The Role of Electronic Media in the Crusade Against Religious Intolerance in Nigeria (a Case Study of Residence if Awka Anambra State)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this research are as follows:
- To identify the roles of the electronic media in the crusade against religions intolerance in Nigeria.
- To discuss the impact of the electronic media towards reducing the incidence of religions uprising in Nigeria.
- To highlight and appraise the extent of coverage of religions uprising by the Nigerian electronic media.
- To suggest the strategies for making the Nigeria electronic media more effective in terms of crusading against religions intolerance in the country.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter contain the relevant literature on the role of the electronic media in the crusade against religious intolerance in Nigeria. This chapter contain the following sub heading.
- The Nigeria electronic media – A historical overview
- The causes of Religious Intolerance in Nigeria
- The Nigeria Electronic media and the crusade against religions intolerance in Nigeria.
- The electronic Media and social integration
- Summary of the Review.
THE NIGERIA ELECTRONIC MEDIA A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
In Nigeria the electronic media of the television, the radio and the Internet (Obafemi 2000) these media of communication are vital forces of social change in the country. It is worthy of note that an exposition on the historical aspect of these media in Nigeria will throw a light to the significance of their roles in the crusade against intolerance in the country.
THE RADIO
Radio Broadcasting in Nigeria owes its birth to the colonial policy which demanded sharing of information between the colony and the colonial lords (Anya 2000). In 1932 the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) extended its services to Lagos. The operation was then very crude because it involved the installation of a loudspeaker in office and this was able to relay BBC services. This was what latter metamorphosed to federal Radio corporation of Nigeria (Radio Nigeria) during this period, ownership of the radio was monopolistic since it was the exclusive right of the federal government (Agbo and |Ukozor 2000)
This scenario, however, charged in 1960 when chief Obafemi Awolowo ( the then premier of western Nigeria) established the western Nigeria broadcasting corporation (WNBC) from then to its present day, many commercial radio station have been set up in many states of the federation. (Ugo 1999). The proliferation of radio stations in Nigeria had gone to the extent that today, almost all the states of the federation own at least one radio station. In addition of this, private individual had started operating radio stations in the country. Notable among these radio stations (both state owned and private radio station) are as follow
- Broadcasting corporation of Abia state
- Enugu state Broadcasting service
- Kaduna state Radio corporation
- Ebonyi state Broadcasting services
- Kwara state Broadcasting Service
- Lagos state Radio corporation
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the researcher described the procedure for the research on the role of the electronic inn Nigeria, specifically this chapter described the following.
- Research method
- Sources of data
- Study population
- Sample size and sampling method
- Instrument for data collection
- Method of data collection
- Method of data analysis.
RESEARCH METHOD
The cross sectional study research method was adopted by the researcher in this study. This method involves the creation of data by sampling different sub groups at the same time. This method was chosen by the researcher because it has the following advantages.
- It provides data for research very quickly
- It eliminates the problem of looking for the same respondents at different times
- Test weakness of respondent are eliminated
- It could be used for answering research question and other forms of casual explanation
SOURCES OF DATA
The data used in this research was obtained from two principal sources namely
Primary data sources – These include those data which the researcher collected by herself using questionnaires and personal observation
Secondary data sources – These include those data which the researcher collected from already documented records. The specific sources of data information under this category include the following.
- Textbooks
- Dictionaries and Encyclopedia
- Journals and periodicals
- Newspapers and magazines
- Government publications
- Publications of informational organization
- Unpublished project reports.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
In this chapter the researcher analyzed all the data collected for this study. The analysis was done by using simple frequency table and percentages.
DATA ANALYSIS
Table 4.1 – 4.3 showed the demographic characteristics of the respondents that formed the study sample.
RESEARCH QUESTION ONE
What are the roles of the electronic media in the crusade against religious intolerance in Nigeria.
This research question is answered by analyzing the responses to question 4.6 of the questionnaires as shown on table 4.4, 4.6
Table 4.4 responses as to whether or not the electronic media play notable roles in the war against religious intolerance.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This chapter dealt with the summary of the major findings of the research on the role of the electronic media in the crusade against religious intolerance in Nigeria. The chapter also contain the conclusion and the recommendations of the study.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The discussions and analysis done in this study revealed the finding explained below:
Majority of the respondents (88.0%) state that the electronic media play notable roles in the war against religious intolerance in the country. Source of these roles include, educating the masses on the dangers of religious intolerance (as noted by 87.0% of the respondents) sponsorship of programmes on the inter-religious dialogues (as noted by 90.0% of the respondents), discouragement of the politicization of religious (as noted by 95.0% positive responses of the respondents). This study equally revealed that the notable electronic media used in the war against religious intolerance are the following.
- The radio (as noted by 99.0% of the respondent)
- Television (as noted by 95.0% of the respondent)
- Cinema (as noted by 91.0% of the respondent)
A larger percentage of the respondents (69.00% ) agreed that the crusade done by the operations of the electronic media had reduce the incidence of religious uprising in Nigeria also a greater proportion of the respondents (95.0%) agreed that the Nigeria electronic media had covered all facts of the society through their crusade against religious intolerance in the country.
Majority, of the respondent (76.00%) agreed that the country’s electronic media industry could be improved so as to make it more effective in the war against religious intolerance in the country. Some of the strategies suggested for improving the Nigeria electronic media included the following. Government is addition of subsidy to all the production inputs of the electronic industry (as noted by 97.00% of the respondents) and the employment of competent professionals by media houses (as noted by 90.00% of the respondent). Government sponsorship of programme on inter-religious affairs regularly (as noted by 98.00% of the respondents by media houses (as noted by 90.00% of the respondents)
The acceptance of alternative hypothesis one showed that the Nigeria electronic media had made positive impact on the crusade against religious intolerance. Also the acceptance of alternative hypothesis two showed that the Nigeria electronic media had prompted that the Nigeria electronic media had prompted inter-religious tolerance in Nigeria.
CONCLUSION
On the strength of the findings of this study the researcher concluded that the Nigeria electronic media had through their activities/crusade prompted inter-religious tolerance in Nigeria. Some of their roles in the crusade/war against religious intolerance include the following.
- Educating the masses on the dangers of religious intolerance in the society.
- Sponsorship of programmes which prompted inter-religious dialogue among the various religious sects/groups in the country.
- Discouragement of the politicization of religious in the country.
The crusade carried out through the radio, TV and cinema had to a large extent reduced the incidence of violence religious uprising in the country. This is because the electronic media operators had carried their crusade to all facet of the Nigeria society including the rural areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The researcher hereby recommended the following to make the electronic media more effective in the war against religious intolerance, the government should subsidies the cost of all the production inputs of electronic media industry these inputs include transmitters, Broadcasting equipments etc. the addition of subsidy on these inputs will reduce the cost of crusading against religious intolerance on the part of the electronic media.
- The government should sponsor programs on inter religious affairs regularly through the broadcasting station in the country.
- The operators of the electronic media industry should employ competent professionals to man their affair particularly as they relates to the crusade against religious intolerance in the country.
REFERENCES
- Anya K.A (2000): Introduction to Journalism Lagos Diamond Books Ltd
- Nvokoro F (1998) Religion and the media in our society Benin city: Barhart
- Ekeocha U. (2000) Fundamentals of Africa Humanities Ibandan Thorndike (Nig) ltd
- Mohammed H. (2000) Culture and Religions in Reflections on the role of the media on cultural and Religions Diffusion Lagos state. Press.
- Chikwe A.O (1999) The mass media and society Lagos Diamond book ltd
- Ogbu onyeoma F.(201) Introduction to religions studies Asaba Ifeinemann
- Turkur C.O. (2000) Media religions relations in Nigeria Benin Longman
- Iyamu F. (2000) Sociology for Nigeria schools and college.
