Don Charges Journalists Ahead Of 2023 Elections As NUJ Honours Personalities At Maiden Annual Lecture

By Olarewaju Falayi

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Professor J. Shola Omotola has charged journalists to set media agenda that will ensure hitch-free exercise in the next year elections. 

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Professor Shola Omotola gave the charge while delivering lecture at the maiden edition of the Annual Public Lecture and Award Presentation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, B Zone held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan on Thursday.

The theme of the programme is “General Elections & Electoral Issues in Nigeria: The Media Perspective”.

According to Professor J. Shola Omotola, he said, “that journalists must provide adequate information and create platform for all candidates to reach out to electorates with focus on keeping them abreast of parties’ manifestoes to guide them in voting the candidates of their choice”.

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Professor Omotola said “journalists must be very careful in the way they analyse and report news stories to avoid promoting hate speeches and spreading fake news as the nation moves towards the election year”.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, B Zone, Comrade Ronke Samo, who led the organizing team, disclosed that the onus is on the media to educate, enlighten and orientate the general public.

She said that it would be a long way in helping the people to make well informed decision as far as the 2023 general elections is concerned.

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The organizers used the opportunity to the honour important personalities in the the South West States of the Country including the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and former NUJ President, Mr. Waheed Odusile; Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and the Olu of Lisa Kingdom, Oba Oladele Odugbemi. 

Other awardees included the Chairman of the Parrot Media Network and Publisher of Parrot Magazine, Mr. Olayinka Agboola; the Chairman, Fresh FM, Evangelist Yinka Ayefele; the Commander, Amotekun Corps, Ondo State, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye; the Chief Press Secretary to the Osun State Governor, Mr. Ismail Omipidan; the Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulkadiri as well as the Publisher of Ekiti Standard Newspaper, Barrister Ose Ogunkorede.

Mr. Agboola, in his remark appreciated the organizers for deemed it fit to honour him, saying that Parrot Magazine has been in existence as far back as 19 years ago and contributing to the development of media profession in the South West of Nigeria.

Mr Parrot as he is fondly called assured the Nigerian Union of Journalists, B Zone of the continuous support of the platform to propagate its activities.

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