Radio Drama as a Tool for Adult Literacy Promotion in Sokoto State

This study investigates the use of radio drama as a promotional tool for adult literacy in Sokoto State, North West Nigeria. Given the high rate of adult illiteracy in the region and the wide reach of radio as a mass communication medium, radio drama offers an accessible and contextually relevant vehicle for delivering literacy education to non-literate adults. The research examines how radio drama productions developed by state broadcasting services and NGOs have contributed to adult literacy awareness and enrolment in formal literacy programmes. A survey design was adopted, with questionnaires and interviews conducted among adult literacy programme participants, radio producers, and community leaders in three local government areas. The study finds that listeners who regularly follow literacy-themed radio dramas are more likely to express interest in enrolling in adult education programmes and to encourage family members to participate. The use of local dialects and familiar cultural references in radio drama content was identified as a significant factor in listener engagement. The research concludes that radio drama is an underutilised but effective instrument for literacy mobilisation in Sokoto State. Recommendations include increased collaboration between radio stations and the State Agency for Mass Education to produce contextually grounded literacy dramas. Keywords: radio drama, adult literacy, Sokoto State, mass communication, community education.