African communication matrix: The influence of the secular on the church in Nigeria

Abstract

African communication is an age-long dissemination system. Its continuous existence in the ever-growing Nigerian society is of interest to so many communication scholars. This study was conducted to ascertain what channels of the African communication system still exist and how these influence the religious setting in Africa using Nigeria as a case study. A survey method was adopted to investigate the problem in the two traditional kingdoms of Uzairue and Auchi, both in Edo state. A set of questionnaires were designed to elicit responses from the Christian respondents, and interviews were also conducted with chiefs of two selected traditional communities of Iyamho and Auchi. The secularization theory was used to explain the topic. The findings of this study reveal that African communication channels, particularly the talking drum, pot drum and wooden drum, are commonly used in rural settings and these have crept into the religious (Christian) settings where they are used as instruments of praise, worship and choir presentations. This study is aimed at providing useful information for the teaching of African communication systems in the departments of communication and media studies in Nigerian universities, in particular, and Africa in general. It will also help Africans appreciate the value of African communication instruments in the modern world as well as traditional African communication channels used in churches. This study recommends that further research should be conducted to ascertain why there is a decline in the use of African communication instruments.