DEVELOPMENT AND MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IN NIGERIA

SUBJECT : COMMERCE

CLASS :SS 2

TERM :FIRST TERM

WEEK 10

DATE:……………………………….

TOPIC: Communication cont’d

CONTENT:

•  Nigerian traditional means of communication e.g.  gong, drum etc 

• Development of Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone services as provided by NIPOST and NITEL.

Sub-Topic 1: Nigerian traditional means of communication.

Development and means of communication in Nigeria

In Nigeria, the earliest means of communication is the human voice. Communication then was based on the level of development at the time. Many other means of sending and receiving messages have been developed over the years. 

Traditional media of communication include:

1. Oral: This is the first means of communication to humanity. It involves face-to-face communication of information, 
2. Town criers: The village government messengers often acted as town criers, disseminating news from the village head, chief, and other officials of the government to the citizens. This was the traditional equivalent of government radio and television announcement of today. The town criers use gongs or drum or even a megaphone to call the attention of the crowd before disseminating the information to the people.
3. Gongs: Gongs are hollow metals beaten with another metal to make announcements to members of a traditional community. On hearing the sound, people will gather at the village square to hear or discuss the latest development in the community. 
4. Palm frond: Palm frond is used to disseminate message to the people depending on the colour of the palm frond.  A yellow palm frond is used to depict or signal danger while a green palm announces the availability of palm wine to buyers. The use of palm frond signifies peace during a period of dispute.
5. Fire lighting: Fire is used to signal or call for help, especially if a person has lost his/her way in the forest. The smoke of the lit fire gives rescuers a sense of direction to the lost person.
6. Talking /wooden drums: Drums are used to pass messages to people within the community. Different sounds are produced to mean different messages when the drum is struck. The head of the community can use it to assemble his people in a place.
7. Canon gun blast: Canon gun blast is used to announce the commencement of a festival or great visitors to the community or the lowering of the corpse of a person into the grave.
8. Others are whistles, bells trumpets and flute.

EVALUATION

1. Trace the development of communication in Nigeria.
2. Enumerate five Nigerian traditional means of communication and explain each. [mediator_tech]

Sub-Topic 2: Development of Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone services as provided by NIPOST and NITEL.

The postal services started in Nigeria in 1886 in Lagos during the colonial period. The postal system was originally constituted as the department of posts and telecommunication. However, the telecommunications was merged with the Nigerian External Telecommunication limited to institute the Nigerian telecommunications limited (NITEL) in 1984. The postal arm of the department of posts and Telecommunication was reconstituted into the Nigerian Postal Services Department (NIPOST).

NIPOST

The NIPOST is a Nigerian government owned establishment with the responsibility of providing postal services. The NIPOST services can be classified under the following sub-heading: mail services, courier services, financial services, and other services. The NIPOST operates over five thousand (5000) post offices in Nigeria. Post office is the major channel of sending and receiving hard copy written information. It also provides money transmission services. The Nigeria postal services Department (NIPOST) controls the postal services and post offices in Nigeria.

Services provided by NIPOST include: 

• Letter post: the post office helps to deliver letters or mails to the addressed persons and places within and outside the country. Letters are grouped into two: ordinary letters and registered letters. Ordinary letters: ordinary letters or mails are distributed by the post office to its numerous customers. Ordinary or conventional mails include first class and second class mails. Registered letter will cost more on postal stamp because the post office ensures its safe delivery.
• Express letter: express letter is a quicker means of sending a letter. Express letter costs more and is delivered faster than a letter post. Express letters are delivered to the owner by hand. [mediator_tech]
• Telegram: to send a message by telegram, the sender needs to give the message to the NITEL at a post office. Charges are levied according to the number of words contained in the message so that the number of words needs to be economized. The message is then sent through radio or telephone by the receiving post office to the post office of destination from where a post office messenger delivers the message, in written form, to the addressee. Telegram messages are supposed to be faster than letters. However, with the advent of e-mail facilities, sending of telegram messages is becoming outdated.
• Parcel post: this is a material or object wrapped in paper ready to be sent to any part of the world. The parcels are weighed and charged according to the weight. The maximum weight allowed for any parcel is 10 kg and all parcels are registered for safety.
• Poste Restante: this service is mainly rendered to travelers and tourists without a fixed address that are visiting another town. They will enter into agreement with the post office so that their mails will be addressed to the post office. The mails must be marked,’ poste Restante.’ The individual involved must providing evidence of his identify when calling to receive his mail from the post office.
• Recorded Delivery: is a means of sending mails whereby there is proof that the letter or mail has been delivered.
•  Business Reply services: this is an arrangement under which somebody (or a business) obtains a licence from the post office. The licence permits him to send out envelopes or cards to addresses (usually, actual or potential customers) with which the addressees can send replies without the need to affix stamps. Later, licencee or business organization pay the postage, on only the replies received, to the post office.
• Airmail service: is a means of sending mails and parcels for delivery overseas. |Airmail service involves the use aircraft to deliver parcels to people. It is more expensive but a quicker means of sending mails and parcels.
• Registered letter: This service provided by the post office ensures that letters are registered after making payments in order to safeguard them. This attracts higher charges than ordinary letters and receipt is issued for registration. Registered letters have lines drawn at the back horizontally and vertically across the envelope.

The person to whom it is sent will be given a notification slip that will enable him claim  the letter, and compensation will be paid if it is lost.

• Licensing of franking machine: these machines can be hired or purchased from the manufacturers or their agents, by private persons or business firms for the purpose of franking correspondence or mails with an impression showing the amount of postage with date and place of posting. Users of this machine obtain licence from the local head postmaster, and payment in advance in respect of postage must be made from time to time. 

Payment services:

• Postal order: this is a means of payment provided by the post office to transfer small sums of money by post to ensure payment or for the settlement of debts. Postal orders are valid for six months, and commission called poundage is charged by the post office. Postal orders are not negotiable.

• Money order: this service ensures that large amount of money is sent through the post office. Money order is safer than postal order. It is an order made by one post office to another post office for payment of a specified sum of money on demand to a named person.
• Cash on delivery service: this service is provided by the post office which ensures that businessmen can collect money on the delivery of parcel. It is good for mail order business; the money collected on delivery is remitted to the supplier.
• Sales of stamps: different denominations of stamps are sold by the post office.
• Settlement of payment: payments for such items as catalogue are settled by post.

Nigerian telecommunications limited (NITEL)

NITEL was incorporated as a limited liability company to provide telecommunication services to the public, oversee the transmission of messages and information from one place to another. Their services are usually very fast.

Services provided by NITEL to the public

1. Local telephone services: these services include local calls made between telephone subscribers who live within the same town, or the same telephone locality. Example: calls between and Mile 2 and Festac.
2. Trunk call services: these are transmission between two points. Trunk call services are calls between people located in different exchange areas. Trunk calls can be made through Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD). Every major city has a code which must precede the telephone number. Calls between a buyer in Lagos and a seller in Ogun are an example of trunk call service.
3.  International telephone services these are calls between one country and another. The international Telecommunication Union (ITU) allocates international exchange code to each country. It is through this code that one call from one country to another. A Nigerian businessman calls an exporter in Japan for importation of goods is an example of an international call. International calls are made possible through special facilities known as international Subscribers Direct Dialing (IDD).
4. Mobile (cellular) Telephone Services: it is the newest in the development of telephone technology. It provides interconnectivity between the Public Switchboard Telephone Network (PTSN) and mobile stations. The phone does not require the conventional wiring system to effect its operation and it is portable.
5. Telex Service: it the contraction of two words: telegraph and exchange. It is a system where printed messages are quickly transmitted by cable through the tele printer to another subscriber. However, with the inception of e-mail, the use of telex has reduced.
6. Electronic Mail Services: It is called e-mail which is a process of exchange of digital messages from one person to one or more persons via an electronic address. It is the fastest means of sending information between computers.
7. Facsimile transmission(FAX): To send a fax message i.e., to fax a paper document, the fax number of the recipient will be keyed into the fax machine, after which each page of the document will be inserted in the fax machine as if the page is to be photocopied in the ordinary way. If done successfully, a ‘photocopy’ of the page will almost instantaneously appear at the recipient’s own fax machine, wherever the recipient’s own fax machine, wherever the recipient’s machine may be in any part of the world. It is thus more user-friendly than either the telegram or telex services.
8. Telephone Directory: this is a yellow page booklet provided by NITEL which contains names, addresses and telephone number of its subscribers. 
9. Satellite (television): There are many man-made communication satellites orbiting the earth help to transmit information or messages in various forms around the world.

EVALUATION

1. State and explain five services rendered by NIPOST
2. Highlight five services provided by NITEL. [mediator_tech]

GENERAL EVALUATION

Objective test

1. The means by which printed messages sent by cable are recorded is called .a telegram b. poste restante c. telecommunication d. telephone e. telex services.
2. In which of the following would you advise Mr. X Y to check and confirm the exact telephone number of a bank located in Ibadan? A. post office guide b. official Gazette c. traveler’s guide d. private branch exchange e. telephone directory.
3. Which of the following is a function of NIPOST? A. issuing of money order b. issuing dividend warrants c. issuing travelers’ cheques d. minting coins e. printing trade journals.
4. Which of the following is charged by the NIPOST on postal order? A. interest b. tax c. poundage d. premium e. dividend.
5. A telephone call within a town is called  a. home call b. trunk call c. district call d. zonal call e. local call.
6. The body controlling the installation and maintenance of  telephone in Nigeria is a. NET b. ITT c. NITEL d. NIPOST e. NICON
7. A teleprinter is used to transmit a. important documents through the post office b. typed messages quickly over a long distance. C. data to and from computer. D. messages to areas within a locality e. information within a bank.
8. Which of the following is the quickest and most accurate means of communication? A. telegram b. express mail c. courier service d. telex e. railex.
9. The Abbreviation IDAPOLY on the letter headed papers of the Federal Polytechnic Idah is an example of a….. A. cable gram. B. postmark. C. post code d. telegraphic address e. multiple address telegram.
10. One means of making payment through the NIPOST is the a. cheque b. money order c. standing order d. promissory order e. counterfoil.
11. The telephone service through which on can dial any numbers local, trunk or overseas is known as a. international communication system. B. standard dialing system. C. subscriber’s trunk dialing system. D. international telecommunication e. coded dialing order.
12. The machine used in sending telex message is known as a. photocopier b. typewriter c. teleprinter d. punching machine. E. Dictaphone.
13. Which of the following services is not rendered by NIPOST?  a. post restante b. express delivery c. C. W. O.  d. telegram e. registered post.
14. Which of the following is the safest means of sending a postal order from Lagos to a friend in Jos? A. registered letter b. recorded delivery c. railex d. first class mail e. express mail
15. The fastest means of sending information to apparent company abroad is the a. telegram b. telephone c. telex d. express letter e. courier services.
16. Telephone, telegram and telex services in Nigeria are provided by a. NIPOST B. NRC C. DHI D. NAA E. NITEL.
17. The cost of sending a message by telephone is determined by the a. number of words contained in the message b. time of the day the message was sent. C. type of person or organization sending the message d. time taken to send the message e. letter of hypothecation.
18. One advantage of communication by telephone is that a. the conversation can be very short. B. it is the less expensive c. feedback is instantaneous .d. the conversation is strictly private. 
19. Which of the following is the fastest means of sending a document from one place to another? A. facsimile b. courier service c. express mail d. registered mail.
20. Which of the following makes it possible for people to collect their letters at their convenient time? A. franking b. recorded delivery c. post office box d. business reply service e. telex service.
21. Which of the following involved the delivery of mails to a traveler without fixed address? A. speed post b. reply paid.   c. recorded delivery d. poste restante [mediator_tech]

ESSAY TEST

1. State the functions of (a) NIPOST (b) NITEL.
2. List and explain the six communication services rendered by the post office.
3. Explain five services which NIPOST renders to the public (B) give five advantages of courier services

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT: 

Read commerce for Senior Secondary School book2 by Onuka P S et al; (page 88-93)

PRE- READING ASSIGNMENT:

1. Read Satellite, Nigerian SATI and SATII, Global system of mobile telecommunication, and Courier services.

WEEKEND ACTIVITY

1. Write out five importance of Nigeria SAT-1, Nigeria SAT-2 and Nigeria SAT-X
2. List five functions of courier services.
3. List and describe five ways by which the post office aid business

REFERENCE TEXTS:

1. Commerce for Senior Secondary School book2 by Onuka P S et al; Melrose Books and Publishing Limited.
2. Commerce for Senior Secondary School book2 by Odedokun et al; Longman Nigeria PLC.
3. Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools by O. A longe. Tonad Publishers Limited,
4. Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools by Ahukannah et al; African First Publishers PLC