Assessing The Impact Of Global World Dynamics And Cultural Homogeneity On Traditional Cultures In Africa: Mass Media Communication As A Strategic Advancement Mechanism Of The Cultural Heritage Of Nigeria
University EDIH
Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Warri, Delta State, Niger
Fidelia IGEMOHIA
Delta State University Abraka
Anthonia UMUZE
Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi-uku
Nyanayon FAGAWARI
Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Warri, Nigeria
Keywords: African-Nigeria, cultural homogeneity/uniformism, traditional Culture, globalisation, mass media
Abstract
Studies on globalisation and its impact on socio-cultural issues have been very controversial due to diverse perspectives and interpretations made by different schools of thought. Globalisation has been painted as an evil wind by some scholars because of its perceived devastating effects on the cultural heritage of the African continent. Consequent upon this rebuttable assertion, Western education was sometime jettisoned by some religious sects in Africa. This study therefore, assessed the impact of the global world dynamics and cultural homogeneity on the traditional cultures in Africa : mass media communication as a strategic advancement mechanism of cultural heritage of Nigeria. It employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze data.The study administered questionnaire to 200 selected participants through census sampling technique. Primary data were analyzed using measure of central tendency statistical tool. The four research hypotheses formulated for the study were tested using multiple regressions analyses at 0.5 level of significance (95% confidence interval). Based on the results from the analyses, the four null hypotheses were rejected as p-value 0.000<0.05. The study found that the effects of globalisation on the people's cultures were very pronounced in either ways. It was also observed that globalisation is an unending phenomenon with a sweeping structural power heralding an unprepared change in every facet of human enterprise. The paper debunked the idea of Americanization but contends that the ideology of cultural homogeneity or uniformism of segmented and diverse cultures is another controversy that may eventually culminate into a multi-cultural blend in a global landscape. It was also discovered that, globalisation was not the only cause of cultural degradation in Africa and Nigeria in particular but some cultural changes are products of natural dynamics of growth and development. The study recommends that Africans should utilize the gains of globalisation (the mass media technologies) to promote the rich cultural heritage to the world.