An Assessment of Community Newspaper in the Promotion of Cultural Heritage in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To determine the frequency and trend in the coverage of cultural heritage resources and their tourism potentials in The Guardian and Vanguard Newspapers.
- To ascertain the prominence (placement) given to cultural heritage in Nigeria in the selected newspapers.
- To identify the story type used in the coverage.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Heritage refers to material and non-material cultural and natural possessions inherited from the past. They comprise works of art, farmlands, landscapes, historic places and buildings, monuments, archaeological sites and artifacts, ecosystems, cultural practices, norms, beliefs, customs, folktales and indigenous knowledge, etc. Cultural Heritage plays a very important role in our life. It is what keeps us attached to our religion, traditions and beliefs and strongly influences our sense of identity. A primary objective for managing heritage is to communicate its significance and need for its conservation to its host community and to visitors. Heritage resources, both tangible and intangible, are parts of educational programme that have been used to educate people about the origin and history of their various nations. In the view of Aremu (2014), indigenous and foreign archaeologists have used heritage resources and finds to make significant contributions to the understanding of human and cultural evolution in Nigeria in particular and in Africa in general. He cites examples with the classical naturalistic bronze art works of Igbo Ukwu (South-East), Benin (Mid-West), Ile Ife (South-West) and the Nok Terracotta (North-Central) which are pointers to the effective period of civilization in pre-colonial Nigeria (Okpoko & Ezeadichie in Njoku, 2002, p.7). There have been International endeavors towards the management of world Heritage. The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, signed in Paris in November 16, 1972, was an international agreement through which nations join together to conserve a collection of the world‟s timeless treasures (Perdesen, 2002). The belief that World Heritage sites belong to everyone and should be preserved for future generations are the very principle on which the World Heritage Convention is based (Perdesen, 2002). Each country or “State Party” to the Convention recognizes its primary duty to ensure the identification, protection, conservation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage situated on its territory (Perdesen, 2002). Aremu (2014) reports that 190 countries have ratified the treaty, and at present 981 properties are inscribed on the list – 759 of which are cultural, 193 are natural and 29 are mixed. Nigeria is home to two of the world heritage sites – Osun-Oshogbo Sacred Grove in Osun State and Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State. In the view of Okpoko (2006, p.9), modern museum or western style of museum in Nigeria emerged during the colonial era with the efforts of expatriates such as Kenneth Murray, E.H. Duckwork, J.H. Braunholtz and B.E.B Fagg who worked extensively in Taruga Historical Iron Smelting Site. The efforts of these men were very instrumental to the establishment of the earliest museums in Nigeria – Esie, Jos and Oron museums.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain assessment of community newspaper in the promotion of cultural heritage in Nigeria. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of community newspaper in the promotion of cultural heritage in Nigeria.
Summary
This study was on assessment of community newspaper in the promotion of cultural heritage in Nigeria. a cases study of the Guardian and Vanguard Newspapers in Lagos. Three objectives were raised which included: To determine the frequency and trend in the coverage of cultural heritage resources and their tourism potentials in the Guardian and Vanguard Newspapers, to ascertain the prominence (placement) given to cultural heritage in Nigeria in the selected newspapers and to identify the story type used in the coverage. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected hospitality industries in Lagos. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
Newspaper as a channel of information dissemination is one of the major tools for cultural transmission. Information about cultural heritage tourism is spread from one region to the other through newspapers. Going by the findings, the study shows that news stories on cultural heritage tourism in Nigeria were not adequately reported in Vanguard and The Guardian newspapers. This is based on the fact that there were low coverage and prominence on cultural heritage tourism. Also, there were less in-depth reports for explicit understanding by the general public. When in-depth reports are employed, the media set-agenda and more groups in the society are engage in the discourse on cultural heritage tourism because they can partake in activities that will boost not only the economy of the nation but also their own individual economy. Based on this, the study concludes that issues on cultural heritage tourism were not well projected to the general public within the period of study.
Recommendation
- Reports on cultural heritage tourism should be covered frequently and more prominence should be given for more emphasis on the importance of Nigerian cultural heritage for tourism development.
- More in-depth analysis and report should be employed for better understanding of the usefulness of cultural heritage tourism for both individual and national economic growth.
- There is need for further research especially looking at the location of the newspapers and regional culture of the country. Also, a comparative study of the print and broadcast media could be done to ascertain their reports on cultural heritage tourism in Nigeria
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