Nigeria media charged to be peace advocates, avoid sensational reportage of conflict

Practicing journalists in the country have been charged to be peace ambassadors and advocates in their reportage of events particularly conflict and crisis situations.

The media owners too were charged to be fair in their judgement of what is newsworthy to be published or broadcast in their various media channels in order not to inflame an already tense atmosphere.

The charge was made by a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, Dr Nathaniel Dominic Dajibo while delivering a paper titled: ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting: Applying the “Do not Harm” principle’ during a 3-day capacity building workshop on Conflict Sensitive Reporting for Journalists in North – East subregion by North East Development Commission (NEDC) at Dujima International Hotel, Maiduguri on Monday.

He stressed that in terms of conflict and other crisis, journalists and media owners are expected to play the role of mediators in order to fast-track peacebuilding in the affected areas rather than ignite it.

Danjibo stressed that the various reports about conflict, not only in Nigeria but in other parts of the world have led to escalated cases leading to the loss of more lives than what would have been saved without such reports.

The lecturer further warned that in every report, issues of National interest should override the demands to have intriguing banner headlines that will psyche up feelings against each other.

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Drawing examples from countries engulfed with conflicts across the world where reports in the media influenced, he warned journalists in the country against being part of raising tension.

According to him, if it is clearly studied, outlets like CNN, BBC, Sky news and others will never report anything bad about their country, and they will never paint their countries black for any reason.

He, therefore, appealed to journalists and media owners to always put the national interest first no matter how much gain will come from exaggerated reportage of such events.

Danjibo further stressed the need to always cross-check facts before rushing to the press particularly in times of crisis because according to him such will determine how reports are written.

He also stressed the need for developmental journalism because according to him, that is the only way the country can catch up with the development progress of the developed democracies.

It was however observed that bad leadership of the country has negatively affected the reports in the media as only things that divide the people are mostly reported than things that unite them.

The journalists were therefore urged to put regional, sectional, religious, ethnic and political differences aside and engage in peace reporting for the good of the country.