THE ROLE OF EBBS RADIO ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF OBUOFFIA AWKUNANAW IN NKANU WEST L.G.A. (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU STATE BROADCASTING SERVICE RADIO)
ABSTRACT
Rural development is a very important aspect in the development of a nation nd for a nation to develop very well, it must reach the rural dwellers and the rural masses must be aware of the developments and for the government to reach the rural populace they have to use certain strategy like through the media or going to them face to face. The project "The role of ESBS radio on rural development of Obuoffia Awkunanaw" is carried (outto provide or show that the mass media plays an important role in development of rural areas. It is important to note that this research is aimed at telling the masses that they can be educated through mass media and also for the media houses and know that illieteralry rate of rural people can be reduced through the media by programmes organized to teach or inform the masses. The questionnaire method was used in determining the population elements sampled. Findings from the study revealed that the rural people feels that the media could help in educating them on the development of the government in different aspects in helping them develop their rural areas. The implication of the entire study is hat the media houses e.g the Enugu state broadcasting service radio station are beginning to understand that they have important role to play in the development of the rural areas. For communication the government and other policy-making bodies to progress they must find a way of getting to know how best to help develop our rural area and inform the rural dwellers of their ideas.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Development they say it is developing or it is the process of encouraging new invention and industries to create jobs and life for the people. In this study the role of mass media on rural development is an attempt to examine how rural development programme can be effectively organized and implemented at the local levels in Obuoffia community in Awkunanwo Enugu state. An in-depth researcher reveals that within Enugu state media there existing electronic and print media. Under electronic media there is an intensive use of (AM) Amplitude modulation and (FM) frequency modulation stations both in federal radio co-operation of Nigeria FRCN, Enugu state broadcasting service ESBS) and daily star newspapers among other are used to create awareness for the rural development. The under- development community Obuoffia have called for a great concern of the press media.
The timidity and ignorance that often exhibited by the rural dwellers have linked the media concerns as to how they should educate inform enlighten mobilize sensitize in order to revitalizes the regrettable trend in Obuoffia and the entire rural communities. Most rural dwellers do not know the opportunities available to them they still flourish in the previous dog mate belief that cannot equate them with their counterparts in the urban setting .
The media here are face with he Obligation on the betterment of the rural communities through the packaging of information on how to do something with their in-exposure which hinders them from acquiring basic knowledge there by educating them through programmes which can sharpen their intellects providing job opportunities for the ever increasing population explosion in rural set –up and re-orientation of our rural dwellers through sensitization enlightenment mobilization and motivation.
Rural development of any kind in any place can only be meaningfully achieved through a well planned execute complex interactions. The major role of media is usually to enlighten and examine problems and issues that need to be understood in order to improve the quality of life in the rural dwellers. Enugu state broadcasting service of Nigeria and the federal radio corporation of Nigeria should help to maintain the much needed regular two-way communication between the poor people of Obuoffia and the urban elite’s especially the government or those holding political powers in the country.
It is no longer contestable that when media is properly applied communication can work together with a nexus of other social variables to facilitate social change. That is why the communication and development experts or practitioners in Africa and around the world have been long engaged in the search for methods approaches devices techniques and of course strategies that could help them put communication to the fullness and most effective use in achieving their various development objectives.
The two broadcasting station news articles features have 50 long be recognized as officious packages for development especially now that we are in the democratic despencention. Media should focus more on how we use rural newspaper for development and for the mobilization of such neglected and discarded rural dwellers in the primitive and the interior parts of Enugu sate. We are convinced that it will be quite unreasonable for us to expect achieving any meaningful realistic and actualized rural development of Obuoffia Awkunanowo in Enugu state that communication without careful and systematic approach towards mobilization and participation of rural communities which of course can be achieved through the media using Enugu state broadcasting service (ESBS) as case study.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In the problem statement of the role of mass media in rural development using Enugu state broadcasting service as a case study. We observed very unfortunately that many problem exist. However in a case of money change agents rural development officer public relation officers. Information officer and other officers that are involved in preparing news articles and features for rural development projects do not do their work well enough to achieve the required and desired results. Besides the problem is ignorance but most of the time the problem is either lack of insufficient oritention of those officers to achieve the special need techniques and systematic approaches for preparing new, articles and features towards achieving rural development objectives. Furthermore, high illiteracy barriers is another problem of the mass media in achieving its arms and objectives in rural development most of the people in the rural area are not intelligent and educative enough to understand some of the information’s been passed from the media house. Again the rural dwellers major weakness to develop rest on the point the readership level is how due to the low literacy rate of the rural targeted audience . even the rural newspapers has continued not to allow them develop inspire of the role of media in Enugu as the case study.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this research is to find out the means through which media/press can develop the rural dwellers in Obuoffia communities in Enugu state as a case study. Therefore media should inclulge in its traditional communication style through which it must preceded by an extensive research effort by identify the information needs of the rural dwellers the social cultural and economic characteristics literacy level historical religions biases and readership pattern.
Furthermore the media for the rural areas must also be preceded by the formulation of a clearance editorial policy that is dominantly guided by a sound muralist philosophy with a broad outlook. In addition the objectives of this study is to evaluate on how the media in Enugu state has gone in maintain a Gason communication between the rural communities and the state government.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
To provide a reliable panacea through which media should embark in alleviating about 70% of the rural dwellers that have been seriously neglected in the policies and policies and programmes of the government affairs the significance of this project. This will be very important to the researchers academics the Enugu state newspaper daily stars and of course Enugu state Broadcasting service. Federal radio cooperation of Nigeria and indeed rural dweller in Obuoffia communities. In guiding the press in reporting and connecting upon such issues as health agricultural education culture family planning government politics festival and religion as it affect rural area and its inhabitants.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is rural development?
2. How can media help in rural development?
3. Why should the rural area be developed?
4. How far Radio Nigeria Enugu been able to raise that objectives?
5. What are likely problems to be encountered in developing the rural areas?
6. What type of communication process on mass media that exist are in support of various rural area in Enugu?
7. Where are the rural communities?
In relation to this the study of rural development dimension and communication pattern in Enugu. The task of these present study is to find out solution of those questions.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
MEDIA: It can be defined as a mean of communication such as television radio New paper and magazine.
DEVELOPMENT: The process of encouraging new mention and industries to create job and life for the people it also means developing of being developed.
STUDY: The process of gaining knowledge of a subject that need investigation.
PRESS: It is made up of electronic media tools such as the radio, Newspapers television magazine periochically done by the Journalist
1.7 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
To consider or understand the role of media rural development this study should operate on the following hypothesis.
1. Electronic media is conferred a long lasting solution to these rural development.
2. Rural development is attributed to the effectiveness of the press.
3. Illiteracy among the rural dweller is the major factors that militate against the understanding of mass media programme.
4. People of Obuoffioa towns (areas of study) are aware programmme on rural development.
