At a recently concluded one-day learning workshop for community representatives in Lagos, with the theme: “Practical steps and methodologies in using media( including social media and online platforms) to engage duty bearers on governance and electoral issues, participants were further trained on how they could resume independent action and have an indepth knowledge of how to get government and other associated bodies’ quicker responses to their communities’ needs and aspirations.
In his address at the occasion, the Managing Editor, Online, The Nation Newspapers and a resource person, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin explained the reliable processes involved in getting information across to journalists, role of the media in collation, processing and dissemination of information for public consumption and the importance of surety of working with genuine individuals in the journalism profession.
Hon. Jude Ojo representing Lagos Mainland Local Government and one of the community representatives, cited the menace of fake journalists, brown envelopes and situations in which journalists were invited to cover events and stories on such events were never published. The resource person reacted that to ensure that fake journalists are not opportune, communities seeking the services of journalists should delegate their public relations officers to media houses on purpose and details of events so that geniune journalists can be sent to cover their events, without a compulsion of issuing of brown envelopes\gratification and that with the number of events all over the country daily, it was impossible to publish all stories in any particular newspaper.
Moses Adewunmi from Shomolu Local Government also inquired about the expected roles of foreign media in Nigeria to which the resource person responded that foreign journalists reporting events in their own perspective, cover events capable of attracting readership by their audience back home.
Another resource person at the event was the Chief Executive, Civic Media Lab, Mr Seun Akinfolarin who delved into the social media aspect of the training in a very practical manner by creating newsrooms thereby making the participants assume the responsibilities of news reporting at the event. The six local governments in attendance had their representatives well tutored on how to make government and associated bodies accountable and more responsive to their yearnings. On the spot, Facebook groups were formed with chosen names which became immediately registered and functional, right at the event.
Prior to the event proper, the Programme Officer for International Press Centre(IPC), trainers and organizers of the event, Mr Sanmi Falobi highlighted the essence of the event, which according to him, was to finally enable participants resume independent action(using all they had learnt through IPC in three years of training) so as to have a voice by working with the media to get government more accountable and responsive to their needs.
At the end of the rigorous training, the following participants bared their views on the training:
Ayo Oyeyipo- “Social media is a good tool as used abroad and it will help is to improve our communication capabilities in Nigeria”.
Olatunji Lawal- “The programme is basically focused on youths who are tomorrow’s leaders as they would be able to incorporate the versatility of the internet into all facets of their communication activities”.
Omotere Michael- “A very wonderful continuity for people to gather information and disseminate within their groups and even to government officials”.
Anibiran Olatunji-“I was informed by my father that IPC was holding a media training today and I decided to attend the event and I am delighted having learnt a lot to incorporate into my social activism”.
Moses Oriade- “This is timely and needed now most especially as we youths make use of our mobile phones for all forms of communication. By this, we can also help our communities by communicating with government officials on our needs and wants”.
With the success recorded in the training, it is hoped that the organisers of the event would be encouraged to reciprocate the activity in other local government councils in Lagos and by further extension, throughout Nigeria.
