CHAPTER   ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In the past, women were meant to occupy a secondary role in the   society. Thus taking care of the house and family was   seen as their main occupation on the other hand, people thinks that women were born with physical and psychological characters which made them to fulfill jobs; house work and family for this reason.

While in the family and political activities, women were not capable of holding responsible positions and the contributions of women is often undervalued.

However, modernization as well as crisis situations have brought women into male positions and this can be seen as the reason for the change of role for women and need to sensitize the women folk to  enable them fit properly into their new positions.

According to Egonwan (1991) women as agents of development is historical fact and it is as disservice for any country to ignore its women population in its development.

Obiakalusi (1990) in their research work stated that Nigerians political independence in, 1960 has raised hope of many that the nation was being set towards achieving a free and democratic society.

It is expected that the press as radio in particular should be the market place of political thought. The radio therefore, should exist mainly to serve the information need of the citizenry in politics.

Consequently, the concept of radio in its broadcast sense means the institution and technological device to disseminate information to a large heterogeneous and diversified audience in the rural communities.

More so, Dorgi (2009) has noted, political campaigns are carried and sustained through various ways and means prominent amongst  are the television and radio jingles, talk show programmes and drama presentation, news paper and magazine adverts posters, outdoors, bill boards, pamphlets and hand bills. Others include door to door campaign, musical concert and roadside shows and the principle target of campaign is of course, the general public (including women)

This perhaps, may be why government had in her policy on women empowerment maintained that it will effectively utilize all resources including radio to mobilize the women to participate in political activities and radio could be seen as a possible agent of social and political mobilization in the country.

As such, the main concern of the study is primarily on the effectiveness of AKBC Radio programme “Akwa Ibom today” in political mobilization of women in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In embarking on this study, it is assumed that AKBC Radio Programme “Akwa Ibom Today” is solely entertainment instead of being educative and informative. In the public observation, the issue of political activities which is one of the aims of rural broadcast programming is rather neglected by the producers in Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation.

Certainly, most radio Station in Nigeria seem to have completely lost sight of the major task assigned for them, especially, this period when emphasis is on women empowerment and participation in political activities.

A number of reasons have been revealed as the problems affecting poor participation of women in election activities in Oruk Anam Local Government Area. Another problem is that AKBC Radio in its Coverage of political activities tends to be biased and prejudiced. Therefore this study concerned itself with AKBC Radio Programme “Akwa Ibom Today” with a view to find out the effectiveness of AKBC Radio in the political mobilization of women in Oruk Anam.