Journalists advocate Devolution of Power to Eliminate Hate Speech

Sat, Mar 10, 2018 | By publisher


Media

Rising from the one-day workshop on hate speech organised by the Nigerian Press Council, Nigerian journalists call on government to devolve powers to local and states to stop hate speeches which usually emanate from sense of inequality

By Samuel Ibezim

JOURNALISTS want devolution of power for Nigeria in order for the country to develop at every level of governance. Besides, they believe it would reduce cries of marginalisation by some ethnic and regional groups.

Rising from the one-day workshop on “Hate Communication in Nigeria: Identifying Its Roots and Remedies,” they organised in Abuja, on Thursday February 22, 2018, the journalists asked the government to use social media platforms for community organising and by so doing popularise civic participation and engagement.

The journalists in communique advised ministries of Information & Culture at both state and federal levels of government to set up social media units to provide global perspectives and wider mileage for public information dissemination.

The workshop which was organised by Nigeria Press Council in collaboration with Word and Image Ltd, a firm of communication consultants, similarly admonished journalists to always adhere to ethical and professional codes of practice and engage in investigative journalism.

Besides, media were reminded to have national interest at heart in their news reportage and in opinion leadership.

Earlier, Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, in declaring the workshop open, expressed happiness over media decision to join the government to fight hate speech. He said it was through their platform that hate speeches were disseminated and reiterated that hate speech could never be regarded as free speech.

“The fact that the media takes this issue seriously is very encouraging, because, in most cases, the media – wittingly or unwittingly – provides the platform for the dissemination of hate speech. But I can say here, unequivocally, that the Nigerian media understands the dangers of hate speech.

“I have always said that hate speech is not free speech. For example, while the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of speech, it does not guarantee freedom of hate speech. That’s because hate speech could be the precursor of violence, of genocide!” Mohammed said.

Four papers were presented at the workshop by renowned journalism teachers, including Umaru Pate, the dean of faculty of communication, Bayero University,  and Lai Oso of Lagos State University. Others were Nnamdi Ekeanyanwu of the University of Uyo and Segun Olanipekun, a US-based adjunct professor of journalism.

Their topics were, Nigeria: Communication and the Social Construction of Hate Mural; Social Media Platforms: For Information or Disinformation? Journalism Profession and Patriotism: The Intersection; and National Interest, National Security and Security Reporting.

To put the participants in the mood for the workshop, Jide Adebayo, a lead consultant of Word & Image Ltd., said: “We are convinced that at the end of the workshop, we would have come to a meeting of minds, which would begin to lead our country some steps forward in the direction of moving of the path of hate speeches/divisive communication; and unto to the path of unity, common purpose, respect for one another, multiplicity of ideas, national growth and development, which is the genuine desire of every ordinary Nigerian.”

Segun Olanipekun, the resource personnel, emphasised on the roles media and communication professionals played over the years in promoting hate speeches not minding that hate is a release of emotion for destruction. Hence, Olanipekun warned that such hate speeches must be filtered and moderated appropriately before being passed to the targeted audience.

“As information practitioners: editors, reporters, columnists or leader writers, online content producers, information officers, we should be aware that people do read between the lines to sense the orientations in our reportage. Therefore, every news/information item carries value, either embedded or explicit, it has a perspective/goal to it. Media content studies have proven that editors are not just straight-jacketed, placid gate-keepers but also framers of the daily news, consciously designing the pattern of news flow to members of the reading or viewing public as the case may be,” he said.

Lai Oso, other resource personnel, said that for journalists to be patriotic, they must police the gates and boundaries of journalism because poor adherence to ethical values, access to the journalism is very porous.

Besides, Oso said scepticism must be a necessary professional virtue in the news decision-making process. According to him, journalists must acquire knowledge about Nigeria and break out of their ethnic, religious and regional cocoons.

He noted the pre-colonial Nigerian Press was the ‘The shape of national destiny’ because journalists of those days led the agitation for independence from colonial rule.

“This agitational journalism has been described as “the nursery bed of independence agitation and modern Nigeria nationalism” (ibid).The patriotic role of the journalists of the time was attested to by many commentators. How were they able to do it? There was consensus, especially among the Lagos educated elite on the importance of independence. The elite class enjoyed a large measure of support from the public. NOTE:  Immediately  after  independence  the  anti-colonial  nationalist consensus  broke  down  to  be  replaced  by  ethnic,  religious  and  regional narratives.  The press became the main public platform for their dissemination,” Oso said.

Nnamdi Ekeanyanwu, another speaker, described Social Media Network, SMN, as the ninth wonder of the world because “it is interactive, integrative, ubiquitous and digital.” He noted that the social media network could be used to douse the flame of hate in Nigeria by creation of SMN in ministries, hold periodic virtual conferences and clampdown on fake news peddlers & hate mongers. Besides, he said SMN could be used to identify and eliminate fake accounts; as social media education; support for genuine social media entrepreneurs; community-organising and by so doing popularise civic participation and engagement.

Speaking on National Security and Security Reporting, Pate said the media and the government are important partners in preservation of national interest and security. Therefore, he urged journalists to provide early warning signs for authorities to take proactive measures and set agenda for society.

The professor also cautioned the media on selective reporting and the promotion of prejudicial stereotypes about groups and individuals based on stereotypes, incomplete facts, mischief and ignorance.

– Mar. 10, 2018 @ 4:20 GMT |

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