New Media and the Promotion of Yorùbá Cultural Values:Opportunities and Threats

Abstract

This study examines the link between new media and the promotion of Yoruba cultural values, with particular attention to perceived benefits, associated challenges, and strategies for maximising the cultural potential of digital platforms. An online survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 114 respondents. Descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations, were employed to analyse the data. The findings reveal that new media play a significant role in enhancing awareness, accessibility, and creative expression of Yoruba cultural values, particularly through social media, videos, music, drama, and storytelling. However, the study also identifies notable challenges, including the dominance of Western cultural content, declining use of the Yoruba language online, distorted cultural representations, and the erosion of traditional moral values. Despite these challenges, respondents expressed strong consensus on actionable strategies for better harnessing new media for cultural promotion, such as increased production of Yoruba-language content, integration of digital media into formal education, involvement of cultural experts and elders, institutional support for content creators, and policy regulation of misleading cultural content. The study concludes that new media represent both opportunities and risks for Yoruba cultural sustainability. When strategically guided by cultural awareness, educational mediation, and supportive policy frameworks, digital platforms can serve as effective tools for preserving and revitalising Yoruba cultural values in the contemporary media landscape.