By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State Council in collaboration with British Council have organized a two day workshop on “Promoting Safety of Journalists In Post-conflict Era”, to prepare journalists on the post conflict developmental reportage.
Speaking at the occasion which was held in Maiduguri on Monday, the Borno State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Mr. Babakura Jatau, expressed great concern over the exponential rise in the influence of the social media across the globe.
The commissioner noted that the social media influence would lead to humanity’s cataclysmic end if left unchecked.
Mr. Jatau also said that, “majority of conflicts rocking the globe now have roots in social media dissemination. the time social media gains more influence, that could mark the beginning of the end of the world.”
He drew attention to the growing global patronage of fake news disseminated by the social media, describing the situation as unfortunate for humanity.
The commissioner, therefore, urged the conventional journalists to collectively fight the menace of the fake news in the social media, by defending, protecting and sustaining the tradition of true journalism against the social media.
The Head of Department, Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri, Dr. Nuhu Gapsiso who was represented by a senior lecturer from the Mass Communication Department, University of Maiduguri, Amina Mustapha assured that the department will continue to collaborate with the NUJ and ensure regular training and re-training of the NUJ members on journalism practice and ethics of the profession , especially, in mass media reportage of conflict in the post insurgency era including developmental communication in crisis period.
Earlier, Hajiya Fatima Kiida of the British Council, which is the organization managing conflicts in Nigeria, assured of the continuous synergy with media stakeholders on conflict reporting.
In his paper presentation titled, “Rebranding NUJ, the Ideal and Reality”, Prof. Danjuma Gambo, of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri, charged journalists to arrive at a consensus about reporting in the Post-conflict era.
Prof. Gambo said “journalists in Borno are so much used to reporting monumental killings and destructions by Boko Haram insurgents,.
“They find it difficult to report a lesser-proportion killings and destructions as well as the implementation of Post-conflict policies and programmes with the gradual restoration of peace and security.”
“Journalists in Borno State should now change their mindset and think outside the box about conflict reporting,” he said..
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Kashere , Gombe State is also expected to present a paper on conflict reporting on a later date .
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