CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Communication has continued to play significant roles in human communities. It is an important vehicle for sensitization and societal transformation. Notably, Nigeria is deficient in modern communication infrastructures, which is one major vehicle for the promotion of developmental programmes. Many people do not have adequate access to communication messages and the long-term price Nigerians pay is the entrenchment of poverty, ignorance and general under-development.
In Nigeria’s peculiar development circumstances, communication media (indigenous and modern) should be employed in creating awareness, mobilization, resolution of conflicts/problems and empowerment of the people. Knowledge, as a popular adage goes, is power and what the people need critically, is the freedom to access information for development at minimal cost. Children need knowledge through communication to stay in touch with the changing trends in a globalized world to fight poverty, disease and more importantly, ignorance and lack of fundamental freedoms, one of which is the rights of the child. The issue of child rights has come to the fore as democracy grows in many parts of the world.
Unfortunately in Nigeria, child abuse, neglect, discrimination and deprivation continue to engage the attention of individuals, groups and organizations. Adeyemi (2000:2) commenting on the rights of the African child, says: … “The situation of most African children remains critical due to the unique factors of socio-economic, cultural, traditional and developmental circumstances – natural disasters, armed conflicts, exploitation and hunger”.
