Abstract
This study investigates different discursive strategies creatively deployed in purposively selected jingles from radio stations in southwestern Nigeria to promote good social values and convey messages cryptic with meaning. Using a Critical Discourse Approach, the study examines how radio stations serve as a cultural agency to advocate good virtue in the Yoruba society. The cultural ideology of the Yoruba people rests in part on the notion of ‘omoluabi’; and different social values such as good behaviour, social harmony, honesty and integrity must have been observed before a person qualifies for description of this zenith of behavioural goal. Although the raising of a child is a communal effort, particularly in traditional Yoruba societies, family members (especially mothers) painstakingly pay attention to sterling character traits when raising their children. The mass media, especially local radio stations, further intensify this social/family effort by airing jingles that deal with socio-cultural values such as honesty, hard work, academic integrity, and war against child abuse as tools for promoting the essence of ‘omoluabi’. The study argues that radio technology is the closest medium of communication to ordinary Nigerians and the most people-centred medium of communication which the government usually uses to create awareness and disseminate information to people across different communities in the country; hence its agency role of advocating good behaviour to promote a vice free society.
Presenters
Oluwabunmi OyebodeSenior Lecturer, Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Communications and Linguistic Studies
KEYWORDS
OMOLUABI, YORUBA PEOPLE, CULTURAL IDEOLOGY, RADIO JINGLES, CRITICAL DISCOURSE APPROACH
