By Olakunle Yusuf
Arthur Miller, a prolific American playwright and essayist, once described a newspaper as a nation having a dialogue with itself. More importantly, he pointed out that the quality of that dialogue helps shape the future of the country. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a national development process without communication playing an essential part. Be it print, electronic or social media. But what exactly are the key roles of communication in the modernization of a nation? This is necessary in view of 2023 general elections. As Nigeria reaches important crossroads in her path to modernity, we need sharper answers to this question. The range of possible answers is wide but, in my experience, three key roles stand out.
Foster meaningful dialogue among different sectors of society. Most developing countries have a diverse society. Likewise, they often have a complex set of socio-economic and cultural stratifications that befuddles most foreigners. On one hand, we may have a segment of the country’s elites plugged into the Internet, iPads, iPhones and MP5s, which are continually updated with the latest in technology and world events. On the other hand, we may have large segments of citizens who do not even have access to electricity or modern conveniences. They are deprived of access to the mass media, and thus ever silent in the process of national dialogue. This great divide, both in terms of access to information and contribution to knowledge, generates social and political tension, not to mention horrendous economic injustice. This cannot go on. We, in the field of communication, need to exert our best in bringing together the diverse cultures in the developing world into a mosaic with distinct parts or a fully integrated rainbow of colours that every citizen is proud of.
Second, nurture a shared vision for the country’s future. Communicators are leaders. Leaders are communicators. However, if a leader is deficient in communication, it behoves on that leader to surround him or herself with communication experts. They help others see opportunities and current realities with a new lens and thus enable everyone to act in harmony. Every citizen is an actor and object of development. Everyone contributes to nation building or sadly serves as a drag, generating friction and causing a huge waste of scarce resources and energy. Perhaps, only when citizens of a country have nurtured a true-shared vision, transcending personal agendas, can the process of national development reach the tipping point for accelerated growth. Indeed, a country may develop only when its leaders realize the wisdom in the principle – power shared is power multiplied, not power diminished.
Third, harness non-material and material resources to realize the national shared vision. There is growing recognition in the developing world that we have seriously neglected the value of non-material resources -leadership, discipline, teamwork, self-efficacy, creativity, harmony, etc. In a sense, we have overplayed the importance of money and machines and undervalued social capital. Yet, as we see development efforts struggle despite access to huge amounts of money, we begin to appreciate the value of non-material resources.
Robert Fogel, 1993 Nobel Prize winner for Economics, aptly said that non-material resources are more important than material resources. One, we don’t need parliaments or donor agencies to allocate them. Two, they increase with use instead of getting depleted. Three, it is easier to transform non-material resources to material resources than vice versa. Four, like creativity and human ingenuity, non-material resources are practically limitless. And last, non-material resources reside in every human being. Indeed, communication is an essential component of non-material resources.
In sum, communication is a bond that brings a nation together, yet respects the multiplicity of perspectives that is essential to the search for truth and meaning. A nation consists of individuals with diverse needs but bound together by a common dream. It is in the reconciliation of multiple perspectives with the call for collective action that developing nations can move forward with greater determination and impact. It is perhaps the search for dialogue, shared vision, and merging of material and non-material resources that will allow us to find the driving force for development.
It may be useful to reflect on the multiplicity of approaches to development. Perhaps, it is man’s folly to assume that there is only one correct answer to every question. Or as aptly said by a wise man, “the belief that there is only one truth and that oneself is in possession of it seems the deepest root of all evil that is in the world.” True communication can wipe out that belief.
Hallmark of good leadership is communication. A leader could have best intentions. If not well communicated, (s)he would be misunderstood. And this present government stands the risk of being misunderstood. Though heavy in infrastructure, but low in economic development. Every government should consider live before livelihood. Also necessary is an increase in shared characteristics among social groups and an increasing social homogeneity are a key to nation building.
The expansion of economic growth plans can be regarded as an effective step towards nation-building. In most less developed countries, however, in order for this to happen, several provisions should first be made. Among the approaches to create national solidarity and social consensus in multi-ethnic societies, is the exploitation of mass media, which can play a significant role in the unification of different groups and people through influencing the minds of people. Referring to the barriers on the way to the economic growth and development in less developed countries, S.C. Dube, the winner of the eleventh annual prize in social sciences for 1993, hereby attempts to examine the role of media in the maintenance and restoration of cultural identity in the integrated societies. He also takes into consideration the requirements for the successful control of ethnic authoritarianistic viewpoints dominating such societies, as well as the effective communication of messages.
We’ve always been taught in our Development Communication course that the development process IS a communication process. Development cannot be achieved without proper communication. This communication involves social marketing and social mobilization. Getting stakeholders’ feedback, planning, policy-making, monitoring, and evaluation all involve communication. To be succinct about it, without proper communication, development will not occur. Every government must priortize communication. Era of sending information, which in my observation is the strong point of this administration must be reviewed.
Going forward, our leaders must embrace purposeful communication involving sender and receiver. Not just information that is one sided.
So, my fellow communication professionals and our political leaders, let us listen deeply to one another and hear the silent voices of people in our respective states. Nigerians are good followers. What is however lacking are visionary leaders who would be up and doing and communicate same to the generality of the people. Sometimes, meaningful communication involves the ability to also hear what is not being said! Do hope I am not sounding like a theorist?
• Pastor Olakunle Yusuf, Lead Consultant, Above Media. He can be reached via 08023423396 or email: [email protected].