Nigerian journalists have been told to ensure that they fact-checked information they process for public consumption to avoid a situation that may see them playing the script of agents of destabilisation.
The was the submission of the speakers during the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) organized webinar for the Nigerian journalists with the topic: ‘Safeguarding Democracy: The Media and Role of Fact Checking in Peaceful Election’, an event facilitated by the European Union.
It was agreed at the webinar that critically evaluating information is important for both consumers and producers of information. It is essential that journalists assess the accuracy of the information being presented to the public, no matter the source. Inaccurate information may be the results of simple mistakes, outdated information, confusing or misleading information, or outright lies.
Blessing Oladunjoye, one of the guest speakers, noted that the impact of misinformation is so great that can undermine trust in democratic institutions, influence voters’ behaviours and decision-making, create polarization and social unrest.
Recalling the impacts of social media in the last general election in Nigerian, Oladunjoye, publisher of BONews, said social media were used by the politicians to shape people’s opinion and behaviours ahead of the election, as there were lots of misinformation that could have misdirected the media if they were not subjected to fact-checked before being released to the public.
“Media organizations faced several challenges in addressing misinformation during the 2023 general elections, including the rapid spread of false information on digital platforms and political pressure to prioritize sensationalism over accuracy,” she said in her presentation titled “The media’s impact in the 2023 general elections and the misinformation challenge.”
She gave kudos to the media that despite the challenges posed by misinformation, media organizations and civil society groups implemented various strategies to promote integrity and accuracy in their reporting during the 2023 general elections.
For the media to live above board, she counseled that Nigerian media should invest in fact-checking initiatives and training for journalists, encourage transparency and accountability in media reporting, foster media literacy among the public to discern credible sources from misinformation, collaborate with other journalists and fact-checkers.
To Adesola Ikulajolu, another speaker, who works with the BBC, journalists cannot run away from encountering fake news before, during and after election in Nigeria, the media, however, owe the nation a duty to always fact-checked their information in order not to mislead the people.
While journalists have no control on the biases of the readers, they too must not be emotional in whatever they are pushing out to the reading public, instead, fact is sacred and must be told as it is.
In his opening remarks, CAPPA CEO, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the Nigerian media played an important role in how people perceived the election and whether the election was peaceful or not, and that it was important to highlight the role of the media in disseminating accurate information, information, ensuring peaceful elections.
“This debate comes at a time when we are preparing for by-elections (in Ondo and Edo states) where people will start using mass communication through digital media. These tools are finding space in traditional media and causing problems in society.”
The CAPPA boss enjoined journalists of “providing relevant, accurate and reliable information so that peaceful elections can be held and good leaders can come to power.”
While journalists may differ in the detail of their contents and come from different cultural traditions, most share common elements including the principles of truthfulness, accuracy and fact-based communications, independence, objectivity, impartiality, fairness, respect for others and public accountability.
