The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, has urged journalists to be united as Nigerians in fighting the nation’s enemies and stand firm.
Isiguzo made the call at the NUJ Kaduna Council Award and Lecture Day ceremony on Saturday in Kaduna.
The theme of the lecture was “The Media Role in Political Campaigns, Elections, and Crisis Management.”
Isiguzo said in achieving “what we deserve as Nigerians, the bulk of responsibilities shouldn’t be left to only the government but also to the citizens, especially journalists, who have a greater role to play by setting up agendas”.
He explained that in working together and being united as Nigerians, the government required journalists to provide intelligence and information that would direct its policies for the wellbeing of the common man.
Isiguzo added that the ongoing political campaign season was also an issue that needed critical attention by journalists in holding politicians accountable for their campaign promises and manifestations by following up to ensure they were brought to reality.
Politicians will like to use journalists to further their own selfish interests by propagating hate speeches and other unhealthy political utterances and acts.
It is important that as journalists we uphold the virtue of being responsible; we must not be carried away by peculiarities of merchandise or considerations of interest.
As journalists, we must ensure that after campaigns, we have a country that works for us in ensuring it takes us to the next level of accountability and good governance.
He appealed to journalists and Nigerians to give the necessary support to state actors in the fight against insecurity and other menaces confronting the nation.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ Kaduna Council, Hajiya Asma’u Halilu, said the theme of the lecture was apt and necessary because it would guide members on how to report elections and crises as they unfold during the electioneering period.
She urged journalists to remain neutral and avoid participating in or aligning with political parties when writing stories, instead of learning something new and applying that knowledge to improve their profession.
