University Don Calls for Professionalism as FPS Inducts Members in Osun.
By Adeoye Adegbohungbe.
Journalists in the country have been called upon to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the discharge of their social responsibilities.
This clarion call was made today by Professor Victor Osaro Edo of the Department of History, University of lbadan, lbadan while delivering a lecture titled “Sustaining Professional Practice in an Economic Challenging Environment” on the occasion of the induction of Osun members of The Fourth -Estate Professional Society (FPS) which held at the NULGE Hall, Olorunda Local Government Secretariat,Olonkoro Osogbo.
According to Prof.Osaro Edo, professional journalists like any other professionals must exhibit specialized skills and other qualities such as possession of academic or other related qualifications, honesty, integrity, reliability, accountability,self-regulation and confidence -building to enable them conduct themselves in ways that give them respect.
“Equipped with the above highlighted qualities and attributes, professionals are expected to face the ups and downs that they may encounter in the course of their careers in an economically challenging environment where hyper-inflation,serious infrastructural problems and insecurity abound”he added
“The professionals are not expected to compromise the standard of practice which their professions demand.”submitted the erudite Professor.
The University don decried the situation whereby journalists are often made to depend on the patronage from wealthy individuals and politicians owing to lack of fund to run their media houses such that the quality of their reportage is questionable concluding that career journalists are expected to hold strong values such as contentment, honesty, sincerity, self-denial and hardwork, to cope with the present economic challenges Nigeria is presently grappling with.
The National President of the Fourth -Estate Professional Society,Dr Babatunde Salami who said he was highly impressed noted that Osun State has so far presented the highest number of members for induction in the history of FPS in Nigeria as it presented seventy-nine members for its fifth induction.
Explaining the benefits derivable from membership of the society, the FPS President said apart from access to international workshops and seminars, the society ,which he said is affiliated to the society of practising journalists in the United States has a year free life insurance policy for every financial member.
The Osun State Council Chairman,Dr.Adedapo Owolabi who in his welcome address described the induction as an epoch-making event following the forced exit of all Local Government information officer,National Orientation Agency and patron of State information staff from Nigeria Union of Journalists at the National Executive Council meeting held in Kano in January, 2023.
He disclosed that the defunct NUJ Local Government lnformation Chapel opened a website for adequate and prompt reportage of events and activities of government at all levels.The website which he said has been renewed thrice was ,according to him, the first of its kind among all chapels in the Osun State Council of NUJ adding that more than five hundred stories had been blogged on the website in which more than three hundred of them focused on sensitization and mobilisation of grassroots people on their civic responsibilities.
The Permanent Secretary, Osun State Local Government Service Commission,Mrs Modupe lrelewuyi who was the special guest at the occasion harping on the good qualities of a professional highlighted by the guest lecturer charged Local Government lnformation Officers as grassroots journalists to tremendously improve on efficient service delivery in the discharge of their official duties.
Dr.Wale Bolorunduro,a former Finance Commissioner in Osun State and Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke wereat the occasion conferred with Honorary Fellowship of the Society in view of their contributions to good governance in Osun State.
ln his goodwill message,Dr.Bolorunduro who lamented that media practitioners who are highly rated in the society and well remunerated in the advanced countries but are here in Nigeria looked down upon and poorly paid however enjoined them to be strong and professional in their writings.
He nonetheless asked them to be careful and always have facts to back up their stories.
Mr.Sola lshola, Special Adviser to Governor Adeleke on lnformation Communication Technology who represented Mallam Olawale Rasheed expressed displeasure at the poor remuneration of media personnel in both public and private media houses said graduates of Mass Communication are consequently seeking greener pastures in other sectors concluding that the journalism profession is dying and needs to be rescued.
Prince Shadrach Ologbenla, Chairman, Forum of Directors of Social Development and lnformation in his own goodwill message said we must be thankful to God who made a new way when Local Government Information Officers left NUJ .
He admonished grassroots journalists to always endeavour to make steady progress in their new professional body .
