ROLE OF COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS IN POLITICAL AWARENESS

Abstract

Basically the study focuses attention on the Role of Community Newspaper in Political Awareness with a case study of Boripe Local Government. Newspaper has over the years performs a very crucial role in the socio- political and economic development of Nigeria since the first community newspaper of Iwe Iroyin Fun Awon Egba. Newspaper often referred to as the fourth estate of realm because of the power they wield and the oversight functions. The researcher used survey research method alongside questionnaires to elicit responses from selected 125 respondents from five communities of Iree, Ada, Iragbiji, Aagba and Ororuwo. However, responses from the respondents indicated that newspaper play a very crucial role in political awareness and political development at large among the rural dwellers. Therefore, 90 respondents representing 90% have access to newspaper. Also, 92 respondents representing 92% said newspaper do educate and sensitize them on political matters., 85 respondents representing 85% said newspaper has influence their voting education. However, because of the high level of illiteracy in Boripe i.e inability to read in official language made many of them depend on newspaper written in local languages than English writing papers. It is recommended that there should be more community newspaper to serve different taste and language of the community people. Community newspapers should be free from few influential politicians avoid turning the paper into tools of propaganda. The price of the newspaper should be relative cheap to enable rural dwellers buy a least a copy.