The Place of Traditional Modes of Communication in the Era of Modern / New Communication Technology (A Study Of Awka South Local Government Area Of Anambra State)
This chapter will examine valuable works which take a look at the geographical organization norms and festivals.
A defined prospective is necessary in writing about communication such as radio, television, newspaper and magazines or traditional modes of communication. Many communication scholars have defined communication in various ways that it is not possible to give the various ways in this study.
Haneman (1968) and Mcewa (1971) defined communication process with a certain persons;
- a) “Source” communication a certain message through a particular channel to another person.
- b) “Receiver” with some type of consequent effect, this recognized and interpreted by the source the responds accordingly as well. This interaction between A and B or two people is labeled communication.
In other exposition the defined communication as the mechanism by which relations exists and develop all the symbols of the mind together with the means of transmitting them through space and maintaining them in time”.
These tune definition are all embracing and contains the idea of communication as essential basis of human relation.
Haneman (1968) and Mcewa (1971) laid more emphasis on the source of the message, receiver. It is very much clear from this definition that no matter the type of medium used either the foreign traditional medium of communication to take place. There must be a source channel and more importantly, the message.
Communication can be said to be the transfer of idea from a source to the receiver. It may involves one or two persons interrogating in a face to face situation it may involve one person telling folk tale in the presence of a particular group of people, reaching the thought of one person or hearing the voice over radio.
Each culture develops its own sense of valve to meet the demands of its environment and therefore, there is little wonder that the Africans still depend so much on his traditional methods of communication with its environment.
Ugboajah (1979) wrote “a communication must know them” culture he explained is not only the way the people dress and its beliefs but a knowledge and understanding of the customer practiced by the audience. In his own words, Ugboajah (1982) said “culture affect communication, it determines the end timing of inter personal events, the place where it is appropriate to discuss particular topics, the physical distance separation of one speaker from another and tone of voice that is appropriate to the subject matter. In cognizance of the gone assertion, it is clear that Awka south contention that any person who wants to communicate effectively with the people in the rural community communicates effectively should have the fore-knowledge of the audience’s culture and should also understand the ways of behavior of the people. Sobewole Idowu (1981) spotlighted that the relevance of the gong man. He wrote “typify the model of communicator possesses both empathy and cultural understanding of his audience” he refers to the gong man as that interpersonal expert who goes out readily each moving with the greetings and message of traditional rulers of Awka South.
One observe from Sobewole Adewu’s studies that the gong man seem to be citizen of the community who are not only gifted with gift of eloquence in the culture of the people. They also seem to have got the first hand knowledge of the tracks and general typography of the locality. In a similar work done by late Ugboajah, he discovered that the early morning gong of the authority disclose message. He remarked that “be him a noble or a commoner, through his institutions, the gong-man has acquired considerable amount of influence so much that he many hardly be disbelieved by his audience.
As succinctly put by Ugbojah (1982) “the gong man although may not take the job of a public relations executive yet communication expert who combines seriousness with humors in order to win acceptance and credibility to his message” this village announcer, he maintained may have dual role of a chief and Oba’s message, that the most important thing is the metal gong, which symbolize authority of the village. This shows in effect that the village are turned in with the sound of the gong.
Ugboajah (1982) equally made us to understand that the most important thing about the people’s traditional mode of communication is that the audience has learnt to attach great significance to it he postulated further that “traditional media have force and credibility. They put stability into the people’s indigenous institutions in a similar work done by Basion (1998, pg.36) he found out that the verbal art is a strong medium of transmitting culture in Nigeria. His work was concentrated on the legend beliefs, morals and social attitudes of the people and how these are transmitted from generation to generation His studies also show that the verbal art series are the presentation of culture in Nigeria.
Ugboajah (1999, pg. 15) draws our attention to other major characteristics of traditional modes of communication. Traditional media he says are noted in indigenous folk cultures and made up of dialogue and verbal exchange of their diffusion pattern in informal interlinking cliesters of stratified local authorities and their influence is persuasive.
From the discussions of the various studies done by most of this researcher to approach this of traditional modes of communication with particular reference to Awka South which is the area of concern in the study.
2.2 Norms and Festivals in the Town
Norms has been defined by Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary as” standard type as representative of a group. When judging other examples” in this regards, norms are unwritten laws of the people of Awka South that makes them distinct, unique among other towns in area. It is the modes operandi” of the people for mutual existence within themselves and their neighbors. In respect to the above, the members of Awka South share the understated standard of behaviours.
No ceremony or reception is started in the town without presenting a kolanut. Where one cannot afford it. It is unorthodox for one to sent palm wine without sipping it first, especially, when dealing with strangers. It shoes that the drink concerned is poison free. It is an abomination for a woman to drink a palm wine while standing up in the midst of men. Among the people of Awka South young people are expected to greet the elders first. Age is regarded as sacred in the sense that the orders as seniority in age, determines the procedure of doing many important thins. Example is taking shares, showing respect, breaking of kolanut and services. While the youngest ones do the breaking and sharing of the kolanut.
2.3 Traditional Modes of Communication
They are:
- The town crier! He performed a very important function among by collecting and spreading information among his people. He served as an intermediary between the head of the community.
- Wooden gong (ekwe) metal gong (ogene) and the valorous gong (iloro): the sounding of all these instrument in the night normally depicts danger in Awka South. This could be that, thieves or armed robbers are around and they are used to keep everybody at alert.
While the palm front at its tender stage comu) is also an instrument of communication.
2.4 Location and Historical Background of Awka South
Awka South Local Government Area was created on 1989 for Awka Local Government Area bounded on the North by Awka North Local Government Area on the fast by Oji-river Local Government Area of Enugu State, on the South by Anaocha Local Government Area and on the West by Njikoka Local Government Area. The land area is 180 square kilometers, the population census of 2006 is 189, 654.
Awka South Local Government Area (LGA) is made up of Nine Towns, namely, Amawbia, Awka, Ezinato, Isiagu, Mbaukwu, Nibo, Nise, Okpuno and Umuawulu. In the past the people of Awka South LGA were well know for blacksmithing. Today they are respected among the Igbo people of Nigeria for their technical and business skills.
2.5 Traditional System of Government
The head of the traditional institution in Awka South is the Igwe. He is the chosen by the goods of the land and must have the support of the people. He is the first chosen citizen of the town and therefore takes precedence and seniority over any other person in Awka South. He is the custodian defender adviser and promoter of the culture, customer and tradition of Awka South. The next is the Awka South welfare and Development Union. This is the general body and the political arm of the community that is responsible for peace, development and security in the towns.
Then the ward leaders who are the representative of the Igwe in their various wards. Again, there are the Ndi-Nze na ozo in which each towns shall produce one each said the Igwe reserves the power of appointing three Nze’s to make up the required number of 12.
2.6 Modern Technology
As the world has developed into new global age and era of digitalized and sophisticated new communication devices which its, introduction has limited communication difficulties and barriers into minimal level. The information dissemination has been waxing stronger not to compare them, our father subscribe to traditional mode being the only alternative.
The internet which is widely described as a military product evolved during the cold war and thing account has remained dominant. The internet a global network of computer network steadily changes the way we communicate around the world.
The internet protocol network might be local area network (LAN) connecting several such as the Email, online chat, news groups and other documents of the www.
The modern technology embodies various other technologies of its kind that helps to produce, manipulate, communicate and store information.
The principal example are telephone, radio, broadcast television and cable television.
The new media technologies like:- digital subscriber line (DSL) immersive virtual reality system, holography, personal channels, intelligent video agent, digital paper, portable tablets, large wireless communication, satellite link, clearer TV screens, flat panel video display screen, mobile phone, IPOD, internet, refrigerators, digital media, digital convergence which offers it’s a great range of service.
Modern technology compared long distance satellite are urgent in covering long distance in fact, the reach of a single satellite is far more extensive than the capacity of a terrestrial wireless for example mobile phone was possible because of its main supply source which is satellite.
It traditional mode of communication can reach far and wide as modern, its potential could have changed the communication breakdown that lingered between people that are not Igbo’s.
