By Edoamaowo Udeme
Ahead of 2019 elections in Nigeria, The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, held workshops in Nigeria for 71 online journalists/bloggers on conflict sensitive reporting online.
Sponsored by the European Union (EU) under component of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) with the first phase of training in Abeokuta, Ogun State and the second in Abuja, The two workshops attracted a total of 71 online journalists/bloggers.
The Abeokuta workshop had 36 participants from the six southwest states, while Abuja had 35 participants from the FCT, the North-East, North-Central, South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria.
In his goodwill message the IPC Director, Lanre Arogundade, explained that he thrust of the workshop was to build the capacity of the concerned online journalists/bloggers in using online media for fair, balanced, language sensitive and conflict sensitive reporting of the elections.
”This training is deemed necessary because the online environment now occupies a very central place in media operations, it has offered a converging point for all the traditional and conventional media – The Radio, Television and the Print – such that we now speak of media convergence”
While noting that Nigeria has a large population of internet users and there is a rapid increase in the number of journalists offering to practice online to reach this Internet or Online population, Arogundade stressed that “We cannot ignore what goes on Online in the name of journalism especially against the background of growing perception that online media and social media platforms are the major harbingers of hate speech and stokers of inciting flames”.
On managing conflicts during elections, Arogundade noted that “Violent conflict during elections could occur if online journalism practitioners and bloggers refuse to embrace conflict sensitive principles, so, online journalists and bloggers need to strive to do better so they could be part of efforts that seek to remove hate narratives from political communication as a way of making the electoral environment healthier”.
Dr. Ruqayyah Yusuf Aliyu one of the resource persons in her presentation on conflicts, noted that it is a natural occurrence and inevitable, mainly orchestrated by perceived threats.
“Embellished’ news reports with tribal, ethnic or religious undertones are often the purveyor of conflicts in Nigeria”. She stressed
On hate speech and fake news, Ruquayyah pointed out that online journalists/ bloggers are always on the edge to be the first to ‘break the news’ which inadvertently is lowering the bar of factual and professional reporting.
“It is unprofessional to use tribal sentiments while reporting; the use of words like “worship house” is advisable instead of mentioning a church or mosque”
On his part, another resource person Dr. Y.Z Yau, Executive Director, CITAD stressed that hate speech is not just about spoken or published words “it can come in the form of music, graphics or inscription on cloths”
“Hate Speech is among the universal inflammatory speeches like dangerous and offensive speeches”.
Mr. Musikilu Mojeed, Editor-In-Chief, Premium Times while speaking on conflict sensitive reporting, stressed that journalists should avoid divisive an derogatory labels “Be mindful of language framing, don’t use offensive graphics, Images and videos”
Mojeed noted that journalists should explain their limitations and constrains “If you cannot get to the scene, don’t report as if you were there, explain why you can’t get there”
Giving an example of an Imam that saved 300 hundred of Christians during the recent attack in Jos Plateau state, Mojeed said, journalists should profile peacemakers and not amplify propagandists.
“Profile peacemakers, like the United States Embassy who recently did a video of that Imam, your act will motivate others”
One of the participants Nse Anthony-Uko of Sundiata post said “The training has benefitted me personally because it opened my eyes to new trends of fake news and practical guide on how to manage them, it has also raised my awareness level on conflict sensitive reporting”
“I had a better understanding of what hate speech/ fake news is, how to identify them bu sticking to professional ethics of journalism” Said another participant, Ezinne Aninwe of Dream FM Enugu
The workshop focused on building the capacity of participants on professional and conflict sensitive reporting of the electoral processes as well as mitigating hate speech in an online environment.
