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Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba
Former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, has advised trained journalists to “take over their possessions” from untrained ones who are saturating social media with fake news.
At a lecture in honour of the pioneer General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Pa Jola Ogunlusi, marking his 90th birthday, Osoba said untrained journalists capitalised on the failure of trained ones to utilise the social media effectively to their advantage.
The event was organised by the League of Veteran Journalists, Lagos Chapter, according to a Wednesday statement by its General Secretary, Gbenga Onayiga.
Likening journalism to a father’s land, the former Managing Director of the Daily Times said journalists must “not allow anybody to take over their father’s belonging” by always updating their knowledge of the social media, to cope with the rapid changes in media practice worldwide.
In April, a report found that 60 per cent of social media users advocate mandatory user identity verification to deter the spread of fake news by imposters and automated bots.
The survey conducted by Media.com, an online network providing source information, noted that 67 per cent were more likely to trust platforms that require proof of identity for verified users.
The report underscored a strong public preference for the identities of social media users to be verified as a way to curb misinformation, especially leading up to the 2024 elections.
In his address, the Chairman of the League, Gboyega Amobonye, appealed to Osoba as a chieftain of the ruling political party to nominate Jola Ogunlusi for a national honour for his contributions to the survival of the NUJ and the nation.
Underscoring Ogunlusi’s sacrifice for the union, Osoba said the only union all journalists belong to is the NUJ.
Amoboye pointed out that the lecture was meant to address the poor living conditions of retired journalists.
But the guest lecturer, Eric Teniola, said there was nothing like retirement in journalism for as long as they brace up for the challenges of coping with the spate of development in the industry.
He said unlike the civil service, “in our profession, you don’t retire. There’s nothing like a former journalist. There’s no age limit to the practice of journalism.”
“Therefore, the topic of the lecture should have been: Life when journalists stop going to offices.”
Like old soldiers, he continued, “Journalists don’t die but fade away.”
The celebrant, Ogunlusi recalled some of his battles with the authorities to ensure the survival of the NUJ as an umbrella body of journalists. He recalled how Osoba saved him following a fatal accident near Ijebu Ode.
He said he scribbled a note to him that his brother was about to die in Ijebu-Ode General Hospital where he was rushed to, following the accident. The Governor, he said, rushed down immediately in tears and asked the management to do everything possible to save his life. It was one of the eight road accidents that he was involved in.
Confirming the experience, Osoba thanked God for living to recall the story and prayed that Ogunlusi would be so honoured again at 100.
Earlier, the President of NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo, extolled the virtues of Pa Ogunlusi and thanked him for taking the union to greater heights.
The Chairman of the Lagos Council of NUJ, Adeleye Ajayi, urged the younger generation to emulate Ogunlusi whom he described as journalist per excellence.
Other speakers at the event included the Coordinator of League of Veteran Journalists, Ogun State Chapter, Demola Badejo, Chief Dare Babarinsa and Sam Omatseye.
