PROPOSAL / CHAPTER
ONE
1.1
INTRODUCTION
Information
is an essential tool for ensuring good democratic governance in a nation state.
As a matter of fact, an effective instrument through which the populaces get
enlightened about the activities of government as well as actions or in actions
of people in the society.
However,
information can be disseminated through some equipment which mass communication
parlance are regarded as the “mass media”.
Mass
media according to Head and Sterling (1982) are those means of communication that use of technology to reach large parts of the population
almost simultaneously with the kinds of news and entertainment that ordinary
people find attractive and at a price that ordinary people can afford to pay.
Mass
media often time, play a tremendous role in ensuring growth and stability of
the society vis a vis governments operations. While they have helped over the
years in media have also been a mechanism through which citizens make
contributions for or against government policies.
Mass
media assumed a powerful position in Nigeria political discourse during the
attainment of a full fledge democratic governance having played an outstanding
role in overthrowing military forces and its allies.
Nationalist
like Chief Jeremiah, Obafemi Awolowo, Herbert Macaurlay, Chief Nnamdi Azikwe
etc employed the mass media to fight the colonial master to achieve freedom for
Nigeria. Subsequently the same means was used to eliminate paraphernalia’s in
government and launch the country into democracy.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Election
is necessity in any democratic set up. Aspirants or candidates into any post,
acquaint themselves with the people during election through campaign. Campaign
is a means through which a politician under a particular party roll out his
programme or projects which he want to materialize for the betterment of the
people.
Mass
media being the tool through which candidates make known their aspiration
during election becomes a source of information for the
populace.
populace.
Therefore,
the role mass media play in the acceptability of candidates during election and
his or her subsequent voting into power becomes the
problem of this research work.
problem of this research work.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i.
Do the mass media
influence the people about a candidate during election?
ii.
How often do people listen
to election information through the media?
iii.
What is their level of
commitment to the mass media during election?
iv.
What do they think about
electioneering information from the media?
1.4 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
This research
work seeks to examine the role of mass media on acceptability of candidates
during election in Nigeria.
In
addition, this study will seek to know the impact of mass media on
electioneering processes.
electioneering processes.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This
study help us to access the power of mass media in influencing and bringing
about attitudinal changes in people, especially to win support for
a candidate during election.
a candidate during election.
It will
also help political analyst and campaign managers to know the best type of
media to reach out to people during election as they fashion their campaign
programmers to get maximum support and acceptance.
1.6 SCOPE
AND LIMITATION
The scope
of this research work is the examination of the Role of Mass Media on
Acceptability of Candidates during Election in Nigeria and the limitation is
Ifelodun Local Government.
1.7 A BRIEF HISTORY OF IFELODUN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, IKIRUN OSUN
STATE.
Ifelodun
Local Government has its headquarters in Ikirun. It was created in 1976 by Muritala/Obasanjo Military Regime
and comprises Iba, Obaagun, Eko-Ende, Eko-Ajala, Dagbolu Seke, Eweta, Olu and
other villages and hamlets
The
people of Ifelodun Local Government area are Yoruba of Oyo origin with the same
cultural affinity. There are scores of other
tribes such as Hausa, Igbo’s, Nupes and people from West African Countries
trading and living peacefully with their landlords.
Geographically,
Ifelodun Local Government shares boundary, with Odo-otin Local Government in
the North, Boripe Local Government the East and Olorunda Local Government in
the southwest it covers a total land area of about 136.5. Square kilometer and
lies approximately on latitude 07.80 North of Equator and longitude 04.41 East
of Greenwich Meridian it is situated within deciduous forest typical of the
tropics and savannah vegetation. Rainfall is seasonal and occurs between the
months of March and October. Average rainfall is about 60 inches. Temperature
is usually high during the day and mild during the night rising to 700 F during the season.
The
population of Ifelodun Local government according to the 1991 Census figures is
84,504 comprising 41,349 Male and 43,155 Female.
Agriculture
is the traditional occupation of the people planting cash crops such as Kolanut,
Cocoyam and Cassava. The people also engage in Trading, Carpentry, Weaving,
Dyeing and Motor Transport business, other commercial activities engaged in
are: Quarrying, Weaving, Soap-Making e.t.c.
As a
result of the commercial activities of the people, there are three major weekly
markets, namely; The Oba Lawani Adeyemi Market otherwise known as (Alamisi
Market) Oba Olayiwola Olawale Adedeji Market known as (Monday Market) and
Saturday Market.
Ifelodun
Local Government Area has a relatively good network of road and there is a
Federal road which passes through Ikirun linking Osogbo (Osun state capital)
with Offa in Kwara state. There are also a number of state and Local Government
road within Ikirun, and those that link Ikirun with other towns in the Local
Government.
In order
to facilitate industrial planning the Local Government acquired 121,5330 hectares of land along Ikirun-Osogbo
road at Dagbolu for residential, commercial and industrial purpose.
Democracy
is commonly defined as the Government of the people, by the people, and for the
people, with the people being a formidable force in its operations. Their
involvement in election and indeed electioneering process Democracy is
important, to the use of the media.
Mass media
plays an important role in Democratic Governance. Apart from strengthening the
development of Nation, it is also a veritable tool in ensuring citizens
participation in Government decision making.
Likewise,
the operational set up of Democracy called for the formation of different
groups, commonly referred to as political parties and party representatives can
only assumes leadership position through election. Election According to Dorsey
dictionary is a process of selecting one person or more for an office, public
or private from a wider field of candidates.
Therefore,
with the growth of Democracy in Nigeria, it becomes imperative for us to know
what inform the choice of candidate of the populace. Hence, the preoccupation
this research work is the Role Mass Media play in the Acceptability of a
Candidate during Election.
All the
towns in the Local Government area are connected with electricity while there
is water supply from Eko-Ende water scheme to the people of Ifelodun, Boripe
and Odo-Otin Local Government areas.
There are
telephone facilities in Ikirun, the headquarters on code No 035. The global
system for Mobile telecommunication is also operational with the presence of
ETISALAT, AIRTEL, GLOBACOM and MTN. There is also a general post office in
Ikirun, another one in Iba and postal Agencies in other parts of the Local
Government areas. In addition to this, there are several public and private
primary and secondary schools in virtually all the nooks and crannies of the
Local Government.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
ROLE: Role according to Oxford Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary (6thedition) is the degree to which somebody or something
involved in a situation or an activity and the effect that they have on it.
MASS MEDIA: Defleur and Dennis
(1981) defined mass media as the devices for moving messages across distance or
time to accomplish mass communication.
ACCEPTABILITY: Agreed or approved of by most people
in a society.
CANDIDATE: A nominee or aspirants for any
position or honour.
ELECTION: Is a process of selecting one person
or more for an office, public or private, from a wider field of candidates.
