By- Adedokun Seyi
Students of the university of Ibadan and members of the union of campus journalists, Alao Abiodun Joshua and Haleem Olatunji have bagged the awards of the Best News Reporter of the Year and Features article writer of the year respectively at the first annual campus journalism summit held at Regency Hotel, Abuja.
Alao Abiodun Joshua is the former editor-in-chief of NUESA press organization while Haleem Olatunji is the former editor-in-chief of Mellanby hall press organization. Initially, both have won several awards in campus journalism back in their Alma-mata.
The Award which was organised by Youth Digest in Abuja with the Theme: “Curbing Hate Speech on Social Media” had in attendance selected campus journalists who were finalists at the award and other notable media moguls.
The Event had in attendance – Chairman of the Occasion; Mr Femi Adeshina, Guest speaker: Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, Senior policy advisor, Embassy of Netherlands: Fidelia Onoghaife, Editor of Daily Trust: Nasir Lawan, PR Guru Mallam Sule Yau Sule, Managing Editor, Nation newspapers: Mallam Yusuf Alli, Publisher of Daily Nigerian: Jaafar Jafar, President of NANS,: Chinonso Obasi, Dr Umar Kari of University of Abuja, General Chris Olukolade, Senator Dahiru Umar Tambuwal, Director of Information, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Offia Kenechukwu, Chief Press Secretary to Niger state Governor, Mal. Jibrin Baba Ndace.
Speaking at the event, Dapo Olorunyomi, the Publisher of Premium Times Nigeria said journalists should be able to make use of social media wisely and guide against hate speech.
He said,
“Pillar of Democracy should be based on Journalism. To guide against hate speech on social media, a journalist must be truthful and accurate and must be developed to be verified. The best way a journalist can suffer is to be defined as an incredibility fellow.”
“Nigerians must proffer a solution to hate speech on social media and part of the solutions that must be found are; Nigerians needs to be orientated, zero tolerance, Education Architect and Rigorous Debate and Fact Checking amongst others” he added further
The Editor, Youths Digest Magazine, Gidado Shuaib expressed his gratitude and support at the Campus Journalism Awards 2018. He said “It wasn’t an easy task organising such an event, but we thank Almighty God for the final outing.”
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