I. INTRODUCTION

The mass media and generally, the products of media culture provide materials out of which people forge their very identities; their sense of selfhood; their notion of what it means to be male or female; their sense of class, of ethnicity and race, of nationality, of sexuality; and of "us" and "them". Thus, media images help shape the view of the people and their deepest values; what they consider good or bad, positive or negative, moral or evi [11]. Mass media channels and contents have enabled people pass down their cultural, political and social heritage from generation to generation all over the world, more so media stories provide the symbols, myths, and resources through which people constitute a common culture and through the appropriation of which they insert themselves into their culture1. Media spectacles demonstrate who has power and who is powerless, who is allowed to exercise force and violence, and who is not, because people dramatize and legitimate the power of the forces that be and show the powerless that people must stay in their places or be oppressed [1].

Mass media is very essential to democracy in all societies, because access to information is essential to the health of democracy for at least two reasons; firstly, it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation and secondly, information serves a "checking function" by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them [2]. Since the inception of fourth republic in Nigeria in 1999, there have been six general elections in the country namely 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 general elections. The first four elections were characterized by all forms of electoral malpractices ranging from ballot snatching, ballot stuffing, intimidation of voters, manipulation of and falsification of election results and other negative acts [3]. It has been acknowledged that elections in Nigeria have been one of the main problems of the democratic process; such that scholars have observed that the conduct of free and fair elections has always been a problem which continues to threaten the very survival of the country and questions the relevance of democracy [4].

The political history of Nigeria reveals that records of electoral events, which indicate that the products of some past elections were not true representation of the people and thereby, did not make those elected to be responsible to the people which elected politicians claimed to represent [5]. Rather, elected politicians were responsible to what the people call "click or cabals" that helped the politicians through manipulation to get to the elective position in the first instance. Members of this "cabal" were also responsible for their political future [6].

To this end, the former President, late Umar Musa Yar'Adua referred to the 2007 presidential election as a huge embarrassment and full of electoral malpractices [7]. President Yar'Adua, thereafter, inaugurated Justice Uwais Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into, among other things, causes of electoral malpractices and channel a course for having free, fair and credible elections in the country [8]. The report of the panel was sent to the National Assembly by the late president and it formed the backbone for the 2010 Electoral Act, which guided 2011 general elections [9].

Thus, in 2015, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in response to make elections credible, free and fair, introduced certain measures into electoral system through 2010 Electoral Act as amended. Such measures include Permanent Voter Card (PVC), Smart Card Reader Machine, adjustment on voting procedure and many others which made all the forms of rigging a little bit difficult but not impossible even during governorship elections of 2015 and 2019 in Oyo state.

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Over the years, several radio stations in Nigeria including those located in the South-Western Nigeria, have featured different indigenous radio programmes that have contributed to the dissemination of various electioneering information that are perceived to have influenced adult listeners who are eligible voters; it appears that such indigenous radio programmes are yet to be evaluated in terms of their influence on voters electoral participation and voting patterns, considering the high level of perceived general apathy during elections in Nigeria and Oyo State in particular, even though there were perceived shift in the voting patterns during 2015 and 2019 governorship elections respectively in Oyo State probably, as a result of the voters' education largely and generally deployed by the media industry, and more importantly, by indigenous radio broadcast programmes specifically.

Therefore, it has become imperative that this phenomenon be investigated to establish the contribution of indigenous radio programmes to the electoral process and voters' participation in the previous governorship elections in Oyo state. Hence, this study investigates the influence of indigenous radio programme contents on voters' electoral participation and voting patterns in 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State.

a) Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of indigenous radio programme contents on voters' participation and voting patterns in 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State. The specific objectives of the study are to:

a. Analyze the contents of the two indigenous radio programmes, i.e Oro Sun Nu Kun on Splash 105.5 FM and Bo Se Nlo on Lagelu 96.7 FM prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State. b. Ascertain the extent of exposure of voters to Splash 105.5 FM's Oro Sun Nu Kun and Lagelu 96.7 FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programme prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo state. c. Ascertain the perception of respondents on the extent of featuring voter education content on Splash FM's Oro Sun Nu Kun and Lagelu FM's Bo Se Nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo state. d. Determine the extent of voting patterns and electoral participation of electorates in 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo state arisen from their exposure to Splash 10.5 FM's Oro Sun Nu Kun and Lagelu 96.7 FM's Bo Se Nlo indigenous radio programme contents prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship election in Oyo state.

b) Research Questions

The following are the research questions that guided the study:

a. What were the predominant contents of Splash FM's Oro sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo state? b. What is the extent of featuring voter education contents on Splash FM's Oro Sunnukun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programme prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State? c. What is the extent to which voters were exposed to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programme prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship election in Oyo state?

III. METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods employed for the purpose of data gathering in order to appropriately meet the set objectives for the study. This chapter, therefore, explains subheadings like method, population of study, sample size, sampling technique, sampling procedure, data collection instrument and data analysis method. To achieve the above, data were gathered in the two local government areas in Ibadan, Oyo State and the process is explained Table 3 below.

Also, Lagelu Local Government is divided into 12 wards as presented in Table 2.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION FINDINGS

Research Question One: What were the predominant contents of Splash FM Oro Sun Nu Kun and Lagelu FM Bo Se Nlo indigenous radio programme prior to 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State?

To answer this research question, contents of the two indigenous radio programmes were analyzed as presented in Table 3 i.e Oro Sun Nu Kun on Splash FM (between Nov $4^{\text{th}}$ 2014 to Mar ${17}^{\text{th}}$ 2015).

To further ascertain the actual content of the two indigenous radio programmes, audio recordings of selected episodes were extracted and stored in compact disc and marked as Appendix IV.

As presented in Table 4 the indigenous radio programme contents of Oro Sun nu kun on Splash FM listed are discussed as follows:

In summary, findings from the program content analysis revealed that Splash FM Oro Sun Nu Kun indigenous radio programme featured Voter Education contents extensively prior to the 2015 Governorship election in Oyo State.

In summary, findings from the study revealed that Oro Sun Nu Kun indigenous radio programme extensively featured voters education contents prior to 2015 Governorship election in Oyo state. To further affiliated ascertain the predominant contents of the two indigenous radio programmes, Key personalities interview was conducted among major stakeholders using an interview schedule.

Further, the following were the analysis of responses from key personality interview from those who had featured in some of the episodes of the two indigenous radio programmes i.e Splash FM Oro Sun

Nu Kun and Lagelu FM Bo Se Nlo as presented in Table 5.

In summary, the key personalities interviewed for this study univocally perceived that the Oro Sun Nu Kun indigenous radio programme on Splash 105.5 Fm had positive impact on voters' education. Just as it has been established earlier that the programme adequately features voting related contents, hence, the primarily objective of featuring such content would be to educate voter. Therefore, listeners get educated on election related matters by being receptive to the programme. Also, the personalities averred that the contents of the programme has great influence on voters' awareness of their right to vote as citizens.

Table 7: Content Analysis of Selected Episodes of Lagelu FM 'Bo Se Nlo' Indigenous Radio Programme Prior to 2019 Governorship Election in Oyo State (from Jan

$5^{th}$ 2019 - Feb 16th 2019).

In summary, the findings emanating from the content analysis of selected episodes of Lagelu FM 'Bo Se N/0' indigenous radio programme prior to 2019 Governorship election in Oyo State revealed that the programme adequately featured election related topics such as voters' registration, voters' conduct before and during election, sensitization against violence and selling of votes during election, handling and maintaining of permanent voter's card and ballot paper, voters' understanding of electoral offenses, voters' right to elect leaders, voters' right to the choice of political party.

As presented in Table 8 the key personnel interview cut across political leaders, Independent National Electoral Commission officials, Professionals, Human Right Activists e.t.c. Findings revealed that Bo Se Nlo indigenous radio programme on Lagelu 96.7 Fm: The programme had positive impact on voters' education, The contents of the programme has great influence on voter's concerning awareness citizen right to vote, The programme promotes meaningful discussions on electioneering processes, The programme gives rooms for political enlightenment of the people at the grassroots, The radio programme guides the election on choice of candidate.

Research Question Two: What is the extent to which voters were exposed to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se n/o indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship election in Oyo state?

To answer the research question, questionnaire was administered among respondents and finding are presented in Table 9.

Table 9 revealed that majority 184 (99.4%) were exposed to Splash FM Oro Sun Nu Kun Indigenous

Radio Programme prior to 2019 Governorship Election in Oyo State.

Table 10 revealed that the majority 197(96.6%) were exposed to the radio station either regularly or occasionally.

In summary Table 9 and Table 10 showed the extent to which voters were exposed to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship election in Oyo state. As shown in the tables, the mean scores of Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs were 3.68 and 3.61 respectively far greater than decision mean of 2.05. This implies that great amount of voters were regularly and adequately exposed to Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship election in Oyo state. The implication of this is that, the participants affirmed to the fact that the contents on voters' education were regularly and adequately featured due to their high level of exposure.

Research Question Three: What is the extent of featuring voter education content on Splash FM's Oro Sun Nu Kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State?

To answer this research question, data was gathered from respondents who were regular listeners of the two indigenous radio programme and participated in either of the 2015 and 2019 Governorship Election in Oyo State. There responses are presented as follows:

Table 12: Extent of Featuring of Voters Education contents on Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo (N=204).

Table 12: Extent of Featuring of Voters Education contents on Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo (N=204).

Table 12 revealed that the majority Aggregate mean of 3.51 reported that the radio station featured prominently, Voter Education content prior to the 2019 Governorship Election in Oyo State.

In summary Table 11 and Table 12 shows the perception of voters on featuring voter education content on Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State. As shown in the table, voters perceived that the contents of the two FM stations on voters' education were adequately featured and to a great extent as the mean scores of both Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs were 3.35 and 3.51 respectively. The observed mean scores were far greater than the decision mean of 2.50. This implies that the contents of Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State were adequately featured.

V. DISCUSSION OF FINDING

Findings from the contents of Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 governorship elections in Oyo State were adequately featured issues revolving around voter participation and voting pattern. This is a further indication that indigenous radio programmes are closer to the citizenry than any other programmes when it comes to election and voting related matters. Prior to the 2015 governorship elections in Oyo State, the Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun selected for this study already was featuring election related contents such as procedure for voters' registration, voters' conduct before and during election, sensitization against violence and selling of votes during election, handling and maintaining of permanent voter's card and ballot paper, voters' understanding of electoral offenses, voters' right to elect leaders.

Again, the indigenous radio programme featured voters' right to the choice of political party, consequences of vote selling, violence and ballot snatching during election, voters' right after election, sensitization against political thuggery and hooliganism, sensitization of voters on the importance of free, fair and credible election, featuring of major governorship candidates and voters' conduct after election. All these election related matters were discussed by politicians, election experts or Independent National Electoral Commission officials, public analyst, professionals, human right activist. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the contents were well delivered towards educating listeners on election related matters. This implies that the indigenous radio programmes selected for this study are good platforms for qualitative political and voter education.

There is no doubt about voters' right is an important topical issue in voter education. Therefore, if the programme had positive impact on voters' education, it will significantly influence the awareness of voters about their voting right. In addition, the personalities reported that the programme promotes meaningful discussions on electioneering processes; gives rooms for political enlightenment of the people at the grassroots; and guides the election on choice of candidate. This finding is in line with the findings of a study also found that voter education in Akoko land in 2015, impacted minimally on the respondents resulting in their skewed knowledge and voting patterns. This is a strong indication that broadcast media, when they are indigenous and when they feature key aspects of the life of the citizens like voting, could play a key role in ensuring that Nigerians participate in the electoral process and that its outcomes are credible and acceptable to the generality of the entire nation [2].

This finding corroborates a study on the significant effect of Voter Education Programme (VEP) on electorates' knowledge of voting in Anambra State. This is implies that indigenous radio programmes when used to feature election related topics, they significantly increased the knowledge of voting among electorates in Anambra State [1,2,3]. Such topics found in the Voter Education Programme (VEP) in the study were not so much different from the contents of Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 governorship elections in Oyo State. Therefore, the Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kuncould be seen as an indigenous voter education programme delivered through the radio medium. Thus, the indegenous radio programme contents promotes warnings on consequences of vote selling, violence and ballot snatching during election, voters' right after election, sensitization against political thuggery and hooliganism, sensitization of voters on the importance of free, fair and credible election, featuring of major governorship candidates and voters' conduct after elections. These are not so much different from the topical preoccupations of Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun earlier discussed. This furthers affirms the thoughts on the capacity of any indigenous radio programme.

This finding supports a study on the role of broadcast media as an instrument of change during 2015 electioneering campaign in Nigeria [4,7,8]. The study reported that the coverage of politics and elections, the greatest challenge of the Nigerian media is that proprietors who are mostly persons with political interests discourage them from adhering to the fundamental principles of balance and objectivity in reportage. Similarly, the finding is in line with a study conducted in Mexico where it was found that political advertisement on both radio and TV have a positive, significant and sizeable effect on voting intentions [4]. In summary, findings from the study revealed that Bo Se Nlo indigenous radio programme extensively feature voters education contents prior to 2019 Governorship election in Oyo state.

With respect to listeners' level of education on the voters' education contents on the two indigenous radio programmes; Splash FM and Lagelu FM, the findings revealed that voters' education contents on Splash FM and Lagelu FM had nothing to do with listeners' level of education. This could be as a result of language used in disseminating information on voters' education contents on both Splash FM and Lagelu FM. This finding is in agreement with the work, who also found that voters' education had no significant effect on electorates. The finding of this study also supports the findings who found no significant differences between with higher education and those with lower education. However, the finding of this study is in contrast with the findings who reported that voting rates were strongly related to combinations of household income and educational attainment [6,7].

Finding further revealed that there was a significant relationship in the perception of featuring of voters' education contents of Splash FM Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes. Finding further implies that there was an overall significant relationship in the perception of electorates on voters' education contents in the two FM stations. This finding alligns with a related study on voter education [7].

Lastly, findings revealed that there was a significant impact of voters' participation arisen from their exposure to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State. Finding implying that more voters participated during 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State and this could be as a result of their exposure to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to both governorship elections in Oyo State, Hence the increased voting patterns.

VI. SUMMARY

The summary of findings from the study is as follows;

a. Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State adequately and extensively featured Voters Education contents. b. Majority of respondents were regularly and adequately exposed to Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo and Splash FM Oro Sun Nu Kun indigenous radio programs prior to the 2015 and 2019 governorship election in Oyo state. c. The respondents had positive perception about featuring of Voter's Education contents on Splash FM Oro Sun Nu Kun and Lagelu FM Bo Se Nlo Indigenous Radio Programme.

d. Voters' exposure was higher in Splash FM than in Lagelu FM and this resulted in their participation. e. There was a significant relationship in the perception of featuring of voters' education contents of Splash FM Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes. f. There was an overall significant relationship in the perception of electorates on voters' education contents in the two FM stations. g. There was a significant impact of voters' participation arisen from their exposure to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State. h. More voters participated during 2015 and 2019 governorship elections in Oyo State and this could be as a result of their exposure to Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo indigenous radio programmes prior to both governorship elections in Oyo State.

VII. CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings of this study, it could be concluded that indigenous radio programmes are effective tools for voter education and sensitizing the citizenry to encourage voter participation and voting in future election. The two indigenous radio programmes selected for this study adequately featured these in their contents. Therefore, it is interesting to conclude that Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun and Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo are meeting the purpose of their design, that is, to breathe on the political atmosphere in Oyo State and offer to their audience a wide range of political analyses that would gear them towards participating in voting effectively.

The programme, as revealed from the analysed data has been achieving this through their contents. Though, Lagelu FM's Bo se nlo featured more voters' education contents than Splash FM's Oro Sun nu kun, the two programmes have the capacity to develop good voting behaviour in their audience of any category, especially with the fact that the study found that irrespective of the listeners' educational background, voters' education contents in Splash FM and Lagelu FM are well featured. This further establishes the roles of indigenous media in community education and socialization, of which participating in voting is key.

Thus, the indigenous radio programmes were produced and presented using the indigenous language and culture of the listeners, hence, everyone exposed to such programmes cannot but be educated by the contents of the programmes, irrespective of their educational backgrounds.

VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings and conclusion of this study, the following recommendations are hereby made:

a. Directors of Programme in radio stations in the southwestern Nigeria should design more indigenous programmes that will cater for the education and sensitization of the listeners and citizenry on voting participation and voting patterns. This is because indigenous radio programmes contents have been found in this study to be relevant to the political needs of the listeners. b. Audience/listeners participations on indigenous radio programmes should be more encouraged by the programmes producers and presenters. This could be achieved by hosting key and consistent listeners as guests on the programmes so that they can also air their personal opinions on voters' participation and voting patterns in their local communities. Audience/listeners participations on indigenous radio programmes could also be encouraged by increasing the call-in time and frequency on the programmes. c. Government and non-governmental organization should sponsor more indigenour radio programmes that could contribute to voter education towards improving voting participation. d. Key officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should always grant interview access and guest request to reporters and presenters of indigenous radio programmes, so as to use the opportunity to educate voters on voting participation and voting patterns. e. Citizens should be encouraged to listen to more indigenous radio programmes that are focused on election-related issues. It is by this way that they will be abreast of information about issues revolving around their participation in voting and voting patterns in their localities.

Conflicts of Interest

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.