Journalists have a major role in ensuring national peace

By Afolasade Osigwe

Peace has been identified as a basic requirement for a nation’s democracy to flourish.

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Chris Isiguzo made the remark at the opening of a two-day capacity building for journalists and Civil Society Organizations in the South West on conflict-sensitive reporting, the 2023 general election and countering fake news.

At the event holding in Lagos, Mr Isiguzo said deliberate efforts should be made towards conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

He, therefore, suggested peace-journalism as an instrument to promote peace and reduce conflicts to the barest minimum especially as the general elections draw nearer.

“The media have a vital role to play in nation-building, by being active partners in the implementation of the development processes. They are veritable instruments and are therefore central to any input-output functions of any political system. However, there may be constraints of the media in this regard which among others include lack of conducive working environment, mass poverty, poor remuneration and lack of adequate training.” The NUJ President highlighted.

He charged journalists to brace up for the challenges ahead by providing a positive and participatory forum for the exchange of ideas, democracy and nation-building.

He, however, cautioned them against deviating from the ethics of the profession.

“The NUJ is committed to improving the ethical standard of news reportage during elections. We are keen on ensuring that Nigerian Journalists undertake their professional duties within the ambit of the Electoral Law and other regulations. Professionally, we desire to improve the news judgment of the journalist as it affects elections and election-related issues“. He assured.

The NUJ President condemned the attitudes of some candidates and parties who decline to participate in a debate with others, he said it should have been an avenue to market their candidacy as it is a veritable means through which voters can have ideas on where to cast their votes.

Earlier the Director of Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD-West Africa, Idayat Hassan represented by Mr Austin Aigbe said the members of the public trust the media more than the government hence the need for the media to give out reports that promote peaceful co-existence.

Hassan said any implication of conflict in Nigeria would have a snowball effect on other countries in the West Africa sub-region because it is almost half of the sub-region’s population.

She said, “we are there at CDD to help in fact-checking any information” to assist the journalists in detecting fake news before publishing“.

The capacity building is being organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, in conjunction with INEC and NUJ.

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