Click get books and find your favorite books in the online library. Nigeria s democracy is the most populous democracy in africa with population of about 150 million. However, the overwhelming influence of political godfathers and moneybags in the electoral process pose incredible threats to democratic survival. News commercialisation, objective journalism practice and the. Employing a case study approach, it highlights as well as. Community media remains the only key tool that can facilitate grassroot citizens participation in nurturing and sustaining true democracy through creating. Key words, democracy, politics, dissent, mass media, democratization process. The early press media in nigeria sowed the seed of nationalism and democracy. Democracy, democratic consolidation, nigeria, progress, challenges introduction the nigerian state is a study in political and developmental unpredictability a nation that in empirical terms continuously contradicts political bookmakers. The uses and abuses of social media in africa democracy. The media democracy movement in the united states and canada emerged from this notion.
If nigeria can get over the hump of violence and lack of acceptance regarding elections, then it can set the tone for democracy in the rest of the continent. Democracy in nigeria is being starved of the basic tools for survival. The findings showed that nigerian media is faced with myriads of. In a developing country like nigeria, the mass media have been instrumental to the delivery and consolidation of the current democratic. Aug 03, 2018 this means that the nigeria media must find ways of reaching all nigerian both the urban and rural dwellers, even when market forces dictate otherwise. Democracy, democratic institutions and good governance in nigeria daniel eseme gberevbie phd abstract. It was an effective tool in the hands of the proponents of democracy, to mobilize the ragtag and the bobtail against the smoking guns of the military to return them to their natural habitat.
Democracy, good governance, media, paid news, corruption. The presence and activities of the military for many years in the governance of most west. Why there are no skyscrapers in nigeria a critical analysis of uk news media s representation of nigeria s democracy, 1997 2007 patrick oluwaniran malaolu submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy university of stirling. In south africa and nigeria, there are significant challenges to introducing egovernance. Reflecting on the nigerian media, elections and the african. Finally, the paper would proffer possible solutions and make necessary recommendations that would help deepen true democratic culture in nigeria. Everyone expected the return of nigeria to democratic rule will bring about development. The media in all its ramifications has ensured that the tenets of democracy were practiced by those who got elected as politicians at all levels of government in nigeria in performing its role as the watchdog of the society.
Nigeria is the fourth world largest democracy with a population of over 160 million and world sixth largest oil supplier and blessed with economic potentials, but majority of the nigerian population is poor due bad governance. The traditionar news media are no ronger the only informational elements in the morphorogy of nigeria,s democracy. It was found that majority of respondents 95% believed that social media, in spite of their excesses play positive roles to ensure and enhance durable democracy in nigeria. Election rigging and the problems of electoral act in nigeria. Government, indepth interview, media, news, politicians, private officials 1. In kenya, new media may have the potential to monitor and mobilise political activity and encourage political engagement. Ideally, democracy and media coexist and support each other through a process of negotiation hopefully aimed at developing a consensus about the public interest. Introduction the mass media in nigeria have had bitter experiences with the various m ilitary governments. Democracy, freedom of expres sion, mass media, nigeria. Media and democratic imperatives in nigerias fourth republic. Employing a case study approach, it highlights as well as analyzes the media s role in insisting on accountability and decency in nigeria s notoriously corrupt public life. Media democracy is the group of ideas that believes in reforming mass media by means such as improving public service broadcasting, participating in various forms of media and journalism, offering various platforms for public discussion and expression of opinions. The main focus of the media was how to awaken citizens consciousness to join the struggle for independence and anticolonial rules.
Introduction the end of the colonial era has witnessed the rise of many independent countries and the spread of democratic principles, even if only at the level of lip service. This article discusses the role of the media in nigerias fourth republic between 1999 and 2003. But in changed social milieu the sanctity of media has been questioned in every society. The mass media and the struggle for democracy in africa. The outcome of the 2007 elections was particularly worrisome following the electoral irregularities. The uses and abuses of social media in africa democracy in. Pdf civil society and democratic governance in nigeria. The dissatisfaction that reflected in the barrage of litigations brought before the election tribunals. Insecurity, extrajudicial and political killings, armed robbery, kidnapping and hostage taking and economic frustration introduction.
Jun 03, 2015 the result will be a virile and vibrant democracy where the citizenry enjoy real fruits of democracy and not sour grapes as most elected authorities in nigeria feed their people with. Although elections are now more regular in nigeria, the quality of these elections is a matter of grave concern to both the actors and observers. This article discusses the role of the media in nigeria s fourth republic between 1999 and 2003. Download full democracy in nigeria book or read online anytime anywhere, available in pdf, epub and kindle. Central to the process of ensuring the institutionalization, operationalization and sustenance of a credible electoral process in nigeria is the mass media. Democratic principles, social media, traditional media, democratic dispensation. Concept and challenges in regards to icts and social media. Reflecting on the nigerian media, elections, and the african democracy godwin ehiarekhian oboh1 abstract this article examines how the media could enhance the conduct of elections. Role of media in nigerias democracy research cyber. Thus, as this west african nationstate trudges on in nation building, she has continued to. In this chapter, i explore the history of the struggles for democracy and inclusion by nigeria s traditional media, and show how emergent genres of webbased journalism are supervening upon the traditional media as sites for the push and pull of democratic discourses. It is being systematically sacrificed in its name by the very class that is supposed to be its protector. It was in many ways a revival of the second republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple ministries which made policy planning difficult.
The influence of media ownership and control on media. Dec 07, 2005 the reality is that democracy has been raped in nigeria and is being destroyed. It could, however, do well only if its mindset or worldview was much more. The challenges of the mass media in promoting good. Democracy there seems to be a great confusion what the word democracy means. Apparently, the roles and priorities of the media in a developed nation like united states of america can never be the same in a developing nation like nigeria with a fledgling democracy a nation still scrambling for its own identity in the comity of nations. Nigeria s march towards democratic strengthening, and will further evident the uninterrupted and growing demands for democracy in the country, since the transition to civilian administration in 1999. Free and independent media 27 political parties, interest groups, ngos 29 civilmilitary relations 32 the culture of democracy 34. The media can never be separated from nigeria s long walk to democracy. An appraisal of mass media role in consolidating democracy in.
The paper discusses media experiences under different military regimes, and examines how the experience of media resistance of the military played out after democracy was restored in 1999. The media foundation for west africas mfwa language monitoring project has recorded a 79 per cent decline in the use of abusive language on radio, during the election. There is the dearth of vertical and horizontal compositions of unified interests in terms of. Theoretical perspectives the standard modernisation hypothesis or argument in the literature that economic development leads to and is a necessary precondition for democracy is contested and hardly acceptable universally. To what extent does it make the media a human rights actor.
Scholars such as badru 2005, im 2005, babawale 2006, mimiko 2007, and oddih 2007 have argued that democracy is required in a society because it enhances good governance and development. The media localforeign, human rights and pro democracy groups and the intelligentsia who saw beyond the mask were at the fore front of this crusade to keep democracy alive. They adopted what became known as the windoek declaration, which supported an independent and pluralistic press in african countries. Introduction the watchdog function of media is essential in a democratic society where people must know what their governments are doing. Democracy tiers of government constitution political parties franchise separation of power mandate federation elective representation in nigeria what is today known as nigeria is a product of british colonial rule.
However, they can also reinforce the position of those in power. Though, the media as the fourth estate of the realm carries an entrenched. There, especially in sierra leone, the gold coast ghana and nigeria, the press took a central political role quite early, a trend that eventually spread to other. In a democracy, government is only one thread in the social fabric of many and varied public and private institutions, legal forums, political parties, organizations, characteristics of democracy an educated citizenry is the best guarantee for a thriving democracy. The findings further showed that the current media ownership pattern and the level of media control in nigeria actually hinder the media from independently setting societys agenda. The media was then used as a tool to fight for democracy during the military eras nigeria as a nation faced.
According to wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 20 democracy is a form of government in which all. In spite of the fact that at least in some parts of the world, one can hear it from the media every day. It also discusses the implications of the 2007 elections on public assessment of nigerian democracy. In order to attain a measure of conceptual clarity, three key expressions press freedom, development and democracy have been defined.
Communicating democracy through participatory radio in nigeria. Pdf the import of the media in an emerging democracy. The challenges of the mass media in promoting good governance. These include supporting free and independent media to facilitate discussions across divides and ensure all sections of society, including those who feel most marginalised, are part of effective democratic discourse that is the cornerstone of democracy. The paper examines the rationale behind news commercialisation visavis its dangers and implications on the sustenance of nigeria s democracy. Assassinations right from military regimes through the democratic regime of obasanjo to the incumbent yaradua regime litter the nigerian political setting. May 07, 2017 a key takeaway from the 20 papers presented at the symposium was the tension between the successful application of social media to strengthen advocacy for democracy in africa and the challenge of ensuring that social media users are genuinely digitally empowered. A paper presented at the ebenezer soola conference on communication held at the university of ibadan, ibadan between 18 and 19 in october. The impact of social media on democracy business 2 community. Introduction the press in nigeria have never ceased to be a platform for democratic struggles. In modern day government arrangement especially in democratic polities such as india, the united states of america, south africa. Pdf the role of the social media in sustaining democratic. Based on this backdrop, this paper examined the contribution or the role of nigerian media to nigerias transition to civil rule democracy in may. This paper explores the role of the media in democratic governance in.
Pdf democracy in nigeria download full ebooks for free. In 1914 the first colonial governorgeneral of nigeria, lord frederick luggard amalgamated. This is an interesting case of a human rights issue in which the media have made an input in exposing human rights violations, if not stopping them. In this endeavour, although i have given a historical. Pdf mass media, freedom of expression and democracy. This paper addresses media, democracy and governance from a nigerian perspective. We cannot guarantee that democracy in nigeria book is in the library.
This paper takes another look at the state of press freedom in nigeria, given fifteen years of uninterrupted democracy in the country. Problems of interaction, mass media and public opinion. The struggle for democratic rule in nigeria was championed by. The new social media and consolidation of democracy in nigeria. The fourth republic is the current republican government of nigeria. Nigeria was classified as a nation of hybrid democracy. There is no doubt about the critical role of the media in sustaining nigerian democracy. While it remains true that nigeria is governed by democratically elected leaders at the federal and state levels, nigeria is yet to institutionalise democracy after a century of existence as a political entity. Reflecting on the nigerian media, elections, and the. Media foundation for west africa promoting freedom of. Communicating democracy through participatory radio in. The early media was virile, daring and nationalistic.
Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. News commercialisation, objective journalism practice and. May 21, 2015 nonetheless, new media have increasingly become an integral component of the media landscape and an important outlet for candidates, political parties, election management bodies, and citizens. The influence of media ownership and control on media agenda.
Political communication and the sustenance of democracy in nigeria. This process holds government accountable and transparent. Through this function the media helps to ensure good governance. The numerous ways in which media ensure democratic electoral processes generally. The paper discusses some of the impediments to the institutionalisation of democracy in nigeria after more. Nigeria abstract this paper examines how the media could more effectively be deployed to enhance the conduct elections in nigeria while discussing the implications of the 2007 nigerian election on public assessment of the nigerian democracy. In addition, the paper proffers solutions on how to better practise journalism that. The primary democratic function of the media is to act as a check on the state. New media and democracy in africa a critical interjection. Media and elections ace electoral knowledge network. There is also the need for the media to consider the other spheres where public discussion takes place in nigeria, such as churches, market places, village square meetings, town hall. African countries particularly ghana and nigeria at one point in time or. Community media, democracy, democratic values, nigeria.
Despite some of the drawbacks detailed above, increased worldwide internet access will only further the importance of new media in democracy and elections. How media can be an instrument of peace in conflictprone. The mass media and the challenges of sustainable democratic. May 16, 2016 nigeria, africas largest economy and democracy, has the unique ability to set the stage for the rest of africa. Examining the relationship between media use and political. Mar 05, 2021 the democracy index in nigeria stood at 4.
The role of media in the democratic process in nigeria,by. Create free account to access unlimited books, fast download and ads free. The nigerian media has been playing an active role in instituting democratic. Media accountability and democracy in nigeria, 19992003. Democratization and the media in nigeria in 1991, media practitioners from across africa met in windoek, namibia, to discuss the changes toward democracy. Why there are no skyscrapers in nigeria a critical analysis of uk news media s representation of nigeria s democracy, 1997 2007 patrick oluwaniran malaolu submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the. Media democracy also embraces ideologies such as feminism, critical theories, positivism, socialism etc. Influence of social media on democratic governance in nigeria. Schumpeter cited in ukase 2014 sees democracy as a method by which decisionmaking is transferred to individuals who have gained power in a. Reflecting on the nigerian media, elections, and the african. Nigeria is so giant that people say that as nigeria goes, so goes africa. Nigerias democracy is fading away elections news al.
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