The Role of Media In Positioning Indigenous Healing In Nigeria

Abstract

As education and awareness aid, effective, democratic and unbiased media are essential and indispensable in positioning indigenous healing methods in Nigeria. Media is one of the principal agents of societal and cultural development, a crucial element in propagating, initiating, maintaining, and sustaining interest, a major force in attitude formation and change. Media can provide a platform for debate, stimulating ideas, and opinions. Concerning the patronage, availability, acceptability, affordability and efficacy of indigenous healing. Media can also be used to expose the likely side effects and other negative aspects of indigenous healing for the purpose of improvement and research. Contrarily, media can be misused for propaganda purposes to incite hatred, spread rumours and introduce bias, by ignorantly or purposely painting black or over emphasizing the negative aspects of indigenous healing. Advertising and product promotion also depend on what media practitioners favour. This paper examined through secondary information the roles of media in positioning and conferring status on indigenous healing in Nigeria. Symbolic interactionist  theory and agenda setting theory of the media were used as the bedrock of the paper. References were made to strategic claims by herbal healers, comments were made on the ethics guiding media practice in relation to ‘health reportage’. Recommendations were put forward to guide media practitioners, therapists, prospective clients, and the government in dealing with indigenous healing in Nigeria.