When last did we, as journalists, pause to ask ourselves: Are we truly living up to the sacred trust the public places in us? Are we amplifying truth, or are we unwittingly feeding the frenzy of disinformation?
These were some of the unspoken but urgent questions at the heart of the International Press Centre (IPC)’s interface with Kwara NUJ executives and media leaders in Ilorin on Friday. At a time when elections loom large and the media space is choked with fake news, propaganda, and half-truths, the gathering could not have been more timely.
Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of IPC, put it bluntly: journalists must hold themselves to the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and impartiality. The public deserves accuracy, not personal bias disguised as reportage. But beyond warning against misinformation, he challenged us to do more: to spotlight inclusive stories about women and persons with disabilities, to amplify fulfilled campaign promises alongside failures, and to consciously use our platforms to inspire positive change.
It was not merely a call for balance in storytelling. It was a call for responsibility. For once, the media must admit that endless negativity without context breeds public cynicism, while responsible journalism, highlighting what works as much as what fails, can shift national narratives.
But what about the welfare of the messengers? Participants rightly raised the urgent need for insurance policies, fair pay, and proper working conditions. The old reality of an NUJ or media house ID card serving as a “meal ticket” belongs to a bygone era. How can we cover elections, conflict, or corruption stories with integrity if we lack even the basic safety nets of insurance and job security?
Ahmed Lanre, Chairman of Kwara NUJ, reminded us that misinformation is not new, but its virality today is unprecedented. If we fail to self-regulate, to fact-check, to educate voters and communities, we risk becoming complicit in democracy’s decline.
So where does this leave us? The IPC has promised trainings, grants, and exchanges. But ultimately, the ball lies in our court as journalists. We must rediscover our role not only as watchdogs but as builders of a healthier civic space. “Don’t underestimate the power of the media. We are not handicapped,” Arogundade declared. He is right. We must reclaim that power ethically, courageously, and inclusively.
The real question is: will we? Will we continue to chase sensational headlines that trend for hours but corrode public trust for years? Or will we invest in journalism that holds power accountable while also giving voice to the voiceless? Will we remain content as reporters of chaos, or rise as architects of societal change?
The choice is ours. And the time is now.
- Abdulhafeez Oyewole is a multimedia journalist and Head of News and Current Affairs at Albarka 88.9 FM, Ganmo. He writes from Ilorin.
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