BY: Mustapha Lawal
Mr. Jide Ogunluyi, General Manager of Fresh FM Ado Ekiti, has advocated for the inclusion of fact-checking and digital literacy in the academic curriculum. He made this call during the panel session of the FactCheckAfrica Capacity Development Training and the Digital Rights Conference themed “Shaping the Future of Reporting.” The event was held at the SBS Lecture Theatre 1 at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.
The conference, hosted by the Department of Mass Communication on 24th July 2024, aimed to combat misinformation and ensure digital rights. FactCheckAfrica, an initiative of the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), organized the event as part of its ongoing efforts to equip young Nigerians with essential skills for ethical media practices and to shape a future of truthful reporting in Africa.
The panellists collectively emphasized the importance of incorporating a “fact-checking” component into the Mass Communication curriculum to better equip students. Mr Ogunluyi highlighted the urgent need for educational institutions to adapt to the evolving digital landscape and to instil ethical practices in future media practitioners.
The panel session, themed “Inclusive Media Leadership to Combat Gendered Disinformation in Marginalized Communities,” was moderated by Taiwo Sunday Timothy, Communications Lead at FactCheckAfrica and featured the following panellists: Mr. Jide Ogunluyi (General Manager, Fresh FM, Ado Ekiti); Mrs. Oluwaseun Adepoju; Mr. Oyewale Oyelola and Miss. Itunu Adejugbe, who are all Lecturers at the Department of Mass Communication, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti).
The panel critically and strategically examined how inclusive media leadership could effectively combat gendered disinformation. They concluded that the practice of journalism must evolve with time without deviating from the ethical standards guiding it. The event was supported by FactChecknet and Poynter and saw the participation of media and technology experts, academics, civic leaders, and over 1000 students.
Also in attendance was the institution’s Rector, Engr. Dr Temitope John, represented by the Deputy Rector of Administration, Dr Michael Olabowale Akinola, the special assistant to the Ekiti state Governor, Hon. Adesoji Gabriel, the Dean of the School of Business Administration, the Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Adebayo Oguntuase and Dr. Adebola Adeniyi-Agbaje, The General Manager, Radio Nigeria Progress FM, Ado-Ekiti who was the keynote speaker at the event.
Recently, FactCheckAfrica signed a strategic partnership with Stanford University, a prestigious academic institution based in the United States to introduce a comprehensive digital media literacy curriculum to Senior Secondary Schools throughout Nigeria (With 50 schools to serve as Pilot in Kwara State). The conference further underscored FactCheckAfrica’s commitment to preserving the integrity of information and fostering an informed and responsible media environment.
