A Century of Mass Media and Nigeria's Development: Issues And
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Communications on Applied Electronics (CAE) – ISSN : 2394-4714 Foundation of Computer Science FCS, New York, USA Volume 7 – No. 10, December 2017 – www.caeaccess.org A Century of Mass Media and Nigeria’s Development: Issues and Challenges Ifedayo Daramola, PhD Head of Department of Mass Communication Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria ABSTRACT Nigerian print media, it is apposite to fashion the In 2014, Nigeria became 100 years as an entity following discussion along four notable periods in the political the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern history of Nigeria, both as a nation and as a colony, in protectorates by Sir Lord Lugard, the British colonial relation to the practice of journalism. The four notable Governor-General in 1914. This paper therefore examines periods in Nigerian press are: Missionary era; colonial era the role played by the Nigerian media particularly (before and after independence) civilian era (comprising newspaper press in the decolonization of the country from first, second, third and the current republics) and military 1881 to 1960. The first newspaper in Nigeria published by era, which covers the regimes of Yakubu Gowon; Reverend Henry Townsend (Iwe Irohin) was debut in Murtala/Obasanjo; Buhari /Idiagbon; Ibrahim Babangida; Abeokuta in 1859. But as from 1881, the Lagos Times and Sani Abacha and Abdulsalam Abubakar. Gold Coast Advertiser published by Richard Beale Blaize Before that decade, the British colonialist depended on the began to champion the cause for representative print media for publicity and propaganda but in 1932, they government. This noble cause attracted subsequent added radio to their arsenal of information dissemination. newspapers such as Weekly Record of the Jacksons, By that year it had been assuming the status of a mass Nigeria Times of James Bright Davies, Lagos Daily News medium and was in fact supplementing the print medium of Herbert Macaulay, West African Pilot of Nnamdi in Europe and North America. Azikiwe, Nigerian Tribune of Obafemi Awolowo among others. All the newspapers opposed British colonial Genesis of Nigerian Press administration and agitated for independence. Apart from Iwe Irohin their pungent writings which were critical of the colonial government, many of the proprietors led protest to England In Nigeria the first printing press was installed by the to demand for independence. The agitations finally led to Presbyterian in Calabar when the missionaries arrived in independence on October 1, 1960. While applauding the 1846 (Omu, 1978:7). The first newspaper in Nigeria was, media for its effort so far, this paper however, laments the however, established in Abeokuta in 1859 by an Anglican low performance of the media in the 2015 General Missionary, Rev. Henry Townsend. According to Omu, elections when the media descended so low by taking “eight years after the first printing press by the position on the side of the ruling political party which Presbyterian in Calabar, Reverend Henry Townsend fitted turned out to favour an opposition party. up a printing press and inaugurated a printing school in the mission compound at Abeokuta. But then in 1859, Keywords Townsend founded the Iwe Irohin (Iwe Irohin fun awon Nigeria, Amalgamation, Lord Lugard, Decolonization, Ara Egba ati Yoruba) which appeared fortnightly as a Newspaper Press, Independence, Better Society Yoruba language newspaper but became bilingual when an English language supplement was introduced from 8th 1. INTRODUCTION March, 1866 (Omu, 1978, Duyile, 1987). Mass media: Its Origin in Africa The Nigerian press predates Nigeria as an entity. The Reverend Townsend newspaper played an active role in newspaper press began in 1859, fifty years before the Egba politics and so often proclaimed the Egba’s point of country, Nigeria came into existence through the view. In 1867 when some Egba chiefs rose against the amalgamation of northern and southern protectorates in Europeans to protest the British policy on the annexation 1914. The mass media came to Africa via the missionaries of Lagos which affected Abeokuta’s claim over some to propagate Christianity. Initially, the Christian important towns and villages near Lagos, the Iwe-Irohin missionaries introduced reading and writing culture. Thus got involved and could not escape the local hostility which the press was introduced to propagate Christianity and accompanied the riots. later to educate the Africans to also afford the colonial But it must be noted that Reverend Townsend can be masters the opportunity to communicate with large number described as the father of journalism in Nigeria. He of people simultaneously in their own language which became a recognized, influential and respected Anglican could be English, Portuguese, Durtch, German, French and religious minister and he personally put Abeokuta’s Spanish depending on the region. Little wonder then that political influence and its educational image and culture the early print media were created to serve the colonialists above any of the Yoruba towns of the period. He was also and not the native population. the author of the Egba people deliverance from the people To guide our discussion on the structure and events of the of DAHOMI (Coker, 1968). 4 Communications on Applied Electronics (CAE) – ISSN : 2394-4714 Foundation of Computer Science FCS, New York, USA Volume 7 – No. 10, December 2017 – www.caeaccess.org Henry Townsend was born in a city called Exeter in the growing interest in western education and enlightenment in Devon county, England. The Townsend family was Lagos in the 1800s by providing cheap and accessible famous for publishing and printing. When Townsend material which would educate and entertain readers. As a came to Nigeria (Badagry) in 1842 he came with his professional printer and teacher it was easy for Campbell printing press from where he later moved to Abeokuta, the to become a publisher. current capital of Ogun state (Daramola, 2013). The Anglo African was heavily involved in the politics of As earlier said, the missionaries through the mass media Lagos. Campbell was in the fore-front in the agitation for introduced education, the culture of reading and writing, the separation of Lagos from the Gold Coast investigating, science, technology, trade and commerce, Administration. Thus, Robert Campbell, devoted his communication, religious study which was their primary time to promoting the interest and welfare of Lagos. His objective and health, exposing us to other cultures and journalism can be described as literary journalism which languages, opportunity to be a member of the outside was meant to exploit the growing interest in education world, and in the final analysis propelled us to be seeking which started in 1859 with the establishment of CMS for information and being inquisitive. With the arrival of Grammar School by the CMS mission. In 1873, the female the missionaries, the various kingdoms which later became institution for Anglican Girls was established. Three years Nigeria after the amalgamation in 1914 began to later, the Methodist Boys’ High School was founded, participate in what was hitherto outside their sphere such shortly followed by the Methodist Girls’ High School as joining the West African frontier force based in the then (Omu: 1978: 22). His contribution was basically of Gold Coast (Ghana) e.g. the Burma war. Because Africans promoting and entrenching education. He established were denied effective political participation in a situation ‘Lagos Academy’ where he gave lectures on human of crown colonial rule the rural press developed into an physiology. “His literary achievements” according to advocacy group. It followed that the Nigerian press Omu (1978:20) “were to earn him the title of “Professor”. assumed the role of the opposition and sought to rival the colonialists, encouraging political awareness and Lagos Times involvement by providing means of criticism of the The publisher of Lagos Times and Gold Coast Colony authorities and spreading disaffection with official plans Advertiser (1880 – 1883), the third newspaper Richard and policies. This is why such newspapers as the Lagos Beale Blaize was a non-conformist and a professional Times and Gold Coast Colony Advertiser of Richard printer. He used his paper to publish burning issues of his Blaize (1880 – 1883), the Weekly Record of John Payne time. His paper had more qualities than the newspapers Jackson and Thomas Horatio Jackson (1891- 1930), the that existed before his and it was the first rural newspaper Lagos Standard, of George Alfred Williams, Lagos Daily to have sales depot outside the shore of Nigeria and as far News of Herbert Macaulay (1925 – 1938), West African as London. He was internationally recognized. His paper Pilot of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1937 – 1960), and Nigerian started agitation for equal rights and inclusive government. Tribune of Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1949 to date) were In its issue of October 2, 1881, the newspaper lamented, critical of colonial rule and their agitation led to their being “no council and no house of assembly exist in which the jailed or banned from circulation which was usually people serve as elected representatives. The government is followed by mass protest by their followers. personal and the council, which sits in Accra, is not representative of the wishes of the people” (Omu, 1978). Contributions of press icon to development and agitation for independence In a nutshell, Lagos Times was a radical newspaper which Press agitation really began with the first newspaper in set the ball rolling for agitation for decolonization and Nigeria, Iwe Irohin which criticized the British colonial eventual independence. As a matter of fact, in its editorial government over slave trade and immigration policy. Due of March 9, 1881, the paper said, “we are not clamouring to his agitation for the abolition of slave trade, Townsend for immediate independence but it should always be borne was intimidated by the crown and the intensity of his in mind that the present order of things will not last agitation reduced on his coming back.