Prof Tonie Iredia
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
Nigerian politicians have been accused of over hyping the word ‘fake news’ even though the mainstream media heavily rely on the social media, for information.
Former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA); Prof. Tonnie Iredia made the accusation while delivering the 4th convocation lecture of the Edo State University, Uzairue on Friday, 4 November, 2022.
Delivering the lecture titled: “Fake News: Rethinking The Role Of The Mainstream And Social Media In National Development; Prof. Iredia pointed out the importance of the role of the media in Nigeria having fought against the military in 1966-79 and 1983-99 also, against the leaders of presidential democracy for failure to develop the nation.
The social media has an unequalled potential for mass mobilization for societal development; as it can bring together large crowd of people for community service, he stated.
It is also important to make the point that the social media and mainstream media are not mutually exclusive; and with technological advancement, the mainstream journalists now employ social media platform to speedily gather information, and adjust to the new methods of news processing, packaging and reporting, Iredia said.
The guest lecturer however listed some weaknesses of the mainstream media: some professionals are unfit, insufficient and irregular remuneration which negatively affects employee efficiency; ownership control which often deprived initiative and discretion; inadequate human and material resources leading to long hours of duty because of a small workforce.
Also, poor manpower development which is manifest in many employees never getting opportunity to upgrade their knowledge.
Prof. Iredia stressed that popularity of fake news is not peculiar to Nigeria noting; anything that does not favour Nigeria politician is always regarded as fake news.
The negative impact these challenges have on performance can hardly be over stressed, he said adding; those who criticized the media believe that every journalist is corrupt which is not correct; because it is an irrational generalization that cannot be proved.
“Fake news does not just refer to false news in Nigeria, it is also used to include fake statements, misinformation and disinformation as fake news has since acquired several dimensions”.
In Nigeria politics and elections in particular, it is fashionable to describe any piece of information including verified facts as fake news by those it does not favour, Iredia pointed out.
“Which one is fake news, the budget that was announced is always different from the one implemented. During the COVID-19 that affected Nigeria and other countries, Gov Yahaya Bello of Kogi State made news when he exempted his State from COVID-19 protocol approved by the federal government and declared it a glorified malaria sickness, yet, every day the NCDC was declaring daily figures of infected people and death.
“The mainstream media rely on social media for information but has obligation to process the information it has gathered; before publishing or transmitting the aspect of it that qualifies as news.
“Except excessive regulations and political high handedness which repress the press in Nigeria are revisited and reformed, there would be no viable organ of mass communication to perform its constitutional mandate of holding Government accountable to the people; thereby obscuring the probability of Nigeria returning to the good old days when she was described and accepted, as the leading African nation.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor said the 4th convocation lecture was remarkable because it featured the first graduating set of the faculty of Law; which has attracted different individual prizes for its best graduands.
Prof. Aluyor thanked the Governor and visitor to the University for the support of the State Government, as it prides itself a World class University.
“Edo State University Uzairue has been in compliance with the EdoBEST 2.0 initiative even from its initiation as the students do not only learn through the use of modern technologies, but are also taught how to use them”.
He asserts; it can only be the best hands that can man the state-of-the-art facilities such as Anatomage table which happens to be one of the best in the world, hence, the medical programme has been successful evidenced by approval of all the accreditation visits of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Adding; that the University has started its first semester for the 2022/2023 academic session while the graduating sets of the 2021/2022 academic session have been dispatched for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and their certificates are ready and will be given to them immediately after the convocation ceremony.
The 4th Convocation lecture of the University was under the Chairmanship of Prof. Lilian Salami, Vice Chancellor, University of Benin and Chairperson, Committee of Vice Chancellors fyederal Universities.
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