CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of Study
Humans are both religious as well as political beings who have the natural inclination to conspicuously show their attachments to either of the two aspects of life. They bring their instincts of each of the mentioned aspects to bear on the other one. Thus, in the running of any religious organization, there is always a subtle politics, and in playing political activities, human being seldom ignores or hide their religious leaning. In Nigeria, those at the helm of affairs of Pentecostal churches apply some socio-scientific parameters including the use of broadcasting to achieve their evangelical ends. Pentecostal church administrators seem to know that broadcasting as a genre of the mass media has an overwhelming aura which influences the psyche of the audience just like the impact of what some Nigerian folks often tout as ‘anointing,’ on congregation in their milieu.
In the contemporary world, a lot of people consider themselves adherents of various religions. According to the WIN/Gallup International (2017), 62 percent of people across 68 countries surveyed consider themselves “religious.” In the same poll, 25 percent consider themselves “not religious” while only nine percent consider themselves “atheists.” In Nigeria, religion is an important social institution; it is so important that while completing public documents, citizens are often required to declare their religion. It is, thus, an element of the individual’s identity. But religion in Nigeria goes beyond identity formation. It is part of the warp and weft that have shaped the socio-political structure of the country (Vaughan, 2016). There are three predominant religions, namely Islam, Christianity and the African Traditional Religion (George & Amusan, 2012; Kitause & Achinuke, 2013).
It is estimated that 50 percent of Nigerians practise Islam, 40 percent practise Christianity and 10 percent practise either the African Traditional Religion or no religion at all (George & Amusan, 2012). These statistics indicate that in terms of religious persuasion, Nigerians are predominantly Muslims or Christians; nevertheless, George and Amusan (2012) also note that these two major religions are not entirely bereft of some influence from the African Traditional Religion. Although religions may differ in their spiritual, theological and liturgical practices, they share a common belief in the existence of God, who rules in the affairs of the universe (Roberts, Odumosu & Nabofa, 2009). Another significant commonality among religions nowadays is their growing use of, and apparent dependence on, the media. In this article, I wish to analyse the manifestation of this relationship between religion and the media from both historical and contemporary perspectives, using Nigeria as a case study.
This intervention is meant to give an account of the linkages between religion and the media from the standpoint of a developing country, with all the challenges of potential religion-induced upheavals. My argument is that religion and the media have become inexorably fused and I support this stand by drawing on extant literature and my personal observation of the religious landscape in Nigeria. Adherents of Islam, Christianity and African Traditional Religions all seem to agree on the potency of the media as tools for propagating their religious beliefs (Kitause & Achunike, 2013) and have submitted to the logic of the media in their religious practices.
In this paper, it is my contention that media are no longer mere tools in the hands of the major religions in Nigeria; they have become strongly fused into contemporary religious experience. I will seek to explore this fusion of media and religion in Nigeria through the concept of “mediatized spirituality.” In the context of this paper, mediatized spirituality denotes the emergent tendency for the media to make religion a ubiquitous experience. In other words, mediatized spirituality denotes a spiritual experience that is delivered or practised through, and surrounded by, the media, especially when there is a manifest dependency of such experience on the media. I contend that by virtue of the infusion of the media, religious participation in contemporary Nigeria is no longer restricted by time, space or physical presence. Religion nowadays transcends these common barriers and, by submitting to the logic of the media, delivers an experience that is disembodied, distance-agnostic, often commodified and increasingly mobile.
I will discuss the implications of the institutionalization of the media in the religious experience of a heterogenic society like Nigeria. A discussion of the perspectives for understanding the interaction of religion and the media at the global level will dovetail into an exploration of the historical relationship between religion and the media in Nigeria with a view to establishing the trajectory of the apparent institutionalization of the media in the contemporary religious experience of Nigerians. On this premise, the researcher seeks to explore The Impact of Religious Broadcasting on Nigeria Viewers: A case Study of Youths of Ngor Okpala, Imo State.
1.2 Statement of the Research Problem
The purpose of religious groups is to create a sense of reasoning among the masses and change the world at large. Each individual is governed by his own intuition, the transformation of individuals into a better being is not an easy task and unless brainwashed with doctrines he cannot easily change or adapt to changes. Human beings have animalistic tendency. This makes it even more difficult to predict an individual.
The society at large influences the behaviour pattern of individuals and so in corrupt society religious groups finds it difficult to penetrate into the society and defect it. Religion plays a vital role in everyone’s life. To what extent has religion influenced the lives of people through broadcasting media to reach the society? This poises the main problem to the impact of religious broadcasting in our country Nigeria.
1.3 Research Objectives
The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of religious broadcasting on Nigerian viewer, the specific objectives include to:
i. Investigate reasons why youths watch religious broadcasts;
ii. Examine the ways in which religious broadcast affects the commitment of youths to their religious activities;
iii. Ascertain whether watching religious TV programmes affect youths’ intrapersonal relationship with their family members and friends; and
iv. Examine if religious broadcasting affect youth’s attendance in church
1.4 Research Questions
i. What are the reasons why youths watch religious broadcasts?
ii. What are the ways in which religious broadcast affects the commitment of youths to their religious activities?
iii. Does watching religious TV programmes do affect youths’ intrapersonal relationship with their family members and friends?
iv. Does religious broadcasting affect youth’s attendance in church?
1.5 Significance of the study
There has been much focus of mass media on the attitude and behaviour of youth in the existing literature. In fact, many things have been said on how mass media have influence the language of youths, and their lifestyle, however, little has been told about the effect of religious broadcasts on the youths. It is this gap this study is set to cover in the literature by looking at the impact of religious broadcasting on the viewers with focus on the youths who are more susceptible to the influence of religious broadcast. The findings of this study will show reasons why youth watches religious broadcasts. The findings would also present ways in which religious broadcast affects the commitment of youths to their religious activities. This study will also present the result of the response of the youths on whether watching religious TV programmes do affect youths’ intrapersonal relationship with their family members. The result will also show whether the religious broadcasting affect youth’s attendance in church.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study would source the data from the primary source. The study would engage youths within the age 18 and 30, and do watches religious television programmes. The study would not make use of anyone outside the age bracket. The study would also be conducted in using youths in Ngor Okpala in Imo state.
1.7 Definition of Terms
i. Viewers: a person watching television or a film.
ii. Broadcasting: the transmission of programmes or information by radio or television.
iii. Programme: a presentation or item on television or radio, especially one broadcast regularly between stated times.
iv. Youth: the time of life when one is young; especially the period between the age of 18-30.