Mass media and the management of human rights abuses in nigeria

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p>INTRODUCTION</p><p><strong>1.1 &nbsp; BACKGROUND &nbsp;OF &nbsp;THE &nbsp;STUDY</strong></p><p>The &nbsp;political &nbsp;entity &nbsp;called &nbsp;Nigeria &nbsp;has &nbsp;continued &nbsp;since independence &nbsp;under &nbsp;one &nbsp;form &nbsp;to &nbsp;the &nbsp;other. &nbsp;Especially &nbsp;with military &nbsp;rulers &nbsp;who &nbsp;have &nbsp;had &nbsp;to &nbsp;be &nbsp;rule &nbsp;through &nbsp;decrees &nbsp;thus suspending &nbsp;the &nbsp;constitution &nbsp;that &nbsp;guarantees &nbsp;the &nbsp;citizenry &nbsp;their fundamental &nbsp;human &nbsp;rights.</p><p>It &nbsp;there &nbsp;makes &nbsp;it &nbsp;obvious &nbsp;that &nbsp;the &nbsp;basis &nbsp;for &nbsp;government, &nbsp;which is &nbsp;for &nbsp;the &nbsp;ultimate &nbsp;good &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;people, &nbsp;is &nbsp;defeated &nbsp;when &nbsp;their &nbsp;rights &nbsp;are &nbsp;not &nbsp;guaranteed. &nbsp;And &nbsp;indeed &nbsp;authoritarian &nbsp;rule &nbsp;has &nbsp;not helped &nbsp;human &nbsp;right issues, &nbsp;as &nbsp;abuse &nbsp;has &nbsp;been &nbsp;recorded &nbsp;time and &nbsp;again &nbsp;even &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;bizarre manner.</p><p>This &nbsp;is &nbsp;where &nbsp;the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;comes &nbsp;into &nbsp;focus , &nbsp;as &nbsp;through &nbsp;it, the &nbsp;government &nbsp;and &nbsp;the &nbsp;governed &nbsp;are &nbsp;better &nbsp;be &nbsp;informed &nbsp;about their &nbsp;various &nbsp;privileges &nbsp;and &nbsp;limitation &nbsp;as &nbsp;it &nbsp;is &nbsp;entrenched &nbsp;in &nbsp;the constitution &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;federal &nbsp;republic &nbsp;of &nbsp;Nigeria, &nbsp;albeit &nbsp;only &nbsp;under a &nbsp;democratically &nbsp;elected &nbsp;government.</p><p>The &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;serves &nbsp;as &nbsp;the &nbsp;cornerstone &nbsp;of &nbsp;any &nbsp;progress &nbsp;in the &nbsp;society &nbsp;both &nbsp;economically &nbsp;and &nbsp;politically. &nbsp;And, &nbsp;because &nbsp;it serves &nbsp;as &nbsp;an &nbsp;essential &nbsp;ingredients &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;successful &nbsp;management of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuse &nbsp;all &nbsp;over &nbsp;the &nbsp;world. &nbsp;It &nbsp;is &nbsp;therefore &nbsp;that their &nbsp;role &nbsp;as &nbsp;societal &nbsp;watchdogs &nbsp;should &nbsp;not &nbsp;be &nbsp;abandoned &nbsp;for some &nbsp;mundane &nbsp;issue.</p><p>For &nbsp;a &nbsp;society &nbsp;that &nbsp;it’s &nbsp;citizens &nbsp;cannot &nbsp;be &nbsp;guaranteed &nbsp;the protection &nbsp;of &nbsp;their &nbsp;fundamental &nbsp;human &nbsp;rights &nbsp;cannot &nbsp;be &nbsp;said &nbsp;to be &nbsp;free &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;real &nbsp;sense &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;word.</p><p>The &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;has &nbsp;always &nbsp;been &nbsp;a &nbsp;channel &nbsp;through &nbsp;which human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;has &nbsp;been &nbsp;exposed &nbsp;to &nbsp;the &nbsp;public. &nbsp;But &nbsp;there are &nbsp;times &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;have &nbsp;been &nbsp;quite &nbsp;intractable &nbsp;for the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;to &nbsp;manage &nbsp;either &nbsp;due &nbsp;to &nbsp;tribal &nbsp;or &nbsp;religious sentiment &nbsp;or outright &nbsp;ownership &nbsp;interference. &nbsp;In &nbsp;such &nbsp;cases, &nbsp;the citizens &nbsp;whose &nbsp;rights &nbsp;have &nbsp;been &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;are &nbsp;unfortunately &nbsp;given the &nbsp;short &nbsp;end &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;stick. &nbsp;The &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;should &nbsp;be &nbsp;able &nbsp;to effectively &nbsp;manage &nbsp;the &nbsp;issues &nbsp;of human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;as &nbsp;they unfold &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;society. &nbsp;Considering &nbsp;the &nbsp;fact &nbsp;that &nbsp;they &nbsp;most &nbsp;times set &nbsp;the &nbsp;agenda &nbsp;for &nbsp;public &nbsp;discourse. &nbsp;They &nbsp;should &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;process to &nbsp;be &nbsp;able &nbsp;distinguish &nbsp;what &nbsp;should &nbsp;be &nbsp;known &nbsp;and &nbsp;what &nbsp;should not &nbsp;be &nbsp;known.</p><p>Expect &nbsp;in &nbsp;that &nbsp;case, &nbsp;they &nbsp;want &nbsp;to &nbsp;leave &nbsp;the &nbsp;role &nbsp;of &nbsp;agenda setting &nbsp;to &nbsp;the &nbsp;government; &nbsp;which &nbsp;is &nbsp;this &nbsp;case &nbsp;means &nbsp;that &nbsp;the people &nbsp;are &nbsp;indolent &nbsp;and as &nbsp;Plato &nbsp;stressed &nbsp;“they &nbsp;look &nbsp;up &nbsp;to &nbsp;the leaders &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;state &nbsp;to &nbsp;say &nbsp;what &nbsp;goes”. &nbsp;Despite &nbsp;the &nbsp;inability &nbsp;of the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;to &nbsp;at &nbsp;times &nbsp;manage &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;in Nigeria, &nbsp;they &nbsp;have &nbsp;at &nbsp;other &nbsp;times &nbsp;pre – empted &nbsp; &nbsp; the &nbsp;activities of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;groups &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;past, &nbsp;thus, &nbsp;leading &nbsp;to &nbsp;clampdown on &nbsp;members &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;groups.</p><p>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; STATEMENT &nbsp;OF &nbsp;THE &nbsp;RESEARCH &nbsp;PROBLEM</p><p>The &nbsp;management &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;by &nbsp;the &nbsp;Nigerian &nbsp;mass media &nbsp;is &nbsp;what &nbsp;is &nbsp;being &nbsp;looked. &nbsp;The &nbsp;main &nbsp;thrust &nbsp;of &nbsp;this &nbsp;research is &nbsp;to &nbsp;bring &nbsp;to &nbsp;the &nbsp;fore &nbsp;the &nbsp;role &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;various &nbsp;variables &nbsp; in &nbsp;the proper &nbsp;management &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses.</p><p>The &nbsp;issues &nbsp;of &nbsp;political &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;and &nbsp;the &nbsp;various ethnic &nbsp;and &nbsp;religious &nbsp;factors &nbsp;have &nbsp;seriously &nbsp;short – circuited &nbsp;the proper &nbsp;management &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;will &nbsp;be &nbsp;perused &nbsp;with a &nbsp;view &nbsp;of &nbsp;finding &nbsp;a &nbsp;way &nbsp;out &nbsp;of &nbsp;them.</p><p>1.3 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; OBJECTIVES &nbsp;OF &nbsp;THE &nbsp;STUDY</p><p>I. &nbsp; &nbsp;This &nbsp; study &nbsp;sets &nbsp;out &nbsp;to &nbsp;see &nbsp;what &nbsp; extent &nbsp;the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp;has &nbsp;been &nbsp;able &nbsp;to &nbsp;manage &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;in &nbsp;Nigeria.</p><p>II. &nbsp; &nbsp;It &nbsp;also &nbsp;aimed &nbsp;at &nbsp;putting &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;right &nbsp;perspective &nbsp;the &nbsp;order of &nbsp;management &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp;abuses &nbsp;by &nbsp;the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media.</p><p>III. &nbsp; &nbsp;This &nbsp;study &nbsp;set &nbsp;out &nbsp;to &nbsp; know &nbsp;whether &nbsp;religious &nbsp;and &nbsp;ethnical consideration &nbsp;is &nbsp;responsible &nbsp;for &nbsp;how &nbsp;the &nbsp;mass &nbsp;media &nbsp; in Nigeria &nbsp;manages &nbsp;cases &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuses.</p><p>IV. &nbsp; &nbsp;Finally, &nbsp;it &nbsp;is &nbsp;to &nbsp;find &nbsp;out &nbsp;whether &nbsp;ownership &nbsp;factors &nbsp;plays any &nbsp;role &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;management &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp;right &nbsp;abuse &nbsp;in Nigeria.</p><p>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; SIGNIFICANCE &nbsp;OF &nbsp;THE &nbsp;STUDY</p><p>This &nbsp;study &nbsp;is &nbsp;out &nbsp;to &nbsp;make &nbsp;known &nbsp;the &nbsp;benefit &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;effective management &nbsp;of &nbsp;human &nbsp; rights </p> <br><p></p>