THE USES OF TRADITIONAL MODES OF COMMUNICATION IN THE MOBILIZATION OF CITIZENS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

This study was conducted to ascertain how traditional media of communication are used in mobilization of Itu citizens for community development projects. The study aims at looking at the various modes of traditional media used by Itu citizens, and the effectiveness of these modes in mobilization of Itu citizens for community development projects. The researcher was also out to discover why the citizens of Itu use traditional media in mobilization of people at the local level for community development projects. The study employed survey method of the research and the major instruments used in this study were personal interview, and past records for information and facts. A set of interview questions, which were up to twelve, were administered to 80 respondents, drawn from ten villages, two villages from each clan making a total of five clans in Itu Local Government Area. Findings from the study revealed that modern media of communication have started to penetrated the local level and some people, somehow are exposed to the modern media of communication. It was also discovered that traditional media are mostly used as attention getters, and when the attention of the people have been gotten, the message is thereby given immediately. The researcher discovered that the kind of information provided by these modes of communication are that of Health, Agriculture, Sanitation, Crime, Vigilante group, market buildings, clearing of bush social and economic etc. These channels serve as effective agents in mobilization of people for community development projects. The researcher recommends that both the traditional and modern media of communication should be given more attention especially when sending out information on mobilization of people for community development projects, because each of them have qualities that are not inherent in the other. Rural communities should be encouraged to won and continue to operate their own channels; this will enable them to communicate with government and intimate government of their needs and reactions to government policies. More importantly, it would allow for greater and easier mobilization of the people towards development and integration and facilitates inter-community communication.