26/05/2024
𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮
Across the ages, communication has evolved as a crucial component of human development. The centrality of communication is evident when we consider the need for human empowerment aimed at a clear understanding of issues, discussion of ideas, negotiations, and engagement in public debates at the grassroots and national levels. Evidence exists that there is a steady flow of communication between the government, its agencies, and the citizens of Nigeria. On a regular basis, we see articles written in "Queens" English in our daily newspapers for the general public to consume; we observe government officials, politicians, and influential figures on television expressing their views and ambitious plans for transforming Nigeria's current state. Views and perspectives, if implemented at the local level and carried out in collaboration with the citizens at the grassroots, will foster growth and development.
However, feedback received from people, and especially those at the grassroots, reveals a significant degree of dissonance, characterised by criminalities, agitations, and a heightened trust deficit. This tends to affirm that where we were decades ago is not significantly different (might be worse) from where we are today as a nation. The question that arises is: what are the underlying causes for this dissonance? Is it that the government and its agencies are not communicating well, or that the citizens have refused to understand? What role do language, the medium of communication and the frequency of communicative acts between the government and the citizens play in this instance? These and more are what I intend to interrogate in a new project on generating insights towards “Optimising Communication Strategies for Cascading Government’s Developmental Initiatives to Local Communities in Nigeria." I would therefore appreciate it if you could take the time to complete the survey by clicking the link below. I promise you, it won’t take more than 2 minutes.
Many thanks.
This study seeks to interrogate the communication gap that exists between the government and the citizens at the grassroots. Evidence exists that the government and its agencies always communicate with the citizens. However, a cursory check reveals that these communicative acts get lost or lose mean...