In many African countries, a few elites, notably politicians, tend to be prominent actors in the everyday drama that plays out in many Nigerian talk shops, group gatherings, and in front pages of the media; further crowding out space for discussions about practical non-elite involved issues that influence the common man.
Foreign owned newspapers quickly emerged as an avenue for readers to educate themselves and also as a tool for the mercantile traders to read about trade-related ads or to advertise their goods.
The success of the early newspapers was linked to the competence of its writers and editors, political appeal, patronage by local administrators and the financial purse of the owners.
However, fluctuating subscriber revenues by the 1920s led to a greater dependency on advertisement, with about 50–70% of pages devoted to ads[3] but most of it was related to merchandise goods.
The revenue shortfall is believed to have created the impetus for many media operators to court and promote congratulatory and obituaries advertisement in their T.V or radio stations.
The focal point of the ad is on a certain individual who controls scare resources and the beneficial use of the social or economic capital accrued as a result.