FAKE NEWS: MAJOR CHALLENGE IN JOURNALISM PROFESSION, SAYS PROFESSOR LAI OSHO

The journalism teacher further in his speech at the conference with the theme “National Interest, Freedom of Expression and Governance In Africa”, said “the media has become so important in the world in terms of creating reality, so if people wants to create their own reality, to suit their own agenda, so they make use of the media in terms of hate speech, fake news and propaganda and things like that.

“So it is now left for the Professionals that are trained to be able to shift the grain from the shaft to be able to pursue the truth and one cardinal thing about journalism is that it is a truth-seeking profession and that’s a major challenge for journalism”

Penpushing further reports that, the former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Aremo Taiwo Alimi in his own remarks explained that for sustainable development and growth in Nigeria, the country must set its priorities by changing sense of direction as well as strengthen its institutions.

The veteran journalist said that the action would help improving the society and eradicate poverty to the barest minimum, and also listed some of the problems to includes, high rate of crime,  insecurity and political tension among others.

Penpushing also reports that, Alimi added that only responsible and caring leadership could give every component unit of the federation, a sense of belonging, saying this would ensure all and sundry have stake in the survival of the country and urged the media to be agent of sustainable development to the country.

The Chairman of the occasion, Araba Tola Adeniyi, in his own remarks criticised the new media in relations with governance, adding, “Nigeria is critical to democracy in Africa, Media should play the role of advocacy in Nigeria, the media in Nigeria does not know the difference between experiment and reality”

Penpushing reports that, Adeniyi, who is also the former Managing Director of Daily Times and Nigerian Tribune, further added that there is need for self-regulation in the media, as there can be information without development and also development without information.

Meanwhile, the event which has number of media personnel in attendance also recorded the launch of the  book, “News and Hate Speech: Narratives of Political Instability” edited by Nosa Owens-Obie, Majority Oji and Joyce Ogwezi.