Oyo speaker charges corps members on positive use of internet

Ogundoyin stated this in a message sent to the corps members who attended a sensitization programme on media literacy for Corpers in Ibadan North Local Government  Ibadan, by the Center for Applied Ethics and Political Communication in Africa in Partnership with UNESCO and in collaboration with the Freedom of Information Acts CDs Ibadan North Local Government.

Ogundoyin who was represented by Mr Ralph Elebute admonished the corps members that media literacy is an essential skill needed by every member of the society, to keep us afloat and abreast of happenings around the world especially in this digital age.

His words, “About 80 percent of our youth engage the internet for almost half of their 24 hours in a day. What is it that they are looking for? Is it knowledge, Is it knowledge enhancement, progression of career, job, wastage of time for gist around the world, cybercrime?”

He then charged them on  positive usage of internet, saying “I’m here with you today, to identify with the group which I belong and to encourage you to positively use this opportunity for your benefits and that of humanity.”

Ogundoyin congratulated CAEPOCOM AFRICA and charged them to create frameworks that are indigenous to our society for a successful media literacy initiative at all levels of education. He also encouraged participants to positively use the information learnt for their benefits and that of humanity.

The Project Coordinator of CAEPOCOM AFRICA, Mrs Geraldine Ezeobi in her session, expressed the need for youths to be armed with the right skills to navigate both conventional and social media.

Media literacy she further explained acts as the watchdog to enable them analyze, evaluate, create smartly and act wisely when they come across any media content.

Another facilitator, Mr Iyanuoluwa Omopo pointed out that the media has a dark side which is filled with propaganda, misinformation and disinformation and can lead to bad decisions with serious consequences; these become difficult to correct even when confronted with the right information, this is why being media literate is very crucial.

All the facilitators noted that the life of most youths are tied to the media which often reinforce delinquent behaviours and provides aggressive scripts. Using the term media emotionality, they caution the application of sentiments or supportive emotions to media content without proper verification or investigation of content genuity.

Buttressing on the points raised, Dr Sharon Omotoso stated that before youths follow trends, they need to pause and ask some basic questions as “people see just what the media want them to see” and that at the heart of media literacy is the principle of inquiry.

She also pointed out that UNESCO standpoint is to ensure that citizens are empowered to access, retrieve, use, create as well as share information and media content in all forms, using various tools in a critical, ethical and effective way, in order to participate and engage in personal, professional and societal activities.