-1- POLITICAL COMMUNICATIONS IN NIGERIA RAHMAN OLALEKAN OLAYIWOLA Cert. (A.I.S.) Distinction B.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc., M.C.A., M.Phil. A Thesis in the Department of Government The London School of Economics and Political Science Submitted to the University of London for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) June 1991 UMI Number: U0B9616 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U039616 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 T I 4 £ S £ S x a n o \ o -2- M A P 1 M ap of Nigeria .showing the location of tlx* muss media discussed in this thesis NIGERIA E S o k o tO ■ Katsin?^ .. a Kano B Maidugun L ,'v' ^ BKaduna Bauchi M innafl V At>u|H ; ■ I lor m ® Makurdi . B Ibadan \ . V 1^ sAb^okjJta '$ HAkurej 'N|c) ^ _ LAGO Benin Cjty On its!) a P O w ern Rivers alabar Uyo SB V ■ j Slate Boundaries ' i 7\n V y In Locations of the mass media 0 discussed in this thesis -3- POLITICAL COJOtUffICATIONS Iff NIGERIA ABSTRACT This study of the Nigerian Political Communications examines the patterns of mass media ownership and their impact on the coverage of selected national issues - the census controversy, ethnic problems and the general elections of 1979 and 1983. The contents of 21 newspapers of variegated ownership pattern involving governments, partisan and private interests are analysed and "live" illustrations of stories are given. This is to demonstrate empirically the thesis argument that the criterion of ownership is the key factor which determines how the Nigerian mass media are used for moulding the citizens" perception of political reality. The thesis seeks to answer questions such as: (a) what role have the Nigerian mass media played in promoting and/or compounding the problems of national integration in the Nigerian society since independence? (b) what role should the Nigerian mass media play to promote national integration and political stability? <c> what changes are necessary and desirable with the present situation to allow the mass media perform such integrative and stabilizing functions? Located within a comparative political communication approach to the study of mass media and politics in developing countries, this thesis seeks to contribute to knowledge in the areas of the theory, methodology and practice of political communications in Africa - with Nigeria as a case study. The question of media ownership has remained central to the Nigerian political communications with the attendant intrigues, ethnic violence, character assassination, political vilification, personal vendetta, coups and counter coups, general violent political disagreement and perennial problems of political instability culminating in fragmentation and disintegration that threaten the continued existence of Nigeria. The thesis also highlights a host of other factors which work in collaboration with media ownership to influence the Nigerian political communications - ethnicity, economic position, religion, legal limitations, circulation, transportation, audience reach, freedom of the press or lack of it, linguistic barriers and literacy. The thesis argues, in conclusion, that as Nigeria approaches a third attempt at democratic rule in socio-economic conditions which are less propitious than on past occasions, there is a need for the Nigerian mass media to operate in a way which contributes to national integration. It questions the existing pattern which is elitist and urban in orientation, ignores the rural majority and divides the Nigerian people rather than unites them. To achieve integration through political communications, the thesis suggests the need to restructure the media ownership pattern and to establish a Nigerian Media Advisory Council with some regulatory ppwers and authority to impose punitive sanctions on media prac^iioners and institutions for any professional misconduct. -4- LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A.G. = Action Group B.C.N.N. = Broadcasting Company of Northern Nigeria B.C.O.S. = Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State C.A. = Constituent Assembly C.D.C. = Constitution Drafting Committee C.M.S. = Christian Missionary Society D.T. = Daily Times of Nigeria E.N.B.S. = Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Service E.N.T.V. = Eastern Nigeria Television F.E.D.E.C.O. = Federal Electoral Commission . F.M.G. = Federal Military Government F.R.C.N. = Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria G.N.P.P. = Great Nigeria Peoples’ Party L.T.V. = Lagos State Television M.P. = Morning Post N.A.N. = News Agency of Nigeria N.A.P. = Nigerian Advance Party N.B.S. = Nigerian Broadcasting Service N.C. = Nigerian Citizen N.C.N.C. = National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (later changed to National Council of Nigerian Citizens) N.L.C. = Nigerian Labour Congress N.L.C. = Nigerian Legislative Council N.P.N. = National Party of Nigeria N.N.N. = New Nigerian Newspaper N.N.D.P. = Nigerian National Democratic Party N.O. = Nigerian Outlook N.P.C. = Northern Peoples’ Congress N.P.P. = Nigerian Peoples’ Party N.T.A. = Nigerian Television Authority N.T.V. = Nigerian Television N.Y.M. = Nigerian Youth Movement O.F.N. = Operation Feed the Nation O.G.T.V. = Ogun State Television O.I.C. = Organisation of Islamic Conference P.P.A. = Progressive Parties Alliance P.R.P. = Peoples’ Redemption Party R.A.C. = Religious Advisory Council R.D.S. = Radio Distribution Service R.K.T.V. = Radio Kaduna Television S.A.P. = Structural Adjustment Programme S.M.C. = Supreme Military Council T.S.O.S. = Television Service of Oyo State U.K. = United Kingdom U.N.O. = United Nations Organisation U.P.N. = Unity Party of Nigeria W.A.P. = West African Pilot W.N.B.S. = Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service W.N.T.V. = Western Nigeria Television -5- CONTENTS Page Abbreviations 4 Maps Map 1 Locations of the Mass Media discussed in this Thesis 2 57 Map 2 African Countries Map 3 The 21 States of the Nigerian Federation as at June, 1991 84 9 Acknowledgements Introduction 13 Chapter 1 Theoretical Models of Political Communications 45 Chapter 2 Political Communications in Africa 56 Chapter 3 Historical Background to the Nigerian Political Communications 82 Chapter 4 A Theoretical Model of Political Communications in Nigeria 116 Chapter 5 Nigerian Political Communications in the First Republic 154 Chapter 6 Nigerian Political Communications under the Military Regimes 206. Chapter 7 Nigerian Political Communications in the Second Republic: The First Phase 254 Chapter 8 Nigerian Political Communications in the Second Republic: The Last Phase 298 Conclusion The Anatomy of Mass Media Bias in Nigerian Political Communications 357 Bibliography 406 Appendix Nigerian Press Organisation: Code of Conduct 42,2 Appendix TT: Live Illustration of.Flection News Stories Appendix III: List of those interviewed 4f? -6- FIGURES Figure Chapter Number Page 4 A Diagrammatic Presentation of a Theoretical Model of Political Communication in Nigeria 128 -7- TABLES Table Chapter No Page 3 1 The 21 States of the Federation 95 5 2 Ownership Orientations of Nigeria’s major newspapers in the First Republic 168 5 3 Percentage of Regional Revenues derived from Federal Statutory Payments and the distributable Pool, 1959-1965 174 7 4 Characteristics of Political Parties in Nigeria’s Second Republic 264 7 5 Favourable Coverage given by the Daily 269 Times 7 6 Unfavourable Coverage in the Daily Times 273 7 7 Neutral Coverage in the Daily Times 275 ‘ 7 8 Favourable Coverage in the New Nigerian 276 7 9 Unfavourable Coverage in the New Nigerian 278 7 10 Neutral Coverage in the New Nigerian 282 7 H Total Amount of Coverage (Favourable, Unfavourable, Neutral) received by the Parties 284 7 .12 Parties and Newspapers (Sketch, Star and Punch 285 7 13 A Tabular presentation of the total column centimetres of News Stories analysed in the Daily Times 290 7 14 A Tabular presentation of the total column centimetres of News Stories analysed in the New Nigerian 291 7 15 Nigerian Genereal Elections 1979: The Overall Party Positions 293. -8- TABLES Table Chapter No Page 8 16 Ownership Orientations of Nigeria’s Major Newspapers in the Second Republic 313 8 17 Nigerian Daily Newspapers as at 1991 314 8 18 Ownership of electronic Media by competing Political Parties in the 1983 general elections in Nigeria, the last phase of the country’s Second Republic 317 8 19 The Number of Election Stories carried by the F.R.C.N. on Political Parties 1983 345 8 20 The Number of Election Stories carried by the N.T.A. on Political Paries, 1983 346 8 21 Election Stories carried by the B.C.O.S. on Political Parties, 1983 347 8 22 Radio Stations in Nigeria as at 1991 348 8 23 Television Stations in Nigeria as at 1991 350 8 24 Tribalist Content in Individual News­ papers 373 8 25 Tribalist Content in the Citizen 373 8 26 Average Tribalist Content in the Press 374 8 27 Tribalist Content in Three Newspapers overtime 374 8 28 Population by Religion and Sex: Federal Republic of Nigeria 384 -9- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I am thankful to God for His blessings, guidance and mercy. I am most grateful to the Lagos State University, the International Institute of Islamic Thought, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the University of London Central Research Fund Committee for their kind support at various stages of the project.