THE IMPACT OF TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION IN INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

THE IMPACT OF TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION    IN INFORMATION DISSEMINATION (A STUDY OF IKOT EDET, IBIONO IBOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

Traditional system of communication simply means the media of communication peculiar to a particular nature of society. This had from generation to generation to the extent that they become ways of life in another development, traditional system of communication is those communication system invented and used even by our forefathers to disseminate information within and across the communities and villages.

These modes of communication are many and varied. They include verbal communication, signs and symbols. Wilson (2010) analytical asserts that traditional communication is an admixture of social conventions and practices which have become sharpened and blended into veritable communication modes and systems and which have almost become standard practices for society. Communication experts and professional agreed that traditional commucnaiton involves a lot more. The effective of these tradition systems of communication is that it served as a supportive input in mobilizing the rural people for development programme.

MacBride (2001) noted it most sweeping that traditional system of communication is designed to persuade mostly the local people and influence them about what to do and what not to do for development process. Since the rural people do not have access to radio and television and despite the fact that majority of them cannot read and understand, it is therefore noted that there must be a unique way of reaching these people so that they can be mobilize for development programme, in spite of their prevailing state of illiteracy, so the only way to achieve this is through the traditional systems of communication which is peculiar to the majority of the rural dwellers. Thus anthropology, history sociology, linguistic, music, religion, mythology and an amalgam of multi-various cultural practices which have become standard within any given society could rightly be termed traditional communication within that society. This is to say that those systems of communication help in one way or the other tom disseminate information within the society. The effectiveness of this traditional system of communication in Ikot Edet Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is what the project seeks to examine Ikot Edet which originated from use Abad clan is located at South East of Akwa Ibom. The area cover about 300 square kilometers and it occupies the territory extending east west from Akwa Ibom State to the Cross River State respectively.

Ikot Edet community is grouped into nine clan, they are: use Abat, Ikot Obio Okon, Ikot Anthono, Ikot Akpan-Atai and others,  the people a unified dilates called Efik through someone found from clan to clan the people have a linguistic unity which correspond to the very high degree with the general cultural homogeneity, existing within the clans.  Use Abad is the administrative headquarter of Ibiono Ibom local government area. Socially, the people have a unity cultural displays that is used to entertain the community and across when need arise such as the Ekpe.

Ekpe Ikau-Ukiud. Educationally, the people are well in government of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria at large.

Agriculturally, the people crop and cultivate they also involve in animal husbandry such as poultry and piggery. The people supplies food stuffs in Nigeria as general

Politically, the central political organization is in Ikot Clan which is under Uyo Senatorial District and every village are traditionally autonomous.

• Statement of the Problem

As we all know that majority of Nigerians lures in the rural area then, only effective way of reacting this majority of people is through traditional system or modes of communication. The problem of this study is to give a sense of direction, and means against which the rural dwellers used the traditional system of communication to enhance development process using Ikot Edet Community in Ibiono local government in Akwa Ibom State as the case study.

• Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are to:

1. Identify the traditional modes of communication and how they aid in mobilizing the people of Ikot Edet for social development.
2. Find out how they bring about development among the people of Ikot Edet in Ibiono Local government area and whether the development it cultural, political, economical, social on spiritually.
3. Ascertain in extent and in which traditional modes of communication facilitates social development.
4. Show the complementary role of traditional systems of communication alongside with their modern counterparts.
5. Identify the origin of Ibiono Ibom indigenes and how similar their traditional modes of communication is different from other Ibiono community.

• Research Questions

In finding solution to the problems stated before, some questions are vital to design the research work such question are:

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