Abimbola Akosile And Yemi Babalola
25 February 2009
Lagos — Media practitioners have been called upon to watch their use of language in the event of reporting any conflict situation in the country; to avoid inflaming the public more and prevent further bloodshed.
The call was made by various presenters and resource persons at a recent two-day training workshop held in Ibadan; and organised by the Information Aid Network (IFAnet), with support from the British High Commission in Nigeria.
At the forum, which had the theme, 'The Role of the Media in Diversity Conflict Reporting', participants - among them media practitioners - were taught on the dangers of subjective or biased reporting of conflict situations; with an accompanying call for objectivity.
In recent times Nigeria has experienced some conflict situations between existing diverse groups; and the media - to an extent - has been identified as an agent fuelling such conflicts. The workshop, which brought together stakeholders in the media, was held to forestall future occurrences.
Welcoming participants to the workshop, Dr. Sola Olorunyomi, a lecturer in the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan (UI) and the coordinator of IFAnet, stated that "diversity is a reality that we must live with and conflict is inevitable when we have diverse interests".
"We have to be intellectual and not biased about it and know how to deal with groups as information givers; to avoid such catastrophic consequences of media reporting as evidenced in the recent Rwanda crisis.
Also a lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin Dr. Olawale Albert, identified that the media as the fourth estate of the realm, which is saddled with the responsibility of informing, entertaining, educating, and advocacy.
While delivering his keynote address, Albert noted that there is nothing wrong in reporting conflicts. "Conflicts are inevitable when people of diverse groups or interest relate with each other. Conflict is not a problem; it is the way we react to it or handle it that makes us successful conflict managers. The challenge conflict brings forges us ahead".
To him, the concept of diversity reporting assumes that there are many sides to any conflict.
"All these sides must be adequately covered by what is reported and not misrepresenting the problem. Furthermore diversity reporting has to do with knowing how to relate to and to report those qualities and conditions that are different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong, yet are present in other individuals and groups".
Albert blamed the problems of negative diversity reporting on seven factors which include; poor training of journalists, personal biases of some, media ownership and management, economics of publishing, professional laziness, lack of experience/greed/poor research; and analytical skills.
Among the recommendations made at the forum, the National Assembly was urged to urgently pass the Freedom of Information (FoI) bill pending before it.
Journalism schools were also implored to add conflict reporting to its curriculum and teach its students how to use analytical tools. Reporters were urged to give background knowledge of events to balance their reports.
"Let us should stop sowing seeds of discord from the home front. Media houses should re-train their staff. Editors should act as gate keepers, and be sensitive when using Language", the forum recommended further.
Various issues discussed at the workshop include, New Media and Diversity Reporting of Conflict by Olorunyomi and Mr. Tunde Akanni; the Presentation of Gender in Media/New Media - Dr. Toyin Mejuini; Media and Diversity Reporting of Environmental Conflict - Ms. Ibiba Don Pedro/Adebola Aremu; Food security and conflict in Nigeria - Mr. Gafar Ajao.
Others are Media Representation of Political god-fatherism in Conflict by Dr. Sola Ishola; and Media and Diversity Reporting of Ethno-Religious Conflict - Dr. Danjibo.
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