interview-based methodology used in the Ryan and Gross study has remained the predominant diffusion research methodology ever since ( Rogers , 1995).
2.5.2 MEDIA AND DIFFUSION OF INOVATION
Roger 1962 contributed to the findings of Ryan and Gross by studying this diffusion phenomenon in articles across the discipline and produced the five stages of adoption process, namely awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and finally adoption. He also refined their distinction between the early accepters, early adopters, the majority and later accepters by producing the popular diffusion of innovation curve and a corresponding defined set of individual adopter types, including innovators, early adopters, early majority, and late majority and laggards, each with their own location on the adoption curve.
Figure 6.4
Figure 6.5
Roger explained diffusion of innovation as a theory that analyses, as well as helps explains, the adaptation of a new innovation. It help the process of social changes .An innovation is an idea practice and object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption .the perceived newness of the idea for the individual determine his/her reaction to it [Roger 1995] .As a result diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channel over time among the member of a social system. Thus, the four main element of the theory are the innovation, communication channel, time and the social system .The realization of the diffusion of innovation theory might seem simple at first, but various other earlier works were critical in helping communication researchers arrive at it. The two-step flow of communication was a hypothesis that was under considerable examination. Katz [1957] hypothesized that ideas flow from radio to opinion leader and from these to the less active sections of the population.
Information source are important stimuli to the adoption process .The individual becomes aware of innovation mainly by impersonal and cosmopolite sources such as the mass media .The media are readily available and attractive source of innovations. They provide symbolic innovation of almost every conceivable form of behaviour. Sociologists concerned with social and economic development have attached much importance to the mass media continuing a tradition [Defleur, 1995]. They are looked at as an efficient instrument for spreading information and altering attitudes towards innovation [Baran, 2004]. The field of diffusion studies, while concerned primarily with the adoption of innovations in rural areas and focusing on the structural determinants of adoption rather than on large-scale effects of mass media, is very relevant to the present discussion.
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter attention shall focus on the methodology of data collection and analysis used in this research. The chapter discusses the research population, sample selection, research design, construction and validation of instrument, data gathering procedure, and data analysis.
3.1 INDENTIFICATION OF POPULATION
In any research especially scientific the goal is to describe the nature of a population. Population is sometimes referred to as the universe and it is defined as the entire group whose characteristics are to be estimated (Ndagi, 1984). According to Wimmer and Dominic (2000) population is a group or class of subjects, variables, concept or phenomena. We can have population of persons such as students; geographic area such as residential areas objects such as textbooks or test items. Population could be infinitely large (e.g Nigerians, past, present and future) or finite (such as 400 level students that participated in the fight against HIV). The research population in this study is the youth in Zaria town, Kaduna State . In order to simplify the process, the usual procedure in these instances is to take sample from the population.
3.2 STUDY AREA
Zaria can be described as the mother of all towns in Kaduna State , because all the major towns had at one time or another been under its administration. It was one of the original seven Hausa state (Hausa Bakwai). It was established by Gimguma, the son of Bawo and the grandson of Bayajidda, the great legendary warrior of Daura, whose sons established the seven Hausa states.
According to the 1991 population census, Zaria has a total population of 277,187 people. The town comprises the old Zaria city, Tudun Wada, Sabon gari, Palladan, Kwangila, Samaru, Gaskiya and Wusasa. The main ethnic groups include Hausa and Fulani. There are also various ethnic groups from different part of Nigeria who come to settle in Zaria . The main occupation of Zaria people is farming, Arabic scholarly, blacksmithing and trading being the busiest activity for both men and women. With the establishment of higher institution of learning in the early sixties, western education triumphed which saw the influx of many people from different part of the country and beyond into the town. Majority of the population in Zaria are Muslims, however, there are Christians and animist as well.
3.3 SAMPLE SELECTION
A sample is a subset of the population that is representative of the entire population. Sample is defined as a limited number of elements selected from a population (Ndagi, 1984). Being representative does not imply that a sample is a mini-population, i.e having the exact characteristics of the parent’s population except in the case of some populations that have been completely studied, e.g census reports (Wimmer and Dominic, 2000). Any sample that is not representative of the population regardless of its size is inadequate for testing purposes (Ndagi, 1984). This is because the results cannot be generalized.
3.4 DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE
The researcher used combination of primary and secondary methods of data collection. The primary method employed in this research is the survey method. It is used in collecting intensive data for study and analysis. Primary data are data collected which contain no unknown quantities in respect of method of collection, accuracy of measurement of which member of population in investigated. The survey method is a technique that involves drawing up a number of questions on various subjects or on various aspects of a subject to which selected members of a population are requested to react (Sobowale, 1983). According to him it is commonly used by behavioural scientists because it is an important instrument for obtaining information from people about their perception, opinion, attitudes and behaviours in survey stdy.
Two types are used in survey methods: Descriptive and Analytical. A descriptive survey attempts to picture or document current conditions or attitude – i.e describes what exists at the moment (Wimmer and Dominic, 2000). Analytical on the other hand describes and explains why certain situation exist. In this approach, two or more variables are usually examined to test research hypotheses. The results allow researcher, to examine the interrelationships among variables and to draw explanatory inferences. In the current study the analytical survey is used to obtain information.
Due to time constraints and lack of funds, the study adopted the stratified random sampling to collect information from respondents. According to Ndagi (1984) the srs is the process of dividing a population into strata or sub-populations. The researcher divided the population into districts, for e.g Zaria City , Tudun Wada, Sabon Gari, Samaru, Wusasa, etc. Selections are made randomly and independently from each stratum. The estimate of the parameter over all strata is computed. The reason why the study adopted the srs is that the stratification allows variability of the elements selected within each stratum to be more homogenous than is the variability of elements between strata (Ndagi, 1984).
3.5 CONSTRUCTION AND VALIDATION OF INSTRUMENTS
The study employed questionnaire as instrument for gathering data. The questionnaire is made up of structured questions related to the research questions, objective and research problem. Respondents are expected to answer these questions. It is a proper method of data collection and it is simple. It is suitable for very large population, but is major problem is high rate of non-return of questionnaire which affect the analysis (Adenji, 2006). For this research one hundred questionnaire were distributed randomly to the sample selected.
3.6 DATA ANALYSIS
The method of data analysis to be employed is simple statistics, where data collected could be analysed using the measure of central tendency. They can be grouped in terms of educational background and income. The data could be put into tables and or charts where necessary.
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 INTRODUTION
This chapter shall focus on presenting data collected, based on the reaction of respondent on how they are perceiving the programme “Garin Muna Fata”. Data collected shall be presented in simple percentage and tables for easy interpretation.
A total of 100 questionnaires were returned, out of the 100 administered, which represent a response rate of 100% (percent). This was made possible by the researcher where questionnaires missing were re-administered. However in supplying answers, many questions were skipped by respondents that they were suppose to answer all. In analyzing the data, therefore the researcher presented all skipped questions in percentages in order to give an accurate presentation of all the data. The following findings are presented in the order of the question asked or raised in tables.
TABLE ONE
SEX DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS
Variables
Numbers of Respondents
Percentage
Male
69
69%
Female
31
31%
Total
100
100%
In table one above, 69 or 69% of the respondents were males, while 31 or 31% of the respondents were females. This invariably means majority of the respondents were males which, means they have the highest opportunity of answering the questionnaire.
TABLE TWO
AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondent
Percentage
15 – 18 years
9
9%
19 – 25 years
42
42%
26 – 30 years
29
29%
31 – 35 years
17
17%
Total
100
100%
In table two 9 or 9% of the respondents were between the ages of 15 – 18 years of age, 42% or 42 respondents were 19 – 25 years old, 29% were between 26 – 30 years while 17 or 17% were between the ages of 31 – 35 years. The average mean age of all the respondents is 20 years. From the table we will be able to deduce that majority of the respondents were between the ages of 19 – 25 years.
TABLE THREE
MARITAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Single
71
71%
Married
27
27%
Divorced or separated
2
2%
TOTAL
100
100%
In table three, 71 or 71% of the respondents were single, 27 or 27% of the respondents are divorced, separated or widowed. This means majority of the respondents which made 71 (71%) of the respondents were single.
TABLE FOUR
OCCUPATIONAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number or Respondents
Percentage
Students
63
63%
Civil servants
18
18%
Farmers
10
10%
Others
7
7%
Total
100
100%
In table four, 63, or 63% of the respondents are students which are the majority, 18 or 18% are civil servants, 10 or 10% of the respondents are farmers, while 7 or 7% of the respondents are either businessmen or engage in other jobs.
TABLE FIVE
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Tertiary
79
79%
Secondary
21
21%
Primary
-
-
Others
-
-
Total
100
100%
In table five majority of the respondents were in tertiary institutions, 79 or 79% have an advanced level certificate. While 21 percent were in secondary school or have a senior school certificate.
TABLE SIX
ANNUAL INCOME OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Less than N5000
17
17%
N5000 – N14000
42
42%
N15000 – N25000
29
29%
N26 – N50,000
9
9%
Total
100
100
In table six, the income level of the respondents were sought where 17 or 17% of the respondents have an income of N5, 000 or less. Majority had an income of 14,000 to as small as N5, 000 while 29 or 29% had an income of between N15, 000 to N25,000. The rest i.e 9 or 9% had an income of N25, 000 to 50,000 per annum. The average mean of the entire respondent is N20, 000.
TABLE SEVEN
OWNERSHIP OF RADIO SET BY RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Yes
88
88%
No
12
12%
Total
100
100%
In table seven, 88 respondents or 88% owner radio set while 12% or 12 of the respondents did not have radio set this means majority of the respondents had radio sets i.e. 88% which is a good indication of good response.
TABLE EIGHT
RESPODENTS WHO HAVE NO RADIO CCESS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Always
1
8.3%
Occasionally
5
41.5%
Rarely
5
41.5%
Never
1
8.3%
Total
12
100%
In table eight, 12 people or 12% of the respondents did not have radio set. Out of these 1 or 8.3% had access to radio set always, 5 respondents or 41.5% occasionally, 5 or 41.5% rarely while 1 respondent or 8.3% said he never had access to radio.
TABLE NINE
FAVOURITE RADIO STATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables
Number of Respondents
Percentage
FRCN
62
62%
KSMC
25
25%
PRTV
3
3%
OTHERS
10
10%
TOTAL
100
100%
In table nine, the respondents’ favourite radio station indicates that majority 62 or 62% of the respondents choose Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria , Kaduna as their favourite radio station. 25 or 25% KSMC, 3 or 3% PRTV while 10 or 10% others like Nagarta Radio, BBC.
TABLE TEN
FREQUENCY OF LISTENERSHIP
Variable
Number of Respondents
Percentage
Always
56
56%
Occasionally
31
31%
Rarely
12
12%
Skip
1
1%
Politicians, INEC, Democracy and the Rest of us
Democracy as a system never changes, but politicians who are responsible for nurturing it do change and in fact try to twist it to suit their interest. Recently, there were calls from patriotic Nigerians and Labour organisations in the country for the President to sack Professor Maurice Iwu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission. INEC as an institution is one of the fundamental pillars of our democracy, others being the Police, Media and Civil Society Organisations. The institutions of democracy are very fragile institutions because they take a long time to build-up; in our case this is evident on the way we find ourselves under democracy. These institutions can collapse at any time and more quickly, not least through violence. Their collapse will be as result of de-democratisation through small but conscious adjustments of important details of the structures. Without anyone really wanting it to happen, the institutions of democracy can thus lose their efficacy and their norms. This can take place by critical development being neglected or by political representatives consciously or recklessly misusing the confidence of citizens.
Without mincing words one can confidently say that the institutions of democracy in Nigeria from 1999 to date have been systematically destroyed and gradually Nigerians are loosing faith in the system. No system, in all man made systems guarantees freedom like democracy. It is a very appealing system, because is a system founded on a conviction that all people are of equal value. In contrast to every other idea about the structure of society, democracy accepts and proceeds on the basis that we are different and should be allowed to be so. We should not need to be adjusted. It guarantees citizen participation in governance - the freedom to select leaders of your choice; it protects the interest of the week and checks the excesses of the strong. Its guiding principle is constitution, which spelt out how each and everyone should conduct himself.
Unfortunately opposite is the case in Nigeria, however in many instances we should not blame Maurice Iwu alone or the INEC for all what we have been seeing in most of our elections. Maurice Iwu is also a Nigerian and the INEC is manned by Nigerians who cannot act differently from the rest of us. Today, INEC is criticised almost by every Nigerian (except, may be by people who benefitted from its rigging and manipulation of election results) because it is through it that one of the tenets of democracy is bastardized i.e. the power of citizens to control their own destiny and be afforded an opportunity to develop skills to resolve their conflicts together with others in a democratic spirit. INEC, security agencies and greedy politicians combined, have in 2003 and 2007 denied Nigerians the opportunity to choose leaders of their choice.
The expectation of Nigerians in 1999 after long period of military rule was democratic dividends. They expected more economic opportunities and better governance but 9 or 10 years after, what we see from top to bottom is a bloody battle by politicians, each trying to out-do his opponent in a winner-take-all system in which the voters are all but unnecessary. These same people, the politicians who got the opportunity to rig themselves into power are killing their own people by stealing the money meant for health care, for schools, for clean water, for everything which ideally democracy come with.
The hope of counting Nigeria as one of the growing family of democratic nations in Africa soon dashed away. It is not surprising then to hear some analysts started thinking of whether our politicians are matured enough to sustain our democracy. After riding a rough road in which many Nigerians lost their lives, while some went for exile, the expectation was that our politicians have learnt a lesson and cannot allow or give chance to any power hungry despot to have his way. But the frivolities exhibited by our politicians through bad governance, open looting of public treasury, and election rigging is a clear indication that our politicians have not learnt anything.
Some writers are of the opinion that Nigeria’s case is as a result of long military rule which the country suffers. But is that absolutely correct? Because the country spent 15 years under military rule and now we have entered our tenth year of democracy. Ten years is enough for us to de-militarise our political culture and establish in its place a true democracy, and it does not appear there is any end in sight to garrison form of politics (apologies to Ahmadu Ali), if we consider the behaviour of our politicians. For how long can we continue to blame our democratic culture on prolong military rule when our politicians who are the custodians of democratic culture take pleasure in abusing its tenets?
The future and entire development of our democracy is disappointing and very annoying considering the energy and time devoted to fighting the military in the 1980s and 90s. Nigeria's democracy has been a resounding failure; investigations upon investigations, court cases against public servants and political office holders, who shamelessly stripped their states treasuries naked, that has led to widespread neglect and disillusionment. The ruling party is not the only culprit here; the opposition are also guilty of the same offence. They do all sort of things the ruling party is accused of, they intimidate their opponents, rig local government elections and use incumbency to perpetuate themselves on power.
Therefore, Professor Maurice Iwu is not the problem of Nigeria’s democracy, even if he is removed today, what we saw in 2007 elections will repeat itself in 2011 because the same people that bullied themselves to power in 2007 are still alive and are ready to do worse because Nigerians are gullible, they can easily be deceived by sweet talks from deceptive politicians who come with catch phrases like electoral review, constitutional review and agendas that are never implemented. The elites, who are supposed to rescue the country from these people are either afraid to talk or connived with them. We wait and see, pray and hope, because the conviction of Nigerians is that the country cannot continue like this and surely these people will pay for what they did to Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA Gombe State,
Nigeria.
kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764,08035150369
Democracy as a system never changes, but politicians who are responsible for nurturing it do change and in fact try to twist it to suit their interest. Recently, there were calls from patriotic Nigerians and Labour organisations in the country for the President to sack Professor Maurice Iwu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission. INEC as an institution is one of the fundamental pillars of our democracy, others being the Police, Media and Civil Society Organisations. The institutions of democracy are very fragile institutions because they take a long time to build-up; in our case this is evident on the way we find ourselves under democracy. These institutions can collapse at any time and more quickly, not least through violence. Their collapse will be as result of de-democratisation through small but conscious adjustments of important details of the structures. Without anyone really wanting it to happen, the institutions of democracy can thus lose their efficacy and their norms. This can take place by critical development being neglected or by political representatives consciously or recklessly misusing the confidence of citizens.
Without mincing words one can confidently say that the institutions of democracy in Nigeria from 1999 to date have been systematically destroyed and gradually Nigerians are loosing faith in the system. No system, in all man made systems guarantees freedom like democracy. It is a very appealing system, because is a system founded on a conviction that all people are of equal value. In contrast to every other idea about the structure of society, democracy accepts and proceeds on the basis that we are different and should be allowed to be so. We should not need to be adjusted. It guarantees citizen participation in governance - the freedom to select leaders of your choice; it protects the interest of the week and checks the excesses of the strong. Its guiding principle is constitution, which spelt out how each and everyone should conduct himself.
Unfortunately opposite is the case in Nigeria, however in many instances we should not blame Maurice Iwu alone or the INEC for all what we have been seeing in most of our elections. Maurice Iwu is also a Nigerian and the INEC is manned by Nigerians who cannot act differently from the rest of us. Today, INEC is criticised almost by every Nigerian (except, may be by people who benefitted from its rigging and manipulation of election results) because it is through it that one of the tenets of democracy is bastardized i.e. the power of citizens to control their own destiny and be afforded an opportunity to develop skills to resolve their conflicts together with others in a democratic spirit. INEC, security agencies and greedy politicians combined, have in 2003 and 2007 denied Nigerians the opportunity to choose leaders of their choice.
The expectation of Nigerians in 1999 after long period of military rule was democratic dividends. They expected more economic opportunities and better governance but 9 or 10 years after, what we see from top to bottom is a bloody battle by politicians, each trying to out-do his opponent in a winner-take-all system in which the voters are all but unnecessary. These same people, the politicians who got the opportunity to rig themselves into power are killing their own people by stealing the money meant for health care, for schools, for clean water, for everything which ideally democracy come with.
The hope of counting Nigeria as one of the growing family of democratic nations in Africa soon dashed away. It is not surprising then to hear some analysts started thinking of whether our politicians are matured enough to sustain our democracy. After riding a rough road in which many Nigerians lost their lives, while some went for exile, the expectation was that our politicians have learnt a lesson and cannot allow or give chance to any power hungry despot to have his way. But the frivolities exhibited by our politicians through bad governance, open looting of public treasury, and election rigging is a clear indication that our politicians have not learnt anything.
Some writers are of the opinion that Nigeria’s case is as a result of long military rule which the country suffers. But is that absolutely correct? Because the country spent 15 years under military rule and now we have entered our tenth year of democracy. Ten years is enough for us to de-militarise our political culture and establish in its place a true democracy, and it does not appear there is any end in sight to garrison form of politics (apologies to Ahmadu Ali), if we consider the behaviour of our politicians. For how long can we continue to blame our democratic culture on prolong military rule when our politicians who are the custodians of democratic culture take pleasure in abusing its tenets?
The future and entire development of our democracy is disappointing and very annoying considering the energy and time devoted to fighting the military in the 1980s and 90s. Nigeria's democracy has been a resounding failure; investigations upon investigations, court cases against public servants and political office holders, who shamelessly stripped their states treasuries naked, that has led to widespread neglect and disillusionment. The ruling party is not the only culprit here; the opposition are also guilty of the same offence. They do all sort of things the ruling party is accused of, they intimidate their opponents, rig local government elections and use incumbency to perpetuate themselves on power.
Therefore, Professor Maurice Iwu is not the problem of Nigeria’s democracy, even if he is removed today, what we saw in 2007 elections will repeat itself in 2011 because the same people that bullied themselves to power in 2007 are still alive and are ready to do worse because Nigerians are gullible, they can easily be deceived by sweet talks from deceptive politicians who come with catch phrases like electoral review, constitutional review and agendas that are never implemented. The elites, who are supposed to rescue the country from these people are either afraid to talk or connived with them. We wait and see, pray and hope, because the conviction of Nigerians is that the country cannot continue like this and surely these people will pay for what they did to Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA Gombe State,
Nigeria.
kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764,08035150369
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