– Trains journalists ahead of November governorship election
By Ifeanyi Iheakanwa
The International Press Centre (IPC) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) has trained journalists in Imo state preparatory to the November 11 governorship election.
The two-day sensitisation workshop held on Wednesday 16 to Thursday 17 at Rockview hotel Owerri, the Imo state capital had over 100 journalists from various media houses as participants.
Beneficiaries were taken on a range of issues by the resource persons geared towards the successful coverage of the forthcoming Imo state governorship election slated for November 11, 2023.
In her first lecture on ‘gender equality’, one of the resource persons, Ms. Angela Agoawike lamented that the roles of women in contemporary politics are greatly undermined, regretting that out 17 political parties in Nigeria, only females were picked as running-mates.
Another discriminating experience against the women folk, she said, was the election of 27 men out of the 27 members of Imo state House of Assembly without a single woman, unlike the last House where two females won.
She recalled however that amazons like Ngozi-Okonjo Iwuala, late Dora Akunyili, Oby Exekwesili among others were able to break the barrier that had so long constrained women from reaching the peak of their political career.
The resourceful speaker who turned out to be the Chief Executive Officer of Omalicha radio station, described women as major deciding factors in Nigerian politics hence, indispensable in the system.
She envisaged that the women folk would, in the not too distant future, be part of the decision-making elites of the country given their recent participation in politics.
On the topic, ‘understanding conflict reporting for peace in the Imo state governorship election’, she said that the major scope in reporting conflicts is not to take sides at both parties.
She further introduced ‘peaceful journalism as a style of reporting intended to treat stories about war and conflict with balance.
Other challenges in conflict reporting, according to her, were the activities of the non-state actors, reactions of state security personnel, activities of rogue actors who may cash in on the crisis to perpetuate it, political reprisals among other factors.
Similarly, she listed fight for supremacy, perceived injustice and marginalisation by the central government, unemployment among the youths, rivalry among cult groups, activities of itinerant herdsmen among others as causes of conflict in Imo state.
She however advised that no election is worth a journalist’s blood hence, urged them to also be cautious of acts or libelous reportage capable of costing their jobs and life.
The lecturer charged journalists to avoid sensational reportage as that, according to her, has a way of hitting up the polity.
“Imo is a very peculiar state on terms of elections. I am here and i know what I’m talking about. It is no longer news that insecurity has increased in recent times. How do we now monitor the exercise in the midst of insecurity. This is infact the very essence of this workshop.
“Remember the foremost rule of journalism: no election, no write-up, no news or story is worth your life. Your safety should be your top priority. Because it is only the journalist that is alive will practice journalism.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Dr. Akin Akingbulu, in his contribution, said the workshop is part of the line up of activities that IPC and CEMESO have put in place for the media professionals and other stakeholders as a targeted program during the electoral cycle in Nigeria.
He stressed that the act of strengthening democracy in Nigeria is an unending one, as democratic governance continues to be a work in progress, and citizens and institutions and offcourse the journalists have a responsibility continuously lay building blocks towards its consolidation and sustainability.
The workshop featured contributions from the Imo state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Silvia Agu, who fielded questions from the journalists and the former Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo state council, Sir Innocent Igwe.
Participating journalists were later given question tags in their various groups which they presented through their team leaders for assessment.
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade who was represented by the Editor of Nigerian Democratic Report (NDR), Ayo Aluko-Olokon, also enriched participants with the New Media and Election Application which is the latest innovation code for election coverage in Nigeria.
