Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Creating political cohesion in a pluralistic and multicultural society such as Nigeria is not a small task. Contemporary media formats derived from exogenous sources often fail to address the intrinsic needs of indigenous communities. It is imperative therefore to draw from the deep wealth of indigenous media resources to tackle the simmering discontent amidst political processes that leave indigenous communities in a perpetual state. Drawing insights from Karl Deutsh whose theory on political communication emphasised that channels of communication are likely to be more effective than the other depending on their efficiency and the information they transmit. This paper aims at bringing to the fore the contextual applications of Yoruba traditional media used for effective communication in political gatherings. It explicates specifically on traditional media forms such as the town crier and musical instruments like drums and gongs. The paper explores these two resources with special focus on their intrinsic and extrinsic values and how they can be effectively maximized as an effective, alternative media channel in mass communication. Finally, the paper illustrates several political setting where these Yoruba traditional media is effectively used for political communication, using the case of governor Ayodele Fayose (The Governor of Ekiti State) as a critical example of a politican who adopts this traditional medium in most of his political engagement with the people to effectively communicate. Keywords: Multicultural, Pluralistic Society, Indigenous Media Resources, Effective Political Communication.