Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of the 2006 census campaign strategies in influencing people’s perception of, and participation in, the census exercise. One hundred and forty (140) subjects, comprising workers in Ibadan metropolis, constituted the sample size for the study. The survey research method was used for the study while the questionnaire and a structured interview guide were used as instruments for data collection. The simple random sampling technique was adopted for the study. The results showed that various communication strategies were used for 2006 census campaign but the mass media especially radio proved to be the most accessible by majority of the respondents. However, the messages only succeeded in creating awareness for the census exercise but were not very effective in the area of changing the people's perception of, and attitude to census. The results also revealed that there was a significant relationship between people's perception of census and their reaction to 2006 census campaign messages. This relationship may not totally explain their eventual action during the census exercise as their actions were a product of other external factors like patriotism, threats by the government and social pressures. Altogether, the findings support the position of the theories of reasoned action and social judgement that a person's intention to support a development exercise, say census, will be determined by his/her attitude toward census and what people around him/her say or do concerning the exercise.  

Key Words: Census, Development Communication, Participatory approach,

                       Communication Strategies, Persuasion and attitude change

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, April 2013, 119 – 137 

©Delmas Communications Ltd.

About the author

*Chinyere Azuka Mbaka is a Lecturer, General Studies Unit and Department of Mass Communication, Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo, Nigeria

Full Article

Words: 9,563; Pages: 19