Educational Broadcasting and Local Languages in South East Nigeria: The Effectiveness in Safeguarding the Endangered Igbo Language

The broadcast media use indigenous languages in presenting some programmes in south east Nigeria yet, the level of patronage of some of these languages by indigenes or inhabitants of the regions where these languages operate especially the Igbo indigenous language remains grossly low. Worrisome also is the fact that UNESCO has enlisted the Igbo language as one of the Nigerian languages that is endangered. This study examines the use of educational broadcasting as a virile tool in safeguarding and developing the Igbo indigenous languages in south east Nigeria. The objectives of this study are to: determine the extent to which the broadcast media programmes on indigenous language have contributed in the awareness level of endangered language in southeast states Nigeria, find out if there are broadcast media programmes that educate the audience on how to speak, read and write the Igbo Language and ascertain other factors responsible for the poor usage of the Igbo language in the south east Nigeria. Survey research design was used with 379 copies of questionnaire as the major instrument of data collection. Two theories were used for the study; the development media and the Agenda setting theories. Enugu Metropolis was used as the case study. Data generated were analyzed using simple percentages and frequency distribution tables. Chi- square was used to test the hypothesis. Findings from the study are discussed within the context of much larger body of knowledge on educational broadcasting and the link with endangered Igbo language.