Record Management and Archiving of Igbo Oral Literature in State Broadcasting Corporations in South East Nigeria

This study examines record management and archiving practices for Igbo oral literature content held by state broadcasting corporations in South East Nigeria, focusing on the Anambra Broadcasting Service, Imo Broadcasting Corporation, and Enugu Broadcasting Service. Broadcasting institutions possess substantial archives of recorded Igbo oral literature, including folktales, proverbs, music, and dramatic performances accumulated over several decades, yet the management of these archives is characterised by systemic neglect. The study adopts an applied records management audit approach, conducting institutional inspections, interviews with archive officers and programme directors, and analysis of catalogue records at the three broadcasting institutions. Findings document critical deficiencies across all three institutions: analogue recordings stored without proper climate control, absence of digital conversion programmes, incomplete or missing catalogue metadata, and no formal retention and disposal schedules aligned with the National Archives Act. Approximately forty percent of pre-2000 recordings are estimated to be at risk of complete degradation within five years without intervention. The study proposes an emergency archival intervention strategy and a long-term digital preservation framework tailored to the operational realities of South East state broadcasting institutions, drawing on international archival standards adapted for the Nigerian context. Keywords: record management, Igbo oral literature, broadcasting archives, South East Nigeria, digital preservation.