LAGOS NUJ/FMMC TRAINS SENIOR JOURNALISTS ON INNOVATIVE MEDIA TOOLS

Dr Iriyemi, one of the resource persons making his presentation.

Story by Dili Utomi.

The hall of Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) was the venue for the training sessions, Wednesday as senior journalists from the Maritime Sector of the Nigerian economy gathered.

Three erudite lecturers from different educational institutions took turn to tutor the journalists on different topics.

Some participants at the training.

Dr. Ovie Edomi, the chapel chairman of the Federated Maritime Media Chapel made the opening speech. He emphasised the need for training and retraining of journalists. This he said is in order that they may remain relevant in modern times while carrying out their functions.

Adeleye Ajayi, the Lagos State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists while declaring the training open advised all stakeholders to help in the training of journalist as means of helping the society to be better informed. He noted that the problem of disinformation could be better addressed if the standard is observed and that this is mostly possible through regular training.

Dr. Ademola Iriyeyemi of the Department of Transport, Redeemers University took the journalist on the topic: Economic Importance Of Artificial Intelligence and how to Deploy Drones and Artificial Intelligence for Research and Reporting. He noted that though nothing can replace the original thinking of the human person, but that AI tools affect the way we learn and work. He added that AI helps people and organisations do more with less. “It reduces time, improves accuracy, and increases efficiency”. He advises that journalists should embrace this tool for effective delivery.

Prof. Odunola in the middle flanked by Adeleye Ajayi to the right.

Professor Helen Adekoya Odunola, former Head of Department, Babcock University in her topic advises that journalists continue to embrace the relevant tools to upscale their knowledge in order to continue with the delivery of credible information.

Dr. Jide Johnson, chief lecturer at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism presented his topic with wits as he held the journalists spellbound. His topic was “Journalism and the Public Interest: Objective Reporting of Economic and Social Development Issues”. He went through the eclectic definitions of a journalist and journalism and drew up some questions. He asked “are you watchdogs, lapdogs, praisedogs, reward-dogs, petdogs, attackdogs”?

Dr. Johnson while listing the objectives of reporting as independence, fairness, accuracy, context, balance and transparency, noted that the developmental role is strongest when journalism is inclusive, evidence based, socially relevant and accessible across languages and platforms.

Dr. Johnson making his presentation at the event.

In all, Dr. Johnson left the participants with a question ” How can Nigerian newsroom balance speed, sustainability and public interest obligations in the AI-driven media environment?

The interactive session had one of the participants at the training, Public Relations Officer, the Tin Can Island Ports Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Oscar Ivara revealed that geospatial and satellite technologies were already being deployed to strengthen surveillance of Nigeria’s land and maritime borders, monitor cargo movements and combat smuggling for the protection of the national economy.

Questions arose about reporting official statements on events and balancing. Dr. Johnson replied that if the official version had been reported and that if it is found not to be so accurate, a ‘developing story’ can follow the initial report by the journalists.

A group photograph after the training.

The journalists present attested to the richness of the training programme and urged the organisers to make it a more frequent event.

Award of certificate of participation.

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