THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN GRASS ROOT DEMOCRACY
(A CASE STUDY OF UDI L.G.A)
ABSTRACT
This project carried a brief survey of the role of public relation in the grassroots democracy. The work tries to be simplified as possible in its attempt to provide the necessary function which public relations should play in emancipating in the rural developments.
Besides, inspites of the problems encountered, I shifted about sixteen work of public relation, bringing out their opinion and news regarding how best public relations can liberate and analysis our grassroots democracy.
In addition, I embarked on all co-ordinate survey research to purpose the validation of information leading to achievement of the objective.
From my findings, I discovered that the public relations should know how to mingle with the ruralist and perfectly interact with them.
Finally, one major way of helping to ensure the role of public relation in the grassroots democracy is to prepare our communication and information so that the public relation officer can work perfectly in an organization given to him.
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One –Introduction
1.1.      Background of study
1.2.      Statement of the problem
1.3.      Objectives of the study
1.4.      Significance of the study
1.5.      Research Question
1.6.      Hypothesis
1.7.      Theoretical framework
1.8.      Assumptions
1.9.      Limitation of study
1.10.  Conceptual and operational definition
Chapter Two
Review of related literatures.
2.1. Public relation and democracy
2.2. Public relation and conversation of democracy.
2.3. Democracy definitions and perspectives
2.4. Democracy-Tangible Ingredients
2.5. Democracy and presidentialism
2.6. Democracy –Intangible Ingredients
2.7. Reference
Chapter Three
Research methodology and design
3.1. Research methods
3.2. Research design
3.3. Research population
3.4. Research/sample size
3.5. Method of data collection
3.6. Method of data analysis
3.7. Reliability of the instrument
3.8. Validation of the instrument
3.9. Expected result
Chapter Four
Data Analysis and Results.
4.1. Data analysis
4.2. Discussion
 Chapter Five
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
5.1. Summary
5.2. Conclusion
5.3. Recommendations
Bibliography
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1.     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
According to Sam Black (1970:1) in his book, practical public relation ‘The sole purpose of public practice is to establish a two-way communication in an organization to resolve conflict of interest by seeking common ground on area of mutual interest and to establish understanding based on truth, knowledge and full information’’.
The concept of public relation is an interesting area of media relation. It is more or less a diplomatic activity, which has its cardinal objectives to propagate the good fruits of an organization in which in engaged in fruitful dissemination of the information about the activities of government and enhancing or advancing of the effective interrelationship with other bodies outside it.
Edward Berneys in his book, ``the engineering of consent (1989:4), define public relations as the attempt, by information persuasion and adjustment, to engineer public relation recognize a long term responsibility and seeks to persuade and achieve a mutual understanding by securing the willing acceptance of attitudes and ideas.
An organization of government establishment whether profit oriented or not, can only succeed if it has built a favorable image and good –well towards its various public. They have to embark on practical public relation in order to promote their welfare. That is why it is necessary that anyone who heads a public relations department must be at the top management level so that he can communicate with other colleagues at management meetings.
Looking at all the definitions above, it can be deduced that public relation is an indispensable management function which an organization or establishment should not over look. Since a public relation has been found to be important in most private companies and other establishments. The need for public relations department in local government administration has become increasingly clear.
In this book, understanding Human relation, Geoffrey Lewis (1953:3) held his view when he pointed out that “whatever may be said, local authorities by their nature are involved in public relations whether they like it or not’’. In this circumstance, it would seem reasonable to like and make the best of it (public relation).
This study has the main focus as considering the relevance or essence of public relation in local government administration in Nigeria, using Udi LGA as the directional index point.
Generally speaking, the study is tested in the use of public relation strategy as a means of management in the local government administration. our concern therefore is how public relation will be effectively utilized to all as a liaison with the mass media institutional bodies, so as to sell the activities of the local government to them, and also translate such activities to the people of the area so that the reception of the government will be favorable as to ensure sustainable growth, development and survival.
Every local government like Udi L.G.A has its own unique problem and good stories. It’s only by cutting across all department units and carrying everybody along the main administration can feel that the administration is making any serious effort towards the survival of the people. This is achieved through a research oriented public relation campaign, which identifies problem, analysis the problem, advices on the action to take and evaluate such action taken thereafter.
1.2.     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The various public in order to be effectively served the Udi Local Government Area need to stable positive image in the eyes of the public which forms both the internal and external public. The task of imitating policies, planning programmer for the execution of such policies as formally set up by the Anambra State Local Government Edict of `No 9 of 1979’ to the satisfaction of the internal and external publics are enormous. A clear look at the criticism in most daily newspaper may make one to believe that public relation practice has been neglected not only by Udi Local Government Area in Nigeria. While it is true that some of the larger urban local government areas in the country have information outfit and employ public relations effort in massive scale had never been part of the operation of some other local government.
Numerous criticism of non-provision of good roads, pipe-borne water, health centers, electricity, schools, market stall etc, that full our print media go on to support the claim that public relations is alien to local government administration.
One is, therefore correct when one say that Udi local government area does not seem to be enjoying positive image and good will from its various public which is necessary for the realization of the set objective.
1.3.     0BEJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
 a.   To ascertain whether public relation play a formidable vote in grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
b.   To find out whether poor media planning and programming are the greatest road block in public relations role in grassroots democracy.
c.   To examine whether the negative attitude of the management over public relation unit serve as a barrier to effectiveness of grassroots democracy.
d.   To determine whether the public perception towards public relation affect grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
e.   To examine whether grassroots democracy is ascertain stable and positive image by public relation in Nigeria.
 1.4.     SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
The importance of this study centers around the role of public relation in grassroots democracy. The researcher in an effort to do justice to the topic under discuses decided to find out to what extent public relation contribution in grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
This piece of work will serve as useful purpose to the reading public fellow researches.
It would afford them a fresh lease of idea to tackle their own research problem judiciously. And to the passive readers, it would afford them the opportunity of being informed and educated as well.
It promises to be important to student in tertiary institution especially to those in mass communication general.
1.5.     RESEARCH QUESTION
 a.   Through which channels do information get to the people of Udi local government?
b.   Dose the local government council provides adequate information about the activities of the council?
c.   Is there adequate information flow between the management and the council workers?
d.   Dose the management take the employee welfare or problem seriously?
  1.6.     HYPOTHESIS
 H1: Public relation plays a formidable role in grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
H0: Public relations do not play a formidable role in grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
 H2: Poor media planning and programming are the greatest road-block in public relations role as a force in local government administration in Nigeria.
H0: Poor media planning and programming does not pose a threat to public relation role as a force in grassroots democracy.
 H3: The negative attitude of the authority over the public relations unit makes it impossible for the public relations to play effective role in grassroots democracy.
H0:  The negative attitude of the authority over the public relations unit is not enough barriers to effectiveness in the grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
 H4: The attitudes of the people per se are impediment to public relation performance towards effective grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
H0: The attitudes of the people per se are not enough impediments to public relations performance in effective grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
 1.7.     THEORTETICAL FRAME WORK   
This part of the literature review expounds the relationship between the enumerated theoretical as well as the empirical postulations in the introducing part of the review and the topic under study.
Some of the relevant theories highlighted is the libertarian, social responsibility, development media and democratic participant theories. It is pertinent at this point to know the correlation exiting between the theories and the research topic.
The first relationship lies in the fact that both the theories and the project are communication oriented.
Secondly, the research work being a content analysis answers are of the question raised in less well’s paradigm.
On the other hand, there is full coverage of grassroots democracy news in press system like ours hinged on the libertarian theory. This is because the libertarian theory provides for conceptive exposure of alternative view points and progress for society.
Sincerely, the social responsibility theory portrays the coverage of rural development news as one of the obligation to be accepted and fulfilled by the press notable newspaper.
Another, correlation exist with the development media theory mostly applied in the third world countries characterized by large number of undeveloped rural communities. It calls for the restriction of the freedom of the press with emphasis and focus on development need of the sorely.
In the same vein, the democratic participant theory cannot be isolated from a study of this that has grassroots democracy as its focus hence the theory makes provision for the use of any means of communication, preferably the newspaper for interaction in grassroots democracy.
 1.8.     ASSUMPTIONS
In this study, certain assumptions have been made such as:
1.      Public relations can be used to ensure effective administration in grassroots democracy in Nigeria.
2.      The persuasion element and attribute of public relations adds to effectiveness in administration of grassroots democracy in the country and other organization and to restore sanity in the system.
3.      Another assumption is that government denies proper support of public relation practice-this is a serious problem in achieving effective administration in democratically governance in Nigeria.
Additionally, the study assumes that when public relations are not
Properly given incentives, they cannot put in fare best to the yearning and aspiration of the people.
1.10 CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATION DEFINITION
CONCEPTUAL:
Public: Conceptually from the stand point of the dictionary meaning, is a group of people with similar interest who have a common opinion on a controversial issue.
 OPERATIONAL:
Public: it includes both internal and external groups that make up the organization audience.
CONCEPTUAL:
Relation: A deliberate, planned and sustained efforts to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public.
 CONCEPTUAL:
Organization: An association or society of people working together to source end.
OPERATIONAL:
Organization: An organized firm has its own specific function in a society or country as a whole.
 CONCENPTUAL:
Administration: Group of executive officials of an organization who directs efforts towards common objective.
OPERATIONAL:
Administration: The employment of certain technique of planning, controlling and directing of people and materials to achieve an objective.