The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Danladi Umar has called for specialised training and professionalism on social justice reporting by the media.
Speaking at the annual Campus Journalism Awards (CJA) organised by Youths Digest in Abuja, Justice Danladi said Social Justice Reporting should be encouraged at the university level.
Danladi said: “I am delighted to have a glimpse from the writings and citations on some of the winners of Campus Journalism Awards as they proffer solutions that could address corruption, electoral violence, gender inequality among others.
“I am of strong opinion that social justice reporting can be taught at the university and encouraged by the media to focus more on Legal and Civil Rights, Gender inequality and child abuse, Human trafficking and domestic violence, equity and fairness, transparency and accountability towards better-informed citizens and a prosperous nation.
The President of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mr. Mukhtar Sirajo, while commending the winners of the Campus Journalism Awards said that Journalism and Public Relations are like twin brothers who are constantly communicating and interacting with their audiences through appropriate channels.
He said the two professions shared basic principles of Truth and Accuracy, Fairness and objectivity, Humanity and Accountability in public communication.
Miss Maryam Abdullahi of Department of European Languages Uthman Danfodio University emerged the overall winner as the Campus Journalist of the Year. She was also offered automatic employment by CISLAC and an all-expense-paid-trip paid to attend an International Conference in the United States of America.
The event also witnessed awards to 15 campus journalists from various higher institutions in Nigeria and Ghana. The duo of Hajiya Aisha Ahmed Binani, a former House of Representatives member and owner of the mega Binani Printing Press, together with Chief Olusegun Otunba Runsewe, Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), were also honoured with personality of the year awards for their contributions to the development of both the private and public sectors.
