Communication and human development
• Sunday, Dec 23, 2007
Educationally, the quest for mass literacy even to the grassroots in the 21st century as propagated by the National Education Policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria for a total emancipation of human development from the shackles of ignorance, social injustice and psychological effect of illiteracy for a virile society cannot be over emphasised. The point here is how this dream would be achieved appropriately. At this juncture, the electronic medium would enhance the spread of the programme for effective language communication.
In the human society, language communication plays a vital role for human development. Close observation has indicated that in the African context since the advent of civilization from the Northern region, lots of human development has been affected on language communication.
The period of primitivity and uncivilisation has become a thing of the past. However, in tern areas, the issue of adequate language communication is not dawn despite several medium of communication machineries in the form of science and technology.
Language communication is being periscoped in different dimensions by philosophers. Simply put language is Power. It is a medium of passing relevant information and knowledge required of the people. In a scholarly assertion, Professor A. S. Hornby and his cohorts had mirrored language as “human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, feelings and desires by means of a system of sounds and sound symbols.” Language was further described as a form used by a group, as well as manner of using words.
Taking a look into yesteryears during the era of the old Rivers State dispensation, there were four local languages that were prominently featured in news casting and utilization of other programmes earmarked to reach and educate rural dwellers on certain norms and policies of both ethnic nationalities and government at various facets.
These ethnic languages include: Ikwerre, Kalabari, Khana and Kolokuma respectively. Overtime, the issue of decentralization policy was given top priority and some other ethnic languages were considered and incorporated in the service of the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC), which include the following: Ndoni, Ogba, Engenni, Ekpeye, Abua, Andoni, Ogbia, Epie, Itari and others.
Without hesitation, the languages took off precisely with two programmes each, according to the directive on REQUEST, where greetings were sent across to relations and well wishers on CHIT -CHAT, as the Artiste - the Coordinator enlightens and educates his kinsmen on cultural and traditional ethics and other information relevant to the people. Pertinently, these programmes shortlived for only three months - April to June 1981 and was proscribed unceremoniously with a lame assumption that it might over load the singled AM Radio Station in operation then.
In view of socio-economic and human development, the Rivers State Government conceived a vision of establishing additional electronic industry, hence the birth of the Frequency Modulation (FM) Radio Station in 1986.
In the same vein, the television unit of the electronic media was also enhanced from channel 10 to channel 22 as bonafide properties of the State. Of course, these were developmental steps taken in the right direction to address the issue of reaching out to the rural areas with necessary communication in news casting and other related programme requirements.
Furthermore and precisely, October 1, 1996 the Ijaw speaking ethnic nationalities were carved out of the former Rivers State as autonomous sovereign State known as Bayelsa by the military administration of late General Sani Abacha. Invariably, the creation of Bayelsa State has actually lifted some socio-economic and political burdens off the neck of Rivers people and of course, a sigh of relief was heaved.
Retrospectively, it behoves one to posit: what has been the outcome of these social developments for the past 20 years of a ’sovereign State?
There is a biblical outcry that states “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” as propounded in the book of Prophet Hosea 4 v 6 first part. It does not necessarily mean that one has to attend a educational institution before certain things could be learnt.
Therefore, it is imperative that the entire citizenry need to be reached either academically and or traditionally to balance the equation of eradicating illiteracy and ignorance in the society with particular reference to the rural dwellers. Without mincing words, ignorance is a chronic ailment which could be cured only with adequate and appropriate enlightenment, entertainment and positive educational communication programmes through the electronic media.
For instance, there are indiscriminate deaths which are not natural in several ethnic groups in the world due to lack of knowledge as people bent on invocation and enchantment of evil spirits and consultation with devilish shrines at odd times.
Realistically, when the local languages are re-introduced into Radio programmes, certain norms and ethics would be corrected and the people would realize the value of self, fellow human beings and readdress the fetish characteristics that have beclouded the mind and relationship and communication shall be cordial.
In a television programme on Channel 6 of Friday, 27th November 1981 at 9.30p.m., the importance of language communication was lauded by Hon. Gabriel Okara thus: “Language is a part of culture because it transcends from one to another.” Similarly, in the Nigerian Star No.22387, during the 15th West African Languages Congress held at the University of Port Harcourt on 4th to 10th April, 1982, Professor Kay Williamson commented that “Our languages are important.”
Nevertheless, the two Radio stations owned by the Rivers State Government are more than enough to adequately accommodate the languages for local programmes in order to reach the rural dwellers.
In as much as the Broadcasting Corporation is going international in the electronic industry, it should not loose sight of educating and enlightening its people at the grassroots.
With all pleasure, Rivers State is socially and economically identified as the treasure base of the nation whereas a good percentage of the citizenry are kept in the darkness of ignorance and it has become arduous to express some pressing socio-economic problems as mineral producing areas.
Herein the rural communities should be acquainted and fully connected with Government decentralisation policies to enhance the living standards of the rural society. The denial of these policies is in deed, a developmental setback in a democratic system of administration in our modem dispensation. The broadcasting industry is not supposed to be engulfed with the Western activities.
Without hesitation, an example could be lent from the Ibo speaking areas where the citizens are always kept abreast of government’s programmes through the use of local languages for better understanding the local ethics to enhance the Western ethics alike. These programmes are intertwined and not to be lope sided.
Frankly, common customary exhibitions are eluding the people with greater concern to the younger generation as a result of the decline from the natural behaviours and enlightenment by the custodians. For instance, a greeting in some local dialects is becoming burdensome to the average sons and daughters of the modem age. The imperativeness of incorporating the local languages to return the people to the status quo cannot be over stressed.
Ominyanwa, a public affairs analyst resides in Port Harcourt.
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