Media practitioners in the country have urged campus journalists to prioritise ethical journalism in their practice of journalism in order to help deepen the democratic tenets of Nigeria.
This challenge was made at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Association of Campus Journalists of Obafemi Awolowo University (ACJOAU) which was held at the university campus.
The Keynote Speaker at the event and Publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, who was represented by Mojeed Alabi, highlighted the major roles of the media, which are to serve as watchdogs, set agendas, and provide access to news.
He emphasized that the media has a significant role to play in shaping the democratic journey of Nigeria and the importance of upholding ethical journalism practices.
“Ethical journalism is a fundamental aspect of responsible journalism, and the media must be mindful of their social responsibility. It is no longer news that everyone on social media claims to be a media professional, and with 10MB, everyone is a news publisher. This has become a problem for ethical journalism.
“We journalists are the channels through which the general public consumes information, and our role in a democratic society is very important. Citizen journalism is now the order of the day, but as professionals, we should know the effect of digitalisation in the journalism industry, the rise of social media, and the challenges it poses for traditional media organizations.”
Olorunyomi, a veteran journalist, in his opening remarks, commended the association for its significant contribution to the development of journalism in the campus environment over the past 50 years while noting that the event’s theme was timely, given the pivotal role of the media in shaping the country’s democracy.
He also urged students to take advantage of the digital age by developing their media literacy skills and leveraging digital technologies to advance their journalistic practice.
The event themed “Media Literacy and Digitalization: Past, Present, Future” brought together media professionals including Law Guru and Policy Expert at META, Ebuka Ogbodo; Executive Director of Media Career Development Network, Lekan Otufodunrin; Assistant Investigation Editor at HumAngle Media, Kabir Adejumo; a journalist with Radio Nigeria, Olufisoye Adenitan; principal officials of the university as well as students from different universities.
The anniversary celebration featured keynote speeches and panel discussions on topics such as digital journalism, media ethics, and social media’s impact on democracy in Nigeria. The professionals shared their experiences and insights on the impact of digitalisation on their profession and how students could navigate the evolving media landscape.
In addition to the 50th celebration, the winners of the maiden edition of the Kabir Adejumo Essay Competition were also announced during the conference while the official ACJOAU Alumni Body to be chaired by Mr Olarenwaju Oyedeji was launched to further strengthen the relationship between the alumni and the association.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the president of the association, Ms. Faith Alofe explained that the association clocked 50 in 2021, but due to unavoidable circumstances, it could not be celebrated then, but this year it came in-ground style.
She further stated that one of the motives of the conference is to enlighten the students on the importance of safeguarding our social media and getting digitalised.
