A former commissioner for information and strategy in Lagos Mr Dele Alake implored students that the role of the media in the society is to nurture and uphold societal values. He made the remark in a lecture titled ''Bridging the gap between government and the media to foster national development'' on wednesday 4th july 2012 at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism,Ogba Lagos.
In his lecture to the students of the institution who were celebrating their annual students week, he declared journalism as ''the most noble proffession in the worl'' and called for journalists to strive for mobility, character and virtue'' which he stated as attributes of a great nation.
Students of the institute were advised by Mr Alake to take the proffession seriously informing them that journalism would open doors for them and give access to the cross section of the society. He emphasized the need for journalists to be disciplined stating that they must not collect brown envelope to colour their reports.
Mr Alake identified the press as an adversary of government and warned that as journalists, We must not be biased or prejudiced in our writing and thinking. He was of the view that as journalists, they have the authourity to query anybody, the governement or its policies as the people rely on the press to carry messages to and from the government.
Journalists according to Mr Alake are the ''beacon of hope for every society and the level of openness and transparency in any society is directly dependent on how far the press in that society has gone, where you have a very free press that society would be free and the media has the moral duty to regulate and uphold the society.''
To educate the society is the most important duty of the media i.e when the society is going the wrong way, you point it. This is done by analysing and following up a published story. As journalists we need to explain and analyse all the angles and various perspectives of a story so all and sundry would understand.''
Mr Alake also advised that a good journalist needs to be a ''jack of all trades and a master of all'' so as to acquire wide knowledge to practice journalism effectively.
In his lecture, he stated that the adversarial role of the press pitches them against the incumbent government of the day and for the press to discharge its duty creditably, It must achieve accuracy in its report, focus on the relevant issues that would aid the development of the society not on the mundane things and discharge a sense of responsibility in reports by avoiding unnecessary sensationalism.
After delivering the lecture, Mr Alake was presented with an award in recognition of his contribution to the development of the media by the chairman of the organising committee of the Students week Gbemile Oluwatosin.
By Chris Imaralu
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