COMMUNICATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN IKPE COMMUNITY IN INI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
The role of mass media in communication and conflict resolution processes on society has been a topic of importance among communication experts. They are of the opinion that media have contributed and will continue to contribute toward conflict resolution in society. Traditional media has been acknowledged for its contribution to societal conflict resolution.
However, traditional media are those communication system invented and used by our forefathers to disseminate information within the communities.
These traditional media can be classified into Aero-phones, Idiophones, Membrane phone, and Extra- mundane which are still being used in community and villages to complement modern media.
There is a certain amount of semantic confusion arising from what constitute traditional media. One of the notion surrounding the semantic confusion is that traditional media channels are outdated when compared to modern media.
That is system of communication is still useful in most developing countries and has therefore sustained the information need of the rural populace.
The Traditional Media channels have served as a supporting impact in mobilizing the rural masses for conflict resolution programmes.
Traditional media are unique in so many ways. Bride (1980) maintained that ‘ even when modern media have penetrated isolated areas, the older forms maintain their validity particularly, when used to influence attitude.
Incite action and promote change stating further, the uniqueness of traditional media used a subtract form of persuation by presenting the required messages in locally popular artistic forms; this cannot be rivaled by any other means of communication.
He further state that traditional media are designed to persuade people locally and influence them about what to do and what not too do in conflict resolution processes.
According to Abouade (1987) he maintained that 50 percent of the total population in Nigeria live among the non literate whether rural or urban.
Moreso, in the above comments anything to go by specific efforts must be directed towards finding, the means of facilitating access to information by majority of the rural dwellers, reaching the people so that they can be many.
Mobilize and enlighten on the essence of conflict resolution and development programmes inspite their prevailing state of illiteracy, by them may be the only way to have this through the traditional media which is to the majority of the rural dwellers.
This study therefore intend to see how far this unique power of traditonal media channel is being exploited and used for the conflict resolution process in rural areas.
However, the study is limited to Ikpe community in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
1.2 Historical Background
The people of Ikpe community originated from Ikpe clan. The Ikpe clan of present day Nigeria is at South West of Akwa Ibom State. The area covers about 400 square kilometers; it shares a common boundaries with Arodwuni in the North.
Bounded in south and unmukhia in the East, all in Abia State. Ini is grouped into five (5) Clans which include, Odoro Ikpe clan, Itu Mbumosu clan, Nkari clan, Iwere clan and Ikpe clan, the largest of these five clan is Ikpe clan which has it’s administrative headquarter at Odoro Ikpe as it Local Government Area Headquarters.
The people of the community speak diverse dilates but has one generally accepted language called Ibibio. Despite these diversity in dilates, there is a high degree of corresponding ethnic unity among them.
Occupationally, the people of Ikpe are typical farmers, they cultivate cassavas, cocoa and rice in commercial quantities. They also engaged in fishing business and craft work.
Politically, there is a central political organization in Ikpe clan which is Odoro Ikpe from where the government action and decisions are centered. Also, social amenities are distributed to the village, each village is traditionally autonomous, and is classified under Ikot Ekpene Sanatorial District.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
According to Abogode (1987) he noted that it is estimated that around 50 percent of the total population in Nigeria live in the rural area, and that generally, there are more non-literate at present in the country whether rural or urban.
It is true that 80% of the total population in Nigeria lives in the rural areas and the majority of the population are non – literates, the government must therefore device a means to reach rural people who constitute the larger population presently in the country. The only effective means for reaching and mobilizing those rural dweller are through the traditional media and channels.
The problem that this study seeks to address is to seek the way and means in whioch the last percentage of rural dwellers use the traditional media and channels to enhance conflict using ikpe community in ini local local government area, akwa ibom state as the case study.
1.4 Objectives of the Study
Base on the above problem,this study seeks to;
- Ascertain the type of traditional instrument of communication used in ini local government area
- Find out the available traditional media and channels used by the people to carryout conflict resolution programmes
- Determine which rural traditional media channels has enhance or facilitate conflict resolution process of ikpe community
- Suggest other ways which traditrional media and channels can facilitate conflict resolution process
1.5 Research Questions
- What are the type of traditional method of communication that are used in ikpe community of ini local government area ?
- What are the available traditional media and channels used by the people of ikpe community to carry out conflict resolution programmes?
- Which rural treadtional media and channels have enhanced conflict resolution process of ikpe community ?
- What ways do traditional media and channels facilitate conflict resolution process?
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study will be limited to how the people of ikpe community have been able to make effective use of traditional media and channels in
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