CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the study
Communication
makes human society and keeps it alive through shared interactions. It promotes
peace and stability through effective resolution of conflicts. It facilitates
development in every sphere of living through shared discoveries,
experimentation and intellectual stimulation (Adewale et al., 2009). Communication promotes better understanding between
the rulers and the ruled. This is the reason why the government of every
nation, international organizations and other agencies place emphasis in
development communication. The world is fast becoming a global village and a
necessary tool for this process is communication, of which, telecommunication
is a key player. The quantum development in the telecommunications industry all
over the world is very rapid, as one innovation replaces another in matter of
weeks. A major breakthrough is the wireless telephone system, which comes in
either fixed wireless telephone lines on the Global System of Mobile communications
(GSM). Communication no doubt, is a major driver of any economy. Emerging
trends in socio-economic growth shows a high premium been placed on information
and communication technology (ICT) by homes, organizations, and nations
(Deflbur, 2004). Nigeria is not left out in this race for rapid development as
the nation’s economy has been subjected to years of economic reversal via
mismanagement and bad leadership. The Nigerian Telecommunications sector was
grossly underdeveloped before the sector was allowed to experience a boom via,
deregulation that gave way to individual participation. These licenses allowed
Private Telephone Operators (PTOs), to roll out both fixed and wireless
telephone lines, and analogue mobile phones (NCC, 2003). The deregulation policy
of government as introduced in 1992, resulted in the deregulation policy of the
telecommunication sector, with decree 75 of 1992 (as amended by Decree 30 of
1998) which established National Communications Commission (NCC) which
facilitates entry into markets for telecommunications services process
applications and gives licenses to private communication companies and
regulates their operations in the country. The deregulation of
telecommunication led to the emergence of private communication companies that
provide Global System of Mobile communications (GSM) services to the people.
Some of the companies that provides communication services include; Mobile
Telecommunication Network (MTN), Zain, Globacom, Etisalat etc. These
communication companies have subscribers running into millions including civil
servants, business people, students, military and paramilitary and other people
from all walks of life (Agba, 2001). The introduction of GSM has
revolutionalized the communication industry in Nigeria and the world over. Both
the poor and the rich now use telephone in the contemporary day. Its benefits
include; accessibility, cost effectiveness, portability, employment generation,
entertainment, instant delivery of messages, various business transactions, national
development and many others (Adewale et
al.,2009). (Okoro and Barikai, 2006) said that all the problems inherent
with the use of telephone before the advent of GSM have become a thing of the
past. (Agba, 2001) opined that the GSM have become the fastest growing
communication system in the world.
Food
is an integral part of daily life; eating for many people is more than just
survival, eating becomes social and cultural (Carson, 2002). There are many
limitations on eating habits, for college students two of the main limitations
are time and money. College students have busy lives and often must balance
many different activities and responsibilities; in addition, many college
students are on a limited income, severely impacting their feeding pattern (Mishel
et al., 2009). Poor eating habits is
a major public health concern among young adults who experienced transition
into university life, during which, they are exposed to stress and lack of
time. These factors pose a barrier against adoption of healthy behaviors, such
as poor eating habits and substance abuse. Although these behaviors of students
are considered temporary, as part of university life; unhealthy habits picked
up at this age generally persist in older adult life. Environmental factors
also contribute to adoption of unhealthy feeding pattern or eating habits among
university students (Anderson et al., 2003).
The mushrooming of shopping malls, convenience stores, vending machines and
fast food outlets have created an alarming situation for young adults to
practice unhealthy eating habits. There are many factors like cost of food,
knowledge of food, time of food preparation, and culture that contribute to the
differences in feeding pattern. Feeding pattern among college students are also
impacted by these same factors (Bandura, 2003). Some of these factors may even
be multiplied given the life of many college students. Rapid changes in
physical growth and psychosocial development have placed students as
nutritionally vulnerable groups with poor eating habits that fails to meet
dietary requirements. Some common unhealthy eating patterns among young adults
included meal skipping, eating away from home, snacking and fast food
consumption (Birch, 2001). University students tend to make their own food choices
based on cost of food and availability of fast food. Change in feeding pattern can be as a result
of changes in physical exercise, stress, alcohol consumption, smoking and
college lifestyle which make college students more vulnerable to circumstances
risky to their health. Poor feeding habit is a major public health concern
among college students who experience transition into university life, during
which they are exposed to stress and lack of time. (Kurubaran et al., 2001) stressed that college students
adopt unhealthy eating habits mainly because of reduced affordability and
accessibility of healthy diet on the premises and the presence of an abundance
of surrounding fast food outlets. Among many factors which have impact on the
food consumption patterns of young people is the school environment in which
students spend most of their time. College presents an environment that has
been characterized by unhealthy dietary patterns and reduced physical activity
which places students at a greater risk of weight gain. Feeding is an important
factor to be considered in our everyday life especially for a Nigerian
undergraduate. But unfortunately, this has been neglected because students seem
to put first (prioritizing) expenses for their (android) phones, thereby
allocating a lot of money to that. Students spend a lot of money in recharge
cards for calls and data (for browsing and chatting online) (Lee et al., 2000). Poor eating habit is an
important public health issue that has large health and economic implications.
Many food preferences are established early, but because students make more and
more independent eating decisions which is based on how they can afford it, the
transition to independent living during the university days is an important
event (Adu, et al., 2009). To study
the phenomenon of food selection, the heath belief model was applied to predict
the likelihood of healthy food consumption pattern among university students
especially in Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu. Hence, this study will be
to evaluate the food consumption pattern of students in Federal College of
Agriculture Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
Information
dissemination between and within some geographical environment were carried out
loosely by the use of automobiles in Nigeria despite the fact that Nigerian
Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) was in operation before the year 2001. This
was because, NITEL served the affluent in the society; hence their services
were not within the reach of the poor. It was so bad that customers pay money
in advance (for several months) to acquire telephone lines and customers had to
follow NITEL officially round the town at times for a whole day to get their
telephone lines repaired. Prior to the introduction of Global System of Mobile
Communication (GSM), students spent their income/pocket money/upkeep allowances
on items like food, clothing, academic exercises, social activities etc. But
the introduction of mobile phones, has added up to the unending list of students’
expenditure items i.e. expenditure on purchase of phones, recharge cards,
internet facilities and subscriptions such as modems, mobile phone charges etc.
at the expense of their feeding/upkeep money. Intuitively, from the foregoing
trend of GSM introduction in Nigeria, one is likely to imagine ways through
which the introduction of GSM services has affected the students’ expenditure
pattern.
1.3 Objectives
of the Study
The
broad objective of this study is to evaluate airtime usage and its effect on the
feeding pattern of students in Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu (FCAI).
1.3.1 Specific objectives
The
specific objectives of the study are to:
i.
Identify the airtime usage rate of
students in the study area.
ii.
Identify the effect Mobile phone and airtime
usage on the feeding pattern of students in Federal College of Agriculture,
Ishiagu.
iii.
Identify possible alternatives for high
expenditure towards airtime.
iv.
Evaluate ways to improve the feeding
pattern of students in Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu.
1.4 Research
questions
i.
Does airtime usage really affect the
feeding pattern of students in FCAI?
ii.
What is the extent of damage done by
mobile phone generally and airtime usage specifically on the feeding pattern of
students in the study area?
iii.
What is the airtime usage rate of FCAI
students?
1.5 Significance
of the study
This
study will reveal the effect of airtime usage on the feeding pattern of
students generally and Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu specifically.
It
will show the rate of airtime usage by students in FCAI in comparison with
their feeding pattern.
The
finding of this study will also be valuable to researchers and scholars, as it
will form a basis for further research. Further, this study may contribute to
the pool of knowledge concerning airtime usage and effect on the feeding
pattern of students in Nigeria generally and Federal College of Agriculture,
Ishiagu specifically and therefore contribute to academic reference materials.
1.6 Scope
of the study
This
proposal on the rate of airtime usage and its effect on the feeding pattern of
students will be focused on only Higher National Diploma (HND) students of
Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu, Ebonyi State.