FG tasks media practitioners on positive reports

Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has underscored the need for media practitioners in Nigeria to promote stories that define the nation’s history and uphold the core values of democracy.

Mallam Issa-Onilu gave the charge in Abuja at the 2025 News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)/NUJ Press Week with the theme: ‘The Place of the Media in shaping and sustaining national values.’

He noted that the Nigerian media landscape plays a vital role in promoting peace, unity, and national cohesion by reflecting the country’s shared values and aspirations.

“Permit me to speak not only as a public servant but also as someone who has spent a career in the media. Journalism is a literature in a hurry. I know first-hand the pressures of the newsroom: the race against deadlines, the tension between facts and narratives, the temptation of sensational headlines that can attract attention but also distort reality. I also know the nobility of the profession: the thrill of truth, the satisfaction of holding power accountable, and the deep joy that comes from serving the public through the written and spoken word. Journalism, at its best, is not just a career; it is a calling.

“Today, as Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, I stand with a double vision. On one hand, I see the media as my former colleagues, the comrades of my professional life. On the other, I see them as partners in the national mission entrusted to NOA, to cultivate a shared set of values that define us as Nigerians.

“We cannot succeed without the media. Your platforms amplify our message, your stories shape our credibility, and your voices influence our unity. Without you, our campaigns may echo, but they will not resonate. With you, our message will not just reach the people; it will move them.

“This is why the National Orientation Agency is advancing the Nigerian Identity Project as a flagship national programme that directly hinges on a strong media partnership. The Nigerian Identity Project is a bold initiative designed to embed value orientation and civic education into the fabric of our society, beginning with the school curriculum from primary through to tertiary levels.

“At the heart of this project lies the National Values Charter, a framework built around seven clear pillars that seek to institutionalise values such as patriotism, accountability, unity, social justice, and respect for diversity.

“Together, these initiatives are not abstract aspirations but living commitments that must be reinforced in every radio broadcast, every television programme, every online post, and every newspaper column. Imagine the collective transformation if every media outlet in Nigeria consistently projected these values.

“Imagine the Nigeria we would become if every Journalist embraced their role not merely as an observer of events, but as a custodian of our national moral compass. We are not alone in this journey. Around the world, nations have leveraged the media not just to inform but to shape values.

“The BBC has long been a vehicle for projecting British values of fairness, civility, and national pride across the globe. Al Jazeera has redefined the global conversation on Middle Eastern issues, ensuring that perspectives from that region are no longer marginalised. In the same way, the Nigerian media must rise above mere reportage of our challenges and take up the mantle of projecting our resilience, our creativity, our achievements,” he said.

In his remarks, NAN Managing Director, Mallam Ali Muhammad Ali, disclosed that the Agency is working to reposition itself to compete with top global news brands such as Reuters and the Associated Press.

“It may seem a tall ambition, but we are not daunted,” Ali said. “As Muhammad Ali once said, ‘If your dream doesn’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough.’ We believe the steps we’ve taken in recent years have rekindled and repositioned the agency.”

He acknowledged challenges of limited funding and infrastructure but expressed confidence in the dedication and professionalism of NAN’s workforce.

“Despite our constraints, the spirit here is high. In the last two years, our reporters have won laurels and accolades across the country, and NAN continues to provide leadership at both state and correspondent levels of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),” he added

In her address, Chairman of the NUJ, FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, said the media holds a powerful position in society, not only informing and educating the public but also shaping the values that bind the nation together.

“We must uphold transparency, accountability, and dialogue,” she said. “As journalists, we must amplify the voices of the marginalised, celebrate stories that inspire hope and patriotism, and recommit to integrity, fairness, and professionalism.”

Also speaking, Chairman, NUJ NAN Headquarters Chapel, Comrade Collins Yakubu-Hammer, said the media is more than a messenger—it is a mirror of society and a builder of national identity.

He emphasised the importance of promoting values such as honesty, patriotism, unity, hard work, resilience, kindness, discipline, justice, and respect for human dignity.

“In an age where misinformation and fake news spread faster than truth, our role as journalists has never been more critical,” Yakubu-Hammer said.

“We must ensure that our platforms enlighten rather than divide, and strengthen rather than weaken public trust.”

He added that the Press Week provides a vital opportunity for reflection and recommitment to ethical journalism that sustains national values and promotes the public good.

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