The Director of Media and Public Affairs to the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Comrade Moses Olafare, was on Thursday alongside other media practitioners, inducted as a Fellow of the Fourth-Estate Professional Society, FEPS; a professional body for reputable journalists.
The induction ceremony and seminar, which took place at the prominent Shubomi Balogun Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, included lectures where professionals of the pen profession were charged to uphold the core ethics of journalism.
In his address, Ooni Ogunwusi, represented by the Alara Oodaye of Ara-Ife, Oba Adebisi Segun Layade, described wide communication gap as the basis for numerous challenges confronting Nigeria.
The Ooni said, “Through news reportage, editorials and other media contents, we must seek to fill communication gaps with professionalism and mutual respect.
“Also, the issue of fake news must be combatted and defeated, as it is a dent and rape on the prestigious journalism profession in Nigeria. If not dealt with promptly, it could lead to civil disobedience among other problems.”
In his lecture titled: ‘Sustaing Professional Practice in an Economic Challenging Environment,’ Professor Victor Osaro Edo, of the History Department, University of Ibadan, explained that journalists must adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession, as the challenges confronting them are obtainable in other professions.
Prof. Edo advised, “Government and other stakeholders must equally be responsible and responsive by creating a worker-friendly environment for professionals to thrive. That would motivate those who give their best to ensure that people are well informed.”
In the same vein, the Assistant Director, Training, Radio Nigeria Training School, Lagos, Barrister Olowu Abiodun, while lecturing under the topic, ‘Combating Poverty in the Media Professional Practice and Thereafter,’ explained that more preference should be given to workers in media houses who are the real journalists.
“The real victims of poverty are the workers, because media owners are either government or those we can refer to as big men. So, more attention should be given to such people.
“I wish to recommend more fora for intellect discuss, provision of incentives and establishment of productive gatherings like an annual conference for journalists. Also, there should be more financial literacy teachings, including cooperative approaches for our people to come together and achieve greatness.”
Inducted alongside Comrade Olafare are the Chief Press Secretary to the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, Somorin Kunle, and 20 others at the event, witnessed by top dignitaries including the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Naimot Salako, Deputy Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Balogun Hakeem, Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Mrs. Kikelomo Longe and the Press Secretary to the Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, among others.
