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THE ROLE OF BROADCAST MEDIA IN WOMAN POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT IN NIGERIA (A STUDY OF FEDERAL RADIO CORPORATION OF NIGERIA NTA, ENUGU

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Abstract

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INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

It was believed that since the mid the 1980s, the term “empowerment” has become popular in the field of development, especially in reference to women.  The grass root programs has virtually replaced terms such as welfare, uplift community participation and poverty alleviation to describe the goal of development and intervention.  Women deserve empowerment in politics, business, education, marriage and other commitments men engage in the society.

Women constitute a critical segment of the Nigeria population. They are very much active in agriculture, economic sector, and have, also contributed immensely to the decolonization and general development of this great nation.

Women’s struggle began in 19

th

 century when women like Amina of Zaria, Madam Tinubu of Lagos, Olufuamilayou Ransom Kute of Abeokuta, Margaret Ekpo and Haji Gabon Swabia amongst other fought to give women the bride of place in Nigeria political history after the struggle for independence was over.  In area of politics, the above named women contributed to the mobilization and sensitization campaign of other women to be adequately involved in the politics of the country.

At present, the issues that concern women have drawing global attention with the results that anything that affect the lives of women affect virtually everybody in the society, Obasi (2008:91).So, the neglect and relegation of women empowerment has heightened the political consciousness of women in Nigeria.  Some of them occupy strategic position in the government where they have continued to prove their mettle. For instance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Prof. Dora Akunyeili, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, amongst other have undoubtedly distinguished themselves in their political official assignments.

The role of women in development has, for a long, been taken place for granted and relegated to the background. For a long time, politics in Nigeria has been played with the unusual patronizing attitude which usually does not go far in the enlightening women. Some of the factors responsible are social and cultural practices which hither to have been misinterpreted to create biases against women.  There is need for the women to be properly educated so that their numerical strengths and voting power can be profitably galvanized and oriented towards empowerment of other women who will turn things for the welfare of women in Nigeria.

What is really the meaning of politics?

Various scholars have commonly agreed that politics is defined as the art of possible; a game of wits, all that begins and ends with government”, Asogwa (2011:4) politic is essentially the art of and science of governing people and resources. It is also the study of control, distribution and use of power over human activities in the society, Nwankow (1990:80).  The obvious maneover associated with the concept and practices of politics influenced the emergence of the Laswelhiam theory, of politics which states that politic is who gets what and how (Laswelhim 1958:109).

The Nairob World Conference to review and apprise the achievement of UN decade for women in 1985, and the Beijim fourth World Conference on women in 1995; both had top on their agenda issues concerning women and the media.  These conferences brought to the force the importance of the media in the quest for genda equity in development, despite international conferences and politics aimed at gender friendliness; however, women’s participation in Nigeria politics is undermined by the way, the media represents politics as a an exclusive make domain.

Contemporary experiences have shown that broadcast media is very important is the political empowerment and development of women.  Broadcast media is not only  a means of teaching, sensitizing and transmitting message on issues of development, but also crucial to the progress of participation of women in electoral activities.  Considering the fact that broadcast media is increasingly being used worldwide with dispower to reach a large number of audiences it should not be ignored in the political scheme of things.  This might account for why Nwankow (1996:10) said that, “one vital factor in the pursuit of gender equality in politics is mass media”

1.2      STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS

The following challenges facing women participation in politics precipitated the researcher to study this project:

1. It is not hidden fact that women are under represented I the field of politics. This may be the assumption that women’s place is in the kitchen.
2. The issue of genda bias contribution enormously to the low participation and empowerment of women in politics. Beverly (1995:48) notes that the society assumed that women should be mother, teacher, hairdresser secretaries , etc and not politicians, palm wine tapter in the society.

• Many political parties, reflecting the more general condtion in the rest of society, do not easily accept or promote women into electoral positions.

1. Another assumption militating against political empowerment of women is that, female is seen biologically as not designed for energy exerting and hazardous occupation like politics.

1.3      OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

            Women empower on politic is based on the promise that it’s a necessary condition for women to play effective role in developmental programme. However, the  aims and objectives of this work include:

1. To know why women are not give opportunity like men in the act of governance.
2. To find out roles played by broadcast media to ensure total empowerment of women in Nigeria politics.

• To eschew the issue of seeing women as political inferior in the hand of men in the society.

1. To suggest suitable solutions, or remedies to women empowerment and participation in the Nigeria politics.

1.4      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is expected that at the end of this study people view on the usefulness of broadcast media to empower women politically can be effectively assisted to take part in decision making.  This study will draw the attention of the government to empower women in politics through the use of radio, television films etc which  NTA and the FRCN represent in their package of news reportage.

Also, the rights of women to vote and be voted for should be strengthened through this study women shall continue to vie for the position of governor, president, minister or ambassadors of Nigeria Nation.

1.5      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In this study, an attempt will be sufficiently made to answer the following question;

1. Do broadcast media play any role for the political empowerment of women in Nigeria?
2. Do women really participate in Nigerian politics?
3. Do broadcast media promote political rights of Nigerian women on politics?
4. Does gender inequlity affect politics participation of Nigerian women in Nigeria?

1.6      Research Hypothesis

Agama (2010:38) defines hypothesis as any tentative statement which should be approved or disapproved as part of testing or selecting variables needed for social scientific study.  The hypothesis of this study are;

H

i

:       Broadcast media play any role for political empowerment of women in Nigeria.H

0

:      Broadcast media do not play any role for political empowerment of women in Nigeria.

H

2

: Women really participate in Nigeria politics through broadcast media.

H

2

: Women do not  really participate in Nigeria politics through broadcast media.H

3

:      Broadcast media promote political rights of Nigeria women in politics

 

H

3

:      Broadcast media do not promote political rights of Nigeria women in politicsH

4

:      Gender inequality affects political participation of Nigeria women in politics.

1.7  THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Social responsibility theory

This theory is borne out of challenged criticism facing the press during libertarians era.  It is an account of a four year deliberation of Hutchins commission of inquiry in 1947 tha the press should play an important role in the development and suitability of man and his immediate society, and as such, it is imperative that a community of social responsibility be imposed on mass media.  According to his theory, the press has a moral obligation to consider the overall needs of society when making journalistic decisions in order to produce the greatest good.

Social responsibility theory this proposes that the media take it upon themselves to elevate society’s standard, providing citizens with the information theyneed to govern themselves.  It is of this notion that FRCN and NTA should be charged with responsibility to empower  Nigerian women towards political development of this nation. It has become one of the greatest duties of the media to canvass for political participation of women in electric positions is  Nigerian polity/.

McQuail (2000:86), opines the role of media toward power and inequality of gender.  He state that “media are subject to political, economic and legal regulation, media re effective instruments of power with the potential capacity to exert influence in various ways; the power of media si to make people inequal in the society.

The need to champion political participation of Nigerian women is the priority of broadcast and this is the more reasons why he research adopted this theory as the effective framework of this study.

1.8      SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is the responsibility of the broadcast media on the empowerment of Nigeria women in politics.  The focus is to dig out the roles been played by NTA and FRCN for this purpose.

1.9      LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The researcher is unable to carry that study to a large extent because of certain factors.  Firstly, he encountered financial difficulty in the process of researching and distribution of data.

There is illi-time factor which affect the generality of searching for all necessary data required for the study.

Lack of availability of relevant materials also affected the study effectively.

1.10   definition of terms

Terms are classified into conceptual and operational definitions / meanings thus:

A Conceptual Definition

1. Role: The degree to which somebody/ something is involved in a situation or an activity nad he effect the have on them.
2. Broadcast: Channel through which informational programmes are sent out on televisionnand wing power in public life and being able to influence decision that affect a country or a society.

• Women: This is an opposite being or gender of man or human society.

1. Empowerment: To uplift, mobilize and strengthen something or somebody into action.
2. Nigeria: an independent African Nation with natural and human endowment.
3. Operational Definition
4. Role: function, expectations NTA, FRCN and other TV, radio, films that are used to transfer information to large number of people.
5. politics: The actions of politics groups to determine or otherwise those parties shall use to run election position in the society.

iii. Women: women can be ladies, girls, wives, matron or female who gender matters in the society as far as procreation and national development is concern.

1. Empowerment: This is the act of setting freedom/ emancipation for peopleor thing to achieve stated/ deserving goals.
2. Nigeria: A democratic military state in West Africa population is 16.2 million people by 2006.