Stakeholder Perception of the Impacts of Communication for Development in NGO-Supported Organizational Capacity Building: A Case of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board

Utilization of communication for development (C4D) in organizational capacity-building support provided by foreign aid-assisted developmental programs run by non-governmental organization (NGOs) has been shown to improve primary health care (PHC) services in both urban and rural communities, especially the latter. This study investigated stakeholder perceived benefits of organizational capacity-building support provided by NGOs toward the improvement of PHC services in Yobe State. Adopting a case study approach with key informant interview (KII), the responses of four key management staff of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board (YSPHCMB) were captured and analyzed using the organizational capacity assessment tool model and critical discourse analysis. The key findings revealed that two critical C4D techniques namely, advocacy and behavior-change communication have impacted significantly toward the strengthening of both YSPHCMB and improvement of PHC services in rural areas of the state more than it did in urban centers; organizational capacity-building support provided by NGOs have significantly strengthened the capacity of YSPHCMB effectively more than both the State and Federal Governments (the primary funders of PHC services) did; and perceived sustainability crisis (PSC) in the event of the expiration of the tenure of some NGOs and developmental programs has been identified as a critical challenge that may affect the tremendous successes achieved by the programs/NGOs negatively should they close as anticipated. To avert the occurrence of PSC in the aftermaths of the closure of an NGO, both the State and Federal Governments should ensure enough and timely release of PHC counterpart funding. Keywords: C4D, communication for development, Nigerian primary health care services, NGO, OCAT, organizational capacity assessment tool, PHC, DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/79-04 Publication date: April 30th 201

STRATEGIZING SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ICT-RELATED INNOVATIONS ADOPTION: MODERATING INFLUENCE OF GENDER, AGE AND EXPERIENCE

The rapid advancement in information and communication technology (ICT) has brought huge entrepreneur benefits and challenges. A key challenge that has been less researched is the demand for skilled manpower in relation to the issue of the role employees’ age and gender play in driving SMEs’ ICT-related innovations adoption. This paper attempted to determine the moderating role of three important workers’ demographic characteristics (age, gender and experience) on the use of innovations related to ICT by SMEs. Adopting the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) perspective, a questionnaire was designed and administered to 400 employees selected from 43 SMEs in the Malaysian state of Selangor. The results of multiple regression analysis indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions all have significant impacts on ICT-related technology innovations adoption (ICTRIA) while the moderator analysis confirmed that the two gender categories, different age groups and different experience levels have specific moderating influence on the relationship paths between the four predictors and technology innovations use. Novel findings show that performance expectancy and social influence are more salient for older female and younger female workers to run jobs related to ICT innovations use in the firm respectively

Stakeholder Perception of the Impacts of Communication for Development Techniques in NGO-Supported Organizational Capacity Building: A Case of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board

Utilization of communication for development (C4D) techniques in organizational capacity-building support provided by foreign aid-assisted developmental programs run by non-governmental organization (NGOs) has been shown to improve primary health care (PHC) services in both urban and rural communities, especially the latter. This study investigated stakeholder perceived benefits of organizational capacity-building support provided by NGOs toward the improvement of PHC services in Yobe State. Adopting a case study approach with key informant interview (KII), the responses of four key management staff of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board (YSPHCMB) were captured and analyzed using the organizational capacity assessment tool model and critical discourse analysis. The key findings revealed that two critical C4D techniques namely, advocacy and behavior-change communication have impacted significantly toward the strengthening of both YSPHCMB and improvement of PHC services in rural areas of the state more than it did in urban centers; organizational capacity-building support provided by NGOs have significantly strengthened the capacity of YSPHCMB effectively more than both the State and Federal Governments (the primary funders of PHC services) did; and perceived sustainability crisis (PSC) in the event of the expiration of the tenure of some NGOs and developmental programs has been identified as a critical challenge that may affect the tremendous successes achieved by the programs/NGOs negatively should they close as anticipated. To avert the occurrence of PSC in the aftermaths of the closure of an NGO, both the State and Federal Governments should ensure enough and timely release of PHC counterpart funding. Keywords: C4D, communication for development, Nigerian primary health care services, NGO, OCAT, organizational capacity assessment tool, PHC, DOI: 10.7176/DCS/9-3-03 Publication date:March 31st 201

EXPLORING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY STRENGTHENING FACTORS INFLUENCING THE USE OF COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES FOR ENHANCEMENT OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

The impacts of organizational capacity-strengthening support provided by local non-governmental organizations toward the utilization of communication for development techniques (advocacy and behavior change communication) for the improvement of primary health care services administration in the North-eastern Nigerian state of Yobe were explored. Using the organizational capacity assessment tool model and critical discourse analysis, the responses of five key management personnel of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board were analyzed. Organizational capacity strengthening in respect of organizational governance, coordination and partnerships, organizational planning, human resource development and management board dimensions appeared to have salient influences on the utilization of communication for development techniques in primary health care services administration with budgeting and financing dimensions having weaker influences. Perceived sustainability crisis and government political commitment appeared to play a moderating role

Media Narrative Creation of Inter-Religious Conflict and Its Repercussion on National Development in Nigeria: A Dialectic Discourse on the Media’s Role as an Instrument for Conflict Construction and Management

This paper examined the extent to which the mass media narrative serves as an instrument of the escalation, degeneration and de-escalation of religious-related conflicts in Nigeria, especially in the Northern part of the country and the consequent effects of the role of the mass media in national development. Thus, the media narrative is seen as a factor constructing religious conflicts which occur so often. The sources of the literature reviewed were the main method employed in the collection of data. Grounded in the mediatisation theory perspective, this paper examined news reports and analysis, editorials, contents of newspapers, radio broadcasts, television news and international news agencies’ reports on ethnoreligious conflicts. From the analysis, the paper highlights that even in instances when conflicts arose as a result of other factors, they usually assumed religious colourations thus making them intractable and the mass media in the country during reportage of inter-religious conflicts play roles as diverse as the interests of their owners and editors: geographical locations and ethnic and religious affiliations. This paper, therefore, recommends a paradigm shift in the inter-religious narrative by the media to play down conflict situations rather than escalate them for national development. This is because conflicts, generally, are complex and so their narrative should be handled with care to avoid generation and escalation of further conflicts. This paper also proposes that ethnic identity, political identity and religious identity influence media narrative of religious conflicts in Nigeria. Policy recommendations were offered at the end. Keywords: Islam and Christianity in Nigeria, Media and ethnoreligious conflict in Nigeria, Media and inter-religious conflict in Nigeria, Media and conflict resolution, Media narrative of conflicts, Mediatisation of religious issues DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/91-04 Publication date:June 30th 202

Organisational Communication as a Tool for Institutionalising Professional Ethics, Core Values and Employee Engagement to Enhance Work Performance in the Public Service Sector

In recent times, cases involving top public officers and political appointees surrounding huge breach of public trust as a result of lackadaisical attitude toward work ethics and core values have been reported in the media. Historically, the Nigerian public service sector has been facing what may be described as insurmountable decay in work ethics and core values leading to high degrees of inefficiency, corruption, and the lack of public trust by the public. Available literature suggests ways of mitigating the problem in addition to providing empirical evidence of the levels and links of the problem with Nigeria’s socio-economic and political advancement. Some of the critical panaceas highlighted in the literature include proactively educating, enlightening, and engaging employees and personnel on the sanctity of the need to abide by work ethics and core values for enhanced work performance. All these, however, can be achieved through effective organisational communication. This article reviews existing literature on work ethics and core values, highlighting theoretical foundations and outlining critical areas that require urgent attention. Educating employees through seminars/webinars, workshops, etc. is shown to possess great potential to make positive impacts. Using critical desktop reviews, secondary data were sourced from Google Scholar, Scopus (ScienceDirect) and other web-based data banks were reviewed and analysed thematically. Implications of the themes are discussed, and conclusion drawn. Keywords:Organisational communication, Work ethics, Core values, Public service, Public organisations, Employees DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/13-1-01 Publication date: January 31st 202

In a Democratized Media Context What a Hoax Can Do, a Misinformation Can Do Even Worse: Influences of Fake News on Democratic Processes in Nigeria

With the rapid advancements in technology and the democratization of media topology in Nigeria, many people are increasingly gaining access to the media and becoming empowered to actively participate in public debate about issues affecting them in addition to having a great deal of online social interactions. However, people’s access to and interactions with technology and other media have given rise to a host of malicious effects – propagation of doubtful and fabricated content. This has been shown to have the potential to adversely influence people’s lives and sense of judgment, especially regarding democratic processes such as political campaigns during which many malicious fabricated contents are disseminated. In recent history, from 2016, election campaigns in various countries across the world have highlighted how fake news can be targeted at specific people or individuals to influence and misguide them, and even influence polls results. Ever since, issues surrounding fake news and its impacts on democratic and social settings have been gaining pervasive research attention. Hence, the urge to explore the concepts of misinformation and democracy from a Nigerian context through a review of extant literature. In conclusion, several propositions were made, and a conceptual framework was designed for future research to explore the concept and empirically proffer solutions to the growing menace. Keywords: Fake news and misinformation, Media and politics, Media democratization, Nigerian democratic processes, Political campaign, Social media DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/79-02 Publication date: April 30th 201

Book Chapter Review: Hate Speech and Nigeria’s Struggle for Democratic Consolidation: A Conceptual Review

Disinformation and hate speech or dislike are not new to Nigerian polity. However, since the internet revolution in recent decades, 2015 is seen as the year Nigeria “finally woke up to the threat of disinformation and the way internet technologies are secretly and subtly used to undermine democracy” (White & Elliott, 2018, p.5). Since then, whenever national, state or local council elections approach, Nigeria experiences tense and difficult times – chaos, crises, conflicts, media propaganda, hate comments and false information climax thereby exposing the heightened political horse-trading, war against systemic and widespread corruption, debilitating poverty, weak institutions, threats of secession, etc. that are already nibbling at the country’s fragile peace and unity. Because of the revolution in information and communication technology (ICT) and the attendant ‘relative’ democratisation of access and participation, election times in Nigeria should ideally be the time for the free flow of genuine, verified political information and tolerance. However, like in many other African countries, it is during these times that Nigeria wrestles with the rise in ethnic politics, regionalism and smear campaign that often escalate to the extent of threatening the country’s political framework. Using a critical review of extant literature, this chapter provides further understanding on the impacts and processes of fake news and hate speech in Nigeria especially during political activities. Keywords: Disinformation, Fake news, Hate speech, Nigerian democratic process DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/87-01 Publication date: January 31st 202

Critical purviews where Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can promote sustaineble development in Nigeria

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become the buzz word in academia, government, business, economy and many other social purviews of human society, especially in the areas of sustainable development. From a mere acronym, ICT has over the last decade metamorphosed into the driving force behind many monumental changes and innovative development in the world. The author reviewed e-journal articles, chapters from e-books and other relevant literature that critically examined ICT and its wider applications in the realms of making life better for the majority of the people, particularly the indigent and information have-nots. The paper critically discusses and analyses some of the key areas where a successful application of ICT can effectively engender the much needed sustainable development in society, focusing on Nigeria. Moreover, the paper outlines, inter-alia, agriculture, culture, economy, education, governance and tourism as paramount realms in which the proper application of ICT can help in the management of natural, human and capital resources for effective utilisation by the present generation without jeopardising the ability of future generations to benefit from them. The paper concludes that for ICT to serve as a catalyst for sustainable development, the following facts should be taken into consideration and adjustments made to accommodate them: ICT is a long-range investment (outcomes may be delayed); and, for natural resources to be sustainably harnessed, human resources ought to be adequately mobilised to appropriately manipulate the capital resources for better results

New media and the challenges of Boko Haram terrorism: proposing the adoption of human-wearable digital technology

The Boko Haram terrorism, which began in 2009 has had a devastating impact on the society. So far, it has triggered one of the worst humanitarian crises in history and has been responsible for over 30 thousand deaths with over two million others displaced, mostly in the North-east of the country with sizeable spillovers into the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Boko Haram’s primary goal was to create an Islamic caliphate in the region, and like other terrorist networks, uses the unconventional, hit-and-run guerrilla war tactics. This has rendered the insurgency to be a hard nut to crack, a phenomenon that is cited as one of the main reasons the group is able to continually carry out successful attacks despite being declared “technically defeated”. Hence, this need to seek for alternative, ‘unconventional’ media as a tool for counterterrorism. The media, both new and traditional have been shown to play a critical role toward the de-Bokoharamization campaign of the Nigerian Federal Government in collaboration with its Western partners. However, due to the guerrilla tactics nature of the insurgency, human-wearable digital microchip technology such as radio frequency identification and wireless body area network systems have been suggested as capable of yielding desirable outcomes. Following a critical review of literature and taking from Laswell’s communication model, this review article offers a digital communication counterterrorism model to complement the state’s efforts toward the anti-terrorism campaign