Upholding the through importance of communication. The press in a given polity is the life line as communication is the oxygen of all political relationship. The importance of communication may mass media has being further acknowledged while assessing the significance of the mass media in any political systems is that the mass media serves as a moderator of public opinion and watchdog of the people. The media equally helps to spread ideas, knowledge and views. Also the press in any country should be responsible in the performance of its functions. These functions includes;

a) Servicing the political system by providing information discussions and debate on public affairs.

b) Enlightening the public so as to make it capable of self-government.

c) Servicing the economic system, primarily by bringing together the buyers and sellers of good and services through the medium of advertising.

d) Safe – guarding the rights of the individuals by serving as a watchdog against government.

e) Providing entertainment 

f) Maintaining its own self – sufficiency as to be press from pressure of special interests.

During the Nigeria second Republic in 1979 to 1983, the mass media was extensively used by the government in power, while the private owned newspaper were all the services of their proprietors who were mostly members of one political partly or the other. The Negative usage of the mass media by the contending forces has been examined by various scholars. Thus the crux of this research therefore is to examine the role of the press in the political setting of the Nigeria state and how the role has affected National Development.

1.2   RESEARCH PROBLEM

The problems now are: That the Nigerians press has been somehow accused by many of operating on the principle of the country’s political setting. That the press has not been able to effectively work towards the unification of the country. That the press further compounded the existing dichotomy among the various ethnic groups. Hence, the ethnic entities have always been suspicious of one another; since political tracheotomy is along regional lines. Therefore, the press, which ought to unite the people through promotion of cultural, values and symbols essential to the (sanctity and continuity in the society, appeared to be deficient in meeting the people’s expectations. As a student of mass communication, this then gave the researcher an impetus to investigate the issue in order to ascertain the ole of the press in the political polarization and its effects on National Development.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary aim of this project therefore is to examine if the role of the press reflects the political polarization of the Nigerian state. 

The study will examine the role of the press between 1979 – 1983 – and 1985 – 1993. 

The consequences of the role of the press in the political shall be examined.

1.4   SIGNIFICANCES OF THE STUDY

The relevance of this study will be to identify whether the Nigerian press is politically polarized and if yes, ascertain its effects on National Development. It shall also identify the role of the press in crises situation and how it has been able to positively or negatively manage the situation. The study may be useful for media critics and media evaluators in the country. It may be also useful for students of mass communication may be interested in conducting further research into the issue for an in-depth understanding. Furthermore, it may help any interested member in identifying the positive and negative effects of the press in the over all development of the Nigeria state.

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The focus of this research shall be the role of the Nigerian press in the political polarization between 1979 – 1983 and 1985 – 1993. It must be stated that there are few literatures on the topic of research. Also, the data that may be readily available for this project will be those of newspaper magazines, journals etc. Factors such as finance and time may militate against this work, these are sine – qua – non-in contemporary issue as this and the researcher is not exempted.

1.6 THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In this study, the research shall try to proffer answers to the following propositions:

a) Does the Nigerian Press operate on political basis?

b) If so, to what extent has this proactive been displayed?

c) How has it affected National Development?

1.7   HYPOTHESIS

The Nigerian press has not been objective enough in reporting issues across the nooks and crannies of the country. The Nigeria press is in concert with the political division of the country in its reporting of events.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

POLARISATION: According to the Advance learners Dictionary of Current English, polarization means to divide into groups based on two or more opposite principle, political opinions. In the course of writing this project the term polarization will be taken to mean division within the body of the press in the country.

THE PRESS: The Advance Learners Dictionary defines it as an organisation for collecting News and supplying it to newspaper. The term PRESS will be used to mean various newspaper organizations in the country.

DEVELOPMENT: Radom House Dictionary of English Language defines it as an act or process of developing similarly, the oxford universal Dictionary / illustrated, Defines it as a growth from within. According to Advance learners Dictionary of current English Development means process of development or being developed or a new stage, which is the result of development. However in this project, development would betaken to mean all spheres of human development vis: political economic, social and physical economic, social and physical infrastructure that would enhance the well – being of the people or as one time secrfary General of united National Boutrous Ghali puts if “development is economic growth plus social changes”. 

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: This according to Jere Turnstall (1971) “is development that is peculiar or common or affecting the whole fact of a country be it economic political social and physical infrastructure. Therefore the term “National Development” will be used to mean upliftment of the nations economic political and physical infrastructure conditions.