CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
To gain a perfect insight into the reason why development programmes, especially in rural communities end up as mere growth and not development, it is essential to examine some indigenous communication systems that are supposed to aid the programmes. This is because development is multifaceted, multi sectorial and widely a participatory process in which the intended beneficiaries are actively involved in every phase from need identification to need prioritization, project planning, execution, monitoring, evaluation and the distribution of the benefits (Adelugba, 1996; Foster, 1969; Isah, 2011). There is also the need to examine the persisting traditional communication system and their attendant customs and beliefs as well as general socio-political perceptions toward implantation of development programmes. It is also pertinent to examine the effect of the exogenous communication on the indigenous communication with regards to rural development efforts. To achieve these, an in-depth anthropological fieldwork was conducted to examine the indigenous communication system that exists in Mbano, Imo State, Nigeria. The study also assessed rural development efforts with regard to their utilization of indigenous communication. The study is hinged on four main objectives. Firstly, to examine how indigenous communication can be used to mobilize rural people for participation towards development. Secondly, it is to assess the knowledge of rural Igbo communities of Nigeria on the application of indigenous communication for achieving effective rural development. Thirdly, it is to examine ways of combining indigenous and modern communication to achieve effective rural development. In its fourth objective, the study assesses the ways in which indigenous communication can enhance rural development. The method is historical and analytical. Quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used.