NefishetuYakubu, chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo state council (NUJ), has said that enemies of journalists are promoting fake news to undermine the profession.
Yakubu made the statement in her welcome address during the maiden mandatory training programme for members of the Correspondents Chapel in Benin City with the theme,”.fake news as a menace to Nigeria’s democracy”.
The correspondents’ chapel chairman, who noted that the media industry has been under vicious attack added that gullible society borne the brunt of the calamity.
While lamenting that the attacks are coming from many angles, she disclosed that some professional media practitioners are actively involved in promoting fake news.
According to her, the event is put together as a matter of urgent, relevant and critical public importance by this chapel because our industry, the News and Current Affairs sector of the Nigerian economy is under a vicious attack.
“This attack is coming from many angles. Some of us as professional media practitioners are actively involved while the main architects are those who do not wish the society well, so they go about generating and sharing Fake news.
“The consequence is that a very gullible society like ours bears the brunt of the calamity.
“A nation that is fed with fake news cannot survive for too long. Fake news will thrive in an atmosphere where information meant for the public is clothed in secrecy and the public is left in the dark. That is undemocratic”,she said.
She however, opined that Nigeria’s democracy and national development is presently at the mercy of fake information dissemination from unauthorized sources and at real time.
Felix Oriakhi, one of the lecturers, opined that fake news serves the selfish and self-centered desires of the promoters.
Oriakhi who is of the department of Political Science, Federal University, Otuoke, spoke on the topic, “democracy and national development in Nigeria: The damage fake news can do”,.
He posited that some Ministers of Information, Spokespersons of Presidents, Governors, Ministers, Local Government Chairpersons, and spokesperson of Chief Executives of MDAs categorizing unpleasant stories about their organizations as fake news.
He however noted that if unchecked, fake news could plunge the nation into unexpected crisis.
“Fake news is purposely propagated by its initiator for personal interest either for political or economics interest. The menace has affected every facet of the nation including her voting pattern.
The former journalist who advised journalists not to accept everything they see on social media as true, however emphasised that fact-checking is a key to professional journalism.
He said it was unfortunate that any truth said about the ruling class these days is seen and perceived as fake news and hate speech by the ruling class.
Also in his lecture, Dr. Tunde Ebozoje, a lecturer at the Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, said increase in fake news has resulted in unnecessary tension in our society.
Ebozoje who spoke on fake news : A menace to Nigeria’s democracy”, opined that the efficacy of the internet is an impetus to the ever increasing trend of fake news in our society.
He posited that the only solution to fake news for professional journalists is fact-checking and an analytical mind that should be able to distinguish lies from truth.
He further said attention to details, regular reading, which according to him should be part and parcel of a professional journalist is the key to avoiding falling into the trap of fake news.
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