Television and Nigerian Cultural Values: The Symbiosis and Social Impacts
Television and Nigerian Cultural Values: The Symbiosis and Social Impacts
Television and Nigerian Cultural Values: The Symbiosis and Social Impacts
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ABSTRACT
This paper critiques the social impact of television on Nigerian cultural values. The work adopts a
library research approach to deliver its substance. It starts by defining culture as a unique and total
way of life of a people in a social group that defines and set the group apart from other social groups.
Then, it delves into ideals considered to be indices of Nigerian cultural values. Television and culture
are treated as symbiotic bed-fellows. To provide underpinning to the subject matter of the paper, the
Media/Cultural Imperialism and Cultivation Analysis theories are set as theoretical footholds to the
discourse that unfolds. The paper thus, submits that television is both functional and dysfunctional to
Nigerian cultural. This implies that the impact of television is ambivalent: prosocial and anti-social
depending on the prism one tends to base his/her argument. Pro-socially, television has served
entertainment, information and education functions as well as engendering socialisation and family
integration. Anti-socially, television has promoted indecency, obscenity, immorality, language
pollution, disintegration from social life, interfamilial disruption, violence, crime, materialism,
consumerism and cultural stereotyping. While the pro-social impacts are ennobling to Nigerian
cultural values, the anti-social impacts debase the Nigerian cultural values.
How to cite this article: Obong, U. N. (2019). Television and Nigerian cultural values: the symbiosis
and social impacts. Equatorial Journal of Communication Technology, 2 (1): 9 - 19
KEYWORDS: Television; Nigerian cultural values; Symbiosis; Social impacts; Cultivation analysis;
Media imperialism.
is that the media impose cultural colonisation and used to package culture (Ogbuoshi, 2005; Hasan,
engender cultural bastardisation or what Schaefer 2013; Ejem, 2016). Baran (2004) considers it as a
(2012, p. 55) refers to as “cultural genocide”. ‘radio with pictures’ and ‘magazine with motion’. Its
For the proponents of acculturation, the media uniqueness makes its messages more compelling,
and their corresponding cultural contents are to interesting and believable. Little wonder people all
strengthen the lapses of a culture. Here, the cultural over the world patronises television services
products the media avail such culture are not seen as unabated (Nkana, 2004).
being disastrous but solely for cultural corroboration Positively, television serves as functional means
or inter-marriage between an alien and a host culture. of entertainment, information, education, and
The middle-ground school, instead of proposing or socialisation in the society. Contrastingly, it has also
opposing the debate simply stands on the fence and been criticised for bringing into people’s homes
judges both sides of the argument fairly by harmful contents most people do not want or need.
suggesting a middle-ground where their propositions For promoting notions of conflict, violence, crime,
and oppositions can be tolerated. indecency, immorality, materialism, cultural
No matter which side of the arguments one tends stereotype, language permutation, etc., television is
to support, it should not be dismissed in a hurry that said to inject dysfunctional inputs into the society
the media are the vehicles through which cultural which when considered critically can be said to
elements can be transported (even to where the debase the indigenous cultural values in Nigeria.
cultural elements are not wanted). Thus, a society Whether considered positively or negatively,
that keeps its cultural windows carelessly open to television wields enormous influences on people’s
foreign contents transported by the foreign media is culture in so many ways. Within the Nigerian
at the risk of cultural permutation, and worst still, cultural milieu, one can hardly tell whether television
cultural alienation or erosion. Hence, the extent to broadcasting is all-together harmful or beneficial to
which such culture may be infiltrated or the local cultures that exist. Traces of harmful and
predominated by foreign values, norms, beliefs, beneficial impacts are observed. From this premise,
traditions, lifestyles, etc. becomes limitless and has Schramm’s conclusion on his research on influence
great social impact on indigenous cultural values. of television on audiences as cited by Rodman (2006)
Though the society cannot function properly should suffice that, for some people, under some
without the media, some of the contents that the conditions, some television content is harmful. For
media bring to the society’s gaze and attention are other people, under the same condition conditions, or
culturally disturbing and unfit. Of all the media of for some people under other conditions, it may be
mass communication, television has evolved into a beneficial. For most people, under most conditions,
potent social force to be reckoned with in the most television is probably neither harmful nor
transmission of socio-cultural values and norms in a particularly beneficial.
civilised society (Ekeanyanwu and Usaini, 2017). This however makes the issue highly
Coupled with its ability to communicate and relay a controversial. Whether television has brought harm
story simultaneously through a blend of sound, sound or benefit to Nigerian indigenous cultural values is
effects, motion picture, colour, music, animation and subject to debate and thus prompts the question: what
sound effects into one message, television shows the is the social impact of television on Nigerian
realities of what is happening at the time and can be indigenous cultural values? This paper aims at
unfolding and demystifying the social impact of systems, value system, ideology, philosophy, fate
television on Nigerian indigenous cultural values. and emotional features that characterise and define
them in a unique way from members of other social
Overview of Culture groups (Etuk, 2002; Ekeanyanwu and Odukomaiya
The concept ‘culture’ suffers universal 2008; Jegede,
definition as it means different thing to different 2012).
people in different socio-cultural context. Hence, as Culture is people-specific. It contains within it,
many as there are scholars of cultural studies, so also those features, characteristics or ingredients which
are there definitions proffered on the subject matter. guarantee the survival of its people (Etuk, 2002). It
An attempt to define culture would not fail to is likened to a behaviour which can be observed,
mention that it can be looked at from two broad learnt, acquired, imitated, imbibed and transferred by
perspectives: material and non-material culture any possible medium (Baran, 2004;
(Nwagbara and Umor, 2012; Schaefer, 2012; Ekeanyanwu, 2009). This critique looks at culture
Ahamefula and Nnajieto, 2013; Udoh and Udensi; from all its ramifications (from the material to
2016). To the authors, the material culture has to do nonmaterial aspects) in so far as its ideals have
with the tangible inventions such as clothing, tools, bearing with people and people’s value system.
foods, machines, arts, crafts, artifacts, etc. made and
used by people to satisfy their varied needs in the An Overview of Nigerian Cultural Values
society. The non-material culture are sets of Culture has been defined as a common,
intangible and abstract ideals such as ideas, collective and uniform practice, artefact, aspiration,
knowledge, language, beliefs, religion, attitudes, symbolism, modality, behaviour, attitude, feeling,
philosophy and value system that a group of people worldview or belief of which a group of people in a
construct as reality which define their conduct, unique social confinement hold to be true of their
attitude and behaviour within the society. self-definition, yearnings and identity. The word
Culture is a wholesome and all-encompassing ‘value’ provokes such literal conjectures as ‘worth’,
concept which comprises the manifestation of the ‘importance’, ‘standard’, etc. Translates literally, the
patterns of language and the thoughts which concept ‘cultural values’ may be taken to mean
culminate into models for a cultural group to mould cultural worth and standard. Thus, a culture that has
their behaviour, fashion their living and standardise self-worth for its ideals and practices will do
their general conduct (Nwagbara and Umor, 2013). anything in its power to maintain such standards.
Emphasising more on the concept, Nwagbara and Ahamefula and Nnajiato (2013), posit that
Umor (2012, p. 60) maintains that: values are the underlying standards or principles by
Culture therefore is dynamic, man-created and which cultural ends and means are judged, evaluated
transferable; but it does not just mean values and or weighed. To these scholars, values determine what
personality, rather, the great corpus of techniques, is considered desirable, important and worthwhile
knowledge, models of social organizations, ideas, and they explain and justify behaviour. They
and aspirations specific to a society, which is handed summed it all by saying that a value is a belief that
down and learned in each generation and enables a something is good, desirable and acceptable. Thus,
particular form of social life to take place. cultural values are those desirable and acceptable
From what has been said about culture, it cannot morals, religious, political and social standards that
be dismissed for denoting the totality of a complex members of a cultural group set as prism to guide
way of life of a people from their selfdefinition, their own behaviour and practice.
worldview, living standard, survival skill, history, Every culture has its unique standard for doing
etc. to their institutions, religions, educational things, reacting to things and perceiving things and a
self-worth for its material elements (such as, food, it to reflect and project. Hence, there can be no
dress, arts, artifacts, beliefs, buildings, etc.) and non- television without culture vice versa. Hence,
material elements (such as, beliefs, norms, rituals, television and culture have interactive and symbiotic
folklores, behaviours, festivals, yearnings, relationship.
aspirations, social institutions and systems, Some of the ways that television is heavily tied
relationships, language, religion, etc.). It is such self- to culture are in the areas of culture transfer, culture
worth that makes its members behave as if their marketing, socialisation, cultural integration, etc.
culture is superior to other cultures. This Television, given its audio-visual appeal has the
development, Sumner, in 1906 coined potency to create cultural familiarisation and what
‘ethnocentrism’ (Bizumic, 2014). Baran (2004) refers to as cultural intimacy. This
Irrespective of the cultural diversity palpable happens when it constantly brings culturally-laden
within Nigeria’s socio-cultural map, certain cultural audio-visual messages to people home in a manner
values are universal. Such universal cultural values that makes such messages appear as the most
include: decency, religious sanctity, orderliness, acceptable and standard way of life. In similar vein,
peace, human dignity, respect for self and others, when foreign cultural messages are projected by the
trust, chastity, preference for language use and food, television quite often that they become familiar with
hospitality, morality (the goodness or rightness of the audiences, cultural effects therefore take place
one’s manner, character or proper behaviour), even at a subliminal level.
aesthetic preference (appreciation of work of arts, If culture defines our identities in a social group,
artefacts, dress pattern, nature or cultural practices as who or what contributes to the construction and
beautiful), human traits (personality description), maintenance of culture? Baran (2004, p. 10)
human endeavour (human strives or enterprises) and maintains that “the creation and maintenance of a
social order (respect for social structures, more or less common culture occurs through
institutions, relations, customs, values, rites, rituals communication, including mass communication.”
and practices which conserve, maintain and enforce Ekeanyanwu and Odukomaiya (2008, pp. 106-107)
certain patterns of relating and behaving in a society) citing MacBride (1981) observe that communication
(Wikipedia, 2017). is a major carrier of culture and that the media of
communication are cultural instruments (which serve
Culture and Television: The Symbiosis to promote or influence attitudes, to motivate, to
A discussion on culture and television would not foster the spread of behaviour patterns, etc.) and a
dismiss the fact that the two concepts coexist as bed means of access to culture.
fellows. Television, as an institution or organisation, Corroborating the foregoing viewpoints,
does not exist in a vacuum but situates within a Okunna (1993) cited in Ekeanyanwu and
culture. When considered as a process, its actions, Odukomaiya (2008, p. 107) maintains that “the
inactions, operations and functionality is to the communication industry is part of the culture
betterment or peril of the culture in which it operates industry, and mass communication is a very strong
upon. vehicle for cultural dissemination.” Television, the
That culture provides the social background and theatre of actualities and ‘make-believe’ and the
accommodation for television operation to have its captain of broadcast media, facilitates the creation
footing is true. Without culture, television would and maintenance of culture much faster and more
exist in isolation. A culture provides television with forceful.
the raw materials that it needs in order to survive. Of
course, television would not boast of its software
(contents or programmes) if there was no culture for
Signorielli, (1986, p. 3) in reaffirmation of their stand Nigerian cultural values is the concern of this
on the cultivation analysis of television posit that: segment.
Television cultivates from infancy the very
predispositions and preferences that used to Anti-Social Impact of Television on Nigerian
be acquired from other "primary" Indigenous Culture
sources…television has become the primary Promotion of Indecent Dressing Cues: One of
common source of socialization and everyday the most glaring negative impacts of television on
information (mostly in the form of Nigerian cultural values is promotion of indecent
entertainment) of an otherwise lifestyles. Television, through its entertainment
heterogeneous population. The repetitive contents, has not only showcased indecent dressing
pattern of television's mass-produced patterns but has also portrayed them in a more
messages and images forms the mainstream
attractive and acceptable way that suggests or
of a common symbolic environment.
encourages audience’s imitation.
Most television characters: celebrities, music
The underlying process in Cultivation Theory is
icons, movies stars, presenters, football stars and
that of “acculturation” meaning that people gradually
popular models do not dress decently on television.
come to accept and believe the view of the world as
Various indecent and culturally-disturbing dress
portrayed on television as a true representation of
patterns and hairstyles are named after television
reality and adapt their cultural behaviours
personalities. The Nigerian youths who take most of
accordingly. Thus, heavy consumption of television
television personalities seriously as role models
content that is culturally-laden lays the ground work
imitate their dress patterns even when such dress
for acculturation to take place. Gerbner et al. (1986,
patterns are used as mere costumes in their
p. 25) maintain that “on issue after issue, we found
presentation.
that the assumptions, beliefs and values of heavy
A street tour through major cities in Nigeria
viewers differ systematically from those of
would reveal ever-dynamic dress patterns that exist.
comparable groups of light viewers”.
It seems people no longer have interest in dressing
Thus, if television constantly portray
decently. Foreign fashion trends, no matter how
controversial alien cultural contents to its heavy
absurd and outlandish, are in greater displays within
viewers as the most acceptable cultural pattern, the
the Nigerian society. Tattoos and piercings adorned
viewers will likewise not hesitate to imbibe or imitate
at strategic body parts; outlandish hairdo, absurd
such cultural pattern and live it out in their social
sizes and colours of ear rings, artificial nails,
group not minding the prevailing cultural pattern of
artificial eye lashes; strange make ups; suggestive
behaviour of their social group. As a consequence,
attires, etc. are the trending dress patterns among the
acculturation or enculturation may result.
Nigerian youths. Such attires and self-projection
cues supposedly, make them feel more comfortable
Social Impact of Television on than decent ones. To this end, it is no longer strange
Nigerian Indigenous Cultural Values
and culturally-shocking to see young women
There is no contradiction in the fact that dressing half-naked and young men, sagging their
television has exerted some level of impact on trousers to reveal their sensitive body parts.
Nigerian cultural values. Television has dual impact If the foregoing is something to go by, it does
on the core values of Nigeria culture. The impact of not lack merit to say that the dress values of the
television on Nigerian culture is ambivalent: positive society is subjected to the ‘make-believe’ dress
(pro-social) and negative (antisocial). To unravel the world of television. The gullible Nigerian audience
negative and positive impacts of television on who cannot come to terms with societal values,
the males), turning to alcoholism, indulging in behaviours inappropriate to and injurious to the
violence and crime etc. as projected on television. health of indigenous society as a whole
From the foregoing, television seems to be at conflict (Ekeanyanwu and Odukomaiya, 2008).
with some family values and norms as well as turning Promotion of Violence and Crime: One of
family members against each other. Conflict is bound television’s conspicuous dysfunction is to promote
to take place in a situation where a family member violence (Baran, 2004). Lowery and DeFleur (1995)
imitates televised ideals that are against the cited in McQuail (2007, p. 482) maintain that “the
established family norms and values. Often, such viewing of violent entertainment increases the
individual is treated as a deviant and as an outcast by likelihood of aggressive behaviour.” Worthy of note
his/her own family. In trying to resolve such cultural is that television makes hero out of deviants and
conflict, the family often goes through one form of those who jeopardises social control and
social tension or the other and in most cases, outright enforcement mechanisms. It also promotes violence
disruption. by suggesting that life is about survival of the fittest.
In its portrayal, man must either fight against
Popularisation of Obscenity and Immorality: himself, against his neighbours or against his society.
Television has changed the moral barometer of There is hardly any television content that does
Nigerian societies. Through entertainment not contain one or more violent incidents and such
programmes such as reality TV shows, movies and contents exaggerate the probability of people being
music videos, immoral behavioural acts are directly involved in violent acts (Rodman, 2006).
promoted and rewarded. Incessant portrayals of From unhealthy competitions and aggressive
obscene and immoral behaviours through television arguments on reality TV shows, nagging housewives
advertisement and entertainment contents have and domestic violent scenes in home videos, gang-
exacerbated immorality in Nigeria. Immoral acts and related lyrics and shooting scenes on musicals to
behaviours such as: pre-marital sex, extramarital crime fighting scenes in news programmes, reveal
affairs, prostitution, deceit, incest, bestiality, some level of violent contents on television.
homosexuality, bisexuality, suggestive dressing Audiences, being predominantly exposed to such
modes, masturbation, amorous escapades, nudity, excessive violent contents become desensitised to
etc. are depicted on television as cool, fun and violent acts in real life and can reproduce same when
exciting with no in-depth discussion and analysis of occasion demands.
the consequences of modelling such behaviours. Television has also encouraged the proliferation
Gradually, the behaviours are taking their firm roots of crimes in the Nigerian society. Drug peddling and
in the Nigerian cultural fabric. trafficking, internet and advanced fee fraud, armed
A research conducted by Ezeh (2009) on the robbery, human trafficking, money rituals, burglary,
linkage between exposure to television contents and pickpocketing, etc. are some of the crimes suggested
modelling of immoral sexual behaviour of Youths in by television as easy routes to wealth. Billionaire
Nsukka, Enugu State, found that Nsukka Urban fraudsters, drug lords, ritualists, armed criminals, etc.
youths’ exposure to immoral sexual behaviour on are portrayed with reverence as people who hold
television influenced them to acts of immoral sexual excessive clout over the political, economic and
behaviour. This finding underscores that television is social capital of the society. In movies, these are the
a powerful medium that can change people attitude people who call the shot or have the law and
and forms habit that reflects those represented in its government in their pockets and can get away with
various programmes (Okpala, Awujo, and Okpala, any crime as far as they have enough money to pull
2012). Such attitudinal and values change will, with strings. At the end, justice is bought not served. Here,
time, lead to a change in behaviour, with new though with sublime intent, the story television
seems to be telling is that even though other every Ibibio man or woman must be a house boy or
profession may pay, crime pays much more. Ill- house maid and must be named ‘Okon’ or ‘Akpan’
gotten wealth is flaunted and applauded louder than and ‘Ekaette’ respectively. Ekaette must know how
hard-earned wealth. This popularity reward for to cook more than the mistress, she must come from
criminal activities has encouraged and motivated Calabar and must be sexually super-active to snatch
most honest people in Nigeria to go into crime. the mistress’ husband. The Yorubas, supposedly
Materialism and Consumerism: Sharma and must be portrayed as people who do not pay attention
Singh (2013) observe a strange new cultural creation to hygiene and must shout with the mouths open
as one of the deceptions portrayed by television before conversing. Warri people are characterised as
advertising. Through television advertisement, the violent, bold and overtly smart. Such stereotypes
Nigerian audience are constantly bombarded with only show that television is prejudiced and that it
manipulative and deceptive commercial messages on encourages prejudice in the cultural identity of the
so many trivial products they do not necessarily need people of Nigeria.
or can afford per time. Thus, buying behaviour is
therefore forcefully encouraged on products and Pro-social Impact of Television on Nigerian
services that are even injurious to their personal and Indigenous Cultural Values
environmental health. Truths and facts about Socialisation: Television is one of the prime
product’s benefit and usefulness are downplayed for agents of socialisation and one of the potent
the emotional and irrational puffery that compels instruments for cultural transmission. By reflecting
buying behaviour. and constantly projecting the socio-cultural values of
Ego, pride, fear, status, class and sex appeal are Nigeria, socio-cultural values are being preserved
built into a product to trigger prospective customers and transmitted from one generation to the other.
to want. Television advertisement is one of the Going by the popularity of television viewing in
causes of alcoholism, drug addiction and substances Nigeria, people can learn about the world and the
abuse in the Nigerian society. ways of the society through television portrayal of
such ideals. For Gonzalez-Mena (2010), people can
Ethnic Stereotyping: Stereotyping is the practice of learn something about occupations, for example,
representing or portraying a member of a (ethnic) getting an idea about what a nurse does, what a
group by using oversimplified or demeaning doctor does, and how the two relate to each other.
characteristics of such (ethnic) group (Rodman, The author further maintains that learning about the
2006). Fiercely, television has engendered cultural institutions of the society, that is, what goes on in
stereotype between the ethnic groups that exist in the court, for example, the language to go with these
country in such a way that if a particular ethnic group roles and settings are some of the ways that television
is not portrayed is a particular light, the whole can socialise a culture.
narrative or fiction hardly makes sense. To this end,
if a Hausa man is not a gatekeeper, influential Education: Television is one of the greatest
politician, car dealer or a powerful ritualist who can educators in modern time. Where formal education
barely speak standard English without injecting within the four walls of a classroom cannot be made
“walahi”, “kai!”, etc. in his expression, the character possible by whatever sociological factor, television
cannot be said to be representing the image of a has served as a school and as a classroom for distance
Hausa man. Also, if an Igbo man is not named education. Given its powers to blast geographic
‘Emeka’ and owns a shop or is into one business or barriers, instructional contents are delivered ‘to
the other, the ‘Igboness’ in such a character whom it may concern’ with ease, speed, relative
supposedly lacks flavour. Equally, on television,
cheapness and at the convenience of its learners who Entertainment: Television is a very powerful
are cut away by physical boundaries. medium for entertainment. The music, drama, reality
Television can teach and deliver on any subject. show, movie, documentary, etc. on television give
Research finding documented in Rodman (2006) the audience respite, escape and diversion from the
reveals that children with high intelligent quotients harsh realities of daily experiences of life. The make-
tended to be heavy viewers when they were young believe illusion it creates in the minds of its viewers
and less intelligent children showed the opposite is a potent potion for relaxation and calming of
pattern. Televised films were equally found to have nerves.
a major effect on the acquisition of factual Because of its power to attract and sustain
knowledge (448). attention, most parents resort to television to baby sit
their children. Television has changed the way
Information: Television, through news programmes people use to have fun. Not only is television more
provides quality and timely information for members convenient than going to movies, plays, concerts, or
of the Nigerian society to live informed lives. sporting events, it is also a lot cheaper and more
Television as one of the potent media of flexible. With modern day television, people do not
communication has not lapse in this function. With have to leave their houses, and get dressed up to drive
its audio-visual appeal, television has brought to the to see what they could be watching on their own TV
attention of the mass’s issues of societal-relevance sets at home (Schoolworkhelper, 2017b).
happening around them.
By letting the masses see the events as they Family Integration: By becoming a uniting force
unfold, it is as if they are physically present at the during family viewership, television has foisted the
scene where the events are taking place. The bonds and encourage family integration. The
actualities, soundbites and pictorial presentation of gravitational effects of television on the family are
the events in form of motion pictures make the beneficial as they serve to bring members together in
information disseminated look so real and believable a common forum (Schoolworkhelper, 2017a).
for the masses to draw useful cues from.
Political Development: Television broadcasting has
Socio-cultural Ombudsmanism: When television, really boosted political development in Nigeria.
through its programmes, seeks to investigate into From formation of political parties, political
cultural controversy in a bid to resolve it so as to mobilisation/canvassing, electioneering, elections,
encourage cultural homogeneity, it is can be said to swearing-in to tenures or appointment in political
be playing a role typical of an ombudsman. In offices, television has been the mirror projecting
Nigeria, some locally-sourced television Nigerian politics to the world. With its audio-visual
programmes are produced to checkmate the edge, television has impacted on Nigerian politics in
(supposedly) negative influence of foreign contents dynamic ways that it becomes part of political
on the socio-cultural development of the country. definition in Nigeria.
Programmes such as Nigerian Television
Authority’s classics such as: Village Headmaster; Summary
Cock Crow at Dawn; Behind the Clouds; This paper examines the social impact of
Masquerades and Life Stories address several moral, television on Nigerian indigenous cultural values. It
family and cultural issues plaguing the nation. On starts by defining culture as a unique and total way
such programmes, complaints are made on alarming of life of a people in a social group that defines and
cultural lapses and at the end, redress is suggested. set the group apart from other social groups. It is
sacrosanct that people make up a culture. That being
true, values tell people what is good, beneficial, for education, information, entertainment, family
desirable, and constructive. unification and socialisation. These functional
Television and culture are treated as symbiotic impacts are ennobling to the Nigerian indigenous
bed fellows. As the latter helps the former to have its cultural values.
footing, the former helps the latter in transporting On the other hand, television also promotes
and marketing its elements. indecency, obscenity, immorality, language
Theoretically, from the hindsight of proponents of pollution, disintegration from social life,
media and cultural imperialism theory, nothing good interfamilial disruption, violence, crime,
can be said to come out from the operations of materialism, consumerism, cultural stereotyping and
television in as much as it is appraised as an cultural controversy. These dysfunctional inputs
instrument for cultural colonisation. From such debase the Nigerian indigenous cultural values.
prism and standpoint, television cannot overcome its
persecution for keeping strong faith in transporting
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