THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VOTING BEHAVIOR IN NIGERIA

 

 

Abstract

This study titled “The effect of social media on voting behavior in Nigeria” sought to find out the influence of social media on Nigerian youths voting behaviour. The Nigerian population, according to the census of 2006 has over 70% of Nigeria’s 150million people as under the age of 30years; despite this young populace the country has been having low voters turnout during elections. Guided by the diffusion of innovation and agenda setting theories, the study used questionnaire and interview to sample the opinions of Nigerian youths resident in the south east to examine if and how they utilize social media and the influence it has on their political behaviour. Using the online Australian calculator, a sample size of 400 respondents was drawn from the five south eastern states which had a combined population of 16, 395, 560. Multi level sampling which consisted of cluster sampling and purposive sampling was used to draw the respondents across the south eastern states. Findings revealed that Nigerian youths resident in the south eastern region are very active on social media and it has a positive influence on their voting behaviour. However, social media does not have an influence on their voting preferences. It is however a veritable mass medium that can be used to set agenda and diffuse ideas and programmes to the youths as it is highly regarded as a credible medium by the youth. It is recommended that the federal government should intensify its ICT drive in the education and other sectors to bring more citizens also on the information super highway. Orientation agencies, political parties, electoral bodies were advised to increase their online presence especially on social media platforms which are popular with the youths in order to reverse the voters apathy syndrome prevalent among the youths.

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Role of public relations in crisis management ( a case study of Ethiopian airline)

ABSTRACT

This Project examines Role of public relations in crisis management, a study of Ethiopian Airline. To achieve this, the survey research method was adopted. The researcher uses the number of the population as the sample size; this is because the population is already small to reduce as we know that the purpose of sample size is to reduce the large number of population. Three research questions guided the study. Research findings showed that public relations play a vital role in crisis management. In view of these findings, the researcher recommended that every good organization must have public relations department, with well qualified staff and provide them with basic facilities to work with like security camera etc. The researcher suggested that Ethiopian Airline. should imbibe public relations as a philosophy of management and all organization should be made to appreciate the place of public relations in the organization.

CHAPTER ONE/INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Conflicting situation is a situation in which two or more values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature, have not yet aligned or agreed upon yet. Conflict may be defined in many ways and can be considered as an expression hostility, negative attitudes, antagonism, aggression, rivalry, and misunderstanding. It is also associated with situation that involves contradictory or irreconcilable interests between two opposing groups. A simple definition of conflict is that it is any tension which is experienced when one person perceived that one’s needs or desires are or are likely to be thwarted or frustrated (Gupta and Joshi, 2008). A conflict is more than just a disagreement. It is a situation in which people perceive a threat (Physical, emotional, power, status etc) to their well – being and is caused by t he differences and clash of personalities – attitudes, beliefs and values and needs, Conflicts are inherent in any interpersonal relationship, its management is integral to the performance of any organization. Conflict management involves acquisition of skills relating to conflict resolution, self –awareness about conflict modes, conflict communication skills, and establishing a structure for management of conflict in your environment.

The handling of conflict resolution in an organization or in the political realm of a state is major function of Public Relations. It is an essential skill of Public Relations manager to prevent gender conflict resolution rather than finding solutions when crisis erupt. The use of fire brigade approach in finding solution to problems that arises in banking sectors is described as “Remedial Public Relations” by Haywood (1984) where as “preventive Publics Relations” is what many scholars advocate in public relations practice. This is “the prevention of crisis in an organization through effective communication network between the organization and its publics in order to engender understanding, acceptance, goodwill, respect, efficiency, good welfare and mutual support ad co-operation”. In order to handle conflict resolution in our organizations, and be in a position to apply Public Relations as a strategic management option for survival and growth, Nwosu (2004) says that Public Relations practitioners should see themselves as managers as well as carryout their functions as skilled and knowledgeable managers in a manner similar to what exit or is the dominant paradigm commercial organizations.

Statement of Problem

Conflict decreases growth and brings about instability in the aviation industries. It brings about unhealthy competition among other airlines. This development is critical as foreign and domestic investors will be skeptical that their huge investment would be safe, fear and insecure as well as lack of trust and confidence will prevail. Thus, for the continuity of development for Ethiopia airline to be guaranteed, the need for Public Relations roles in managing conflict in the aviation sector can not be over emphasized.

 Objective of the Study

 

The study had the following objectives

 

1. To determine the role public relations play in crises management at Ethiopian Airline
2. To determine what Public relations tools were used to resolve the crises at Ethiopian Airline.
3. To ascertain how effective the Public relations tools were used in resolving the

Research Questions

The study answered the following research questions.

1. What roles does public relation play in crises management at Ethiopian Airline?
2. What Public relations tools were used to resolve the crises?
3. How effective were the Public relations tool used in resolving the crises?

  Hypotheses

Ho: Public relations does not plays any role in crises management at Ethiopian Airline.

Hi: Public relations play a role in crises management at Ethiopian Airline.

Ho: A good public relations unit cannot help prevent crisis in Ethiopian Airline.

Hi: A good public relations unit can help prevent crisis in Ethiopian Airline.

Ho: Public relations unit can not maintain peace in Ethiopian Airline Hi: Public relations unit can maintain peace in Ethiopian Airline.

Scope of the Study

The study is limited to Ethiopian Airline. This airline is large and representative enough to provide all the information necessary to do justice to the study within the period.

Significance of the Study 

The study will go a long way to benefit many co-operate Organization, the academics and Government Officials in Crisis as few work have been done on the subject.

The foundation of modern society lies in its economic and industrial capacity for business and governance to grow and progress. There is the over whelming need to ensure stable social, political and economic environment. This show the vital position public relations has come to occupy in the scheme of things. Public Relations application in administration and Management can help in achieving the desired expectations when properly harnessed.

In other words, business and industries will find the study important and used as it attempts to mirror the various Crisis, it also proffers solutions. The society will benefit from this research especially in this time of stress on the national economy and the high level of corruption pervading all sectors of our national life.

Operational Definition of Significant Terms

 

The definitions of the vital terms used in the research are given thus:

Public: Customers and staff of Ethiopian Airline from Jan. to July 2014.

Public Relations: It is the practice of managing the spread of information between the staff of Ethiopian Airline. and their customers.

Crisis: Violence created by the retrenchment of Ethiopian Airline.

Crisis Management: It is the process by which Ethiopian Airline deals with a major event that threatens to harm their staff and customer.

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Perception of Mass Media As Tools For Sensitizing Rural Dwellers About Infectious Epidemic A Case Study Of Corona Virus In Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This research work empirically explored the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to examine the level of COVID-19 media awareness to the rural populace in Oyo state, ascertain if the media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state, identify if the awareness made any positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state. The scope of the study is Oyo state in 2020 making use of rural populace, information theory was used as a framework. The research design used for this study is survey, the population targeted for this study consists of all residence of the six communities selected in addition to all health care workers in the primary health care facilities situated there. 400 rural dwellers were used as sample size and cluster sampling technique was applied. Instrument used for this study is the questionnaire. Data collected were collected from primary sources. From the analysis of the data, the findings shows that COVID-19 media awareness in Oyo state was accessible to the rural populace, media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state, the awareness made positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state. Following the findings, it was recommended that media campaign created on COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities should be pushed further so it can get to the rest that have not heard of the disease, people should adhere to the instructions given to them by the media house. The study concludes that mass media has strong impact on the people.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the Study

Controlling the spread of influenza to reduce the effects of infection on a population is an important mandate of public health sector. Mass media campaign can be used to provide information on current and effective vaccination, drug therapy and social distancing measures.

The world is fast becoming a global village and a necessary tool for this process is communication of which mass media is a key player. The quantum development in the mass media industry all over the world is very rapid as one innovation replaces another in a matter of weeks. Emerging trends in socio-economic growth shows a high premium being placed on information and communication technology (ICT) by homes, organizations and nations.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wahan China. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in China and limited spread among close contacts has been detected in some countries outside China including Nigeria. There is presently no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and there is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19.

The sensitization and awareness campaign were to sensitize the populace on the cause of COVID-19, its symptoms, consequences and prevention methods. The media particularly social media, radio and television is used as a veritable instrument for creating the needed awareness and COVID-19 health education. Although some scholars argued that the use of social media is exclusively reserved for the educated. Government of Nigeria adopted media institutions with other traditional means of mass mobilization to create proper awareness of COVID-19 among rural communities. These institutions particularly the television and radio station adopted native vernacular or language as their means of communication.

This study, therefore, is posed to assess the level of awareness of COVID-19 among resident of different rural communities in Oyo state in the light of media sensitization campaign and the impact of the campaign on their precautionary health behaviour.

1.2. Statement of the Research Problem

The human health state considered the most critical to any country survival of a truism that healthy population bring about the desired goals. The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) discovered in 2019 spread from person to person. The first case of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa has been confirmed in Nigeria.

From evidence available to us, COVID-19 is presently in Nigeria,

The patient who first brought it to Nigeria is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and flew into the commercial city of Lagos from Milan on 25 February 2020. (BBC News, 2020).

Globally, more than 80,000 people in nearly 50 countries have been infected. Over 2800 have died, the vast majority in China’s Hubei province.

In Nigeria, the ability to contain this virus also lie within the help of the mass media. It is against this background that the researcher considered the study of the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria.

1.3. Objectives of the study

The aim of this study was to assess the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:

examine the level of COVID-19 media awareness to the rural populace in Oyo state.
ascertain if the media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state.
identify if the awareness made any positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state.

1.4. Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions:

Is the COVID-19 media awareness in Oyo state accessible to the rural populace?
Has the media campaign created a reasonable level of mass awareness of COVID-19 epidemic, causes, effects and prevention in the rural communities of Oyo state?
Has the awareness made any positive impact on the health behaviour of rural people in Oyo state?

1.5. Significance of the Study

The study will enable relevant agencies concerned with eradicating COVID-19 in Oyo state and Nigeria in general to appraise the media framework for possible modification and modernization. The study exposes the rural dwellers perception of the media as an institution concerned with the people’s welfare and highlight the potency of the media as an instrument of mass education.

Empirically, this study is carried out to identify the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic. This study will be of utmost importance to investors, government and the researchers because it will provide policy recommendations to the various Nigeria stakeholders taking adequate measures in the broadcasting industry for rapid capacity investment. The changing character of the broadcasting industry especially, the television station reforms including the licensing of online radio and television stations has affected the industry in recent times and will push studies on the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic to new evidence(s). It will contribute to existing literature on the subject matter. This study will be of benefit to;

The Academia: members of the academia will find the study relevant as it will also form basis for further research and a reference tool for academic works.

Government: this study will reveal to the government happenings in the broadcasting industry. Formulation and implementation of policies based on this findings would ensure development in the industry.

Investors: this study shall also be valuable to the investors especially those who may have research interest as it shall guide their private investment decisions.

1.6. Scope of the Study

This study is intended to examine the perception of mass media as tools for sensitizing rural dwellers about infectious epidemic: a case study of corona virus in Nigeria with particular emphasis on Oyo state in 2020. The study covers the five geo-political zones that constitute Oyo state, although rural communities were randomly selected as areas of study. The study is restricted to COVID-19 media awareness and its impact on the health behaviour of rural inhabitants.

1.7. Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms have been defined operationally.

Epidemic: a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
Disease: a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal or plant especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.
Infectious: (of a disease or disease-causing organism) liable to be transmitted to people, organisms, etc. through the environment.
Mass media: refers to a diverse array of mass technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication.
Perception: the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses. The way in which something is regarded, understood or interpreted.

1.9. Organization of the Study

This study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one is introduction which consists of the background to the study, statement of problem, research questions, research hypotheses, objectives of the study, the significance of the study, the scope and limitations of the study and finally the organization of the study. Chapter two deals with the literature review which consists of the conceptual literature, theoretical literature, empirical literature, theoretical framework. Chapter three gives the research methodology including research design, population of study, sample size, sampling technique, method of data collection, instrument of data analysis, method of data analysis, validity/reliability of instrument. Chapter four is presentation and analysis of data, discussion of findings. Chapter five gives the summary, conclusion and recommendations.

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