The deputy vice chancellor, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, Prof Uwaoma Kalu Uche has advocated peace journalism as a panacea for security in Nigeria.
Uche stated this while delivering the 8th inaugural lecture of the University entitled “Communicating life and death in our atomistic prone society: Media role in resolving the albatross.”
He also called for the review of the country’s media and communication policy and the inclusion of peace journalism templates for the development and correlation of the society.
“Mass Communication Departments in various institutions should review their core course minimum standards to include peace journalism as a course of study among others.
According to the Mass Communication professor, the positivist mode is communicating life while the negativistic approach is communicating death.
The vice chancellor noted that communication could be sweet with life giving information and as well as bitter with destructive, bitter and death giving information.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” Uche quoted the scripture to buttres his point.
The don observed that through media communication, community members could be bound together by giving messages that become shared experiences.
Uche further said that sensational reporting not only misleads the public but also undermines the vital role that accurate and well researched journalism plays in society.
He noted that various media had been used by people, particularly the youths in the social and public discourse that involve; blind or constructive criticism, condemnation, abuses, and attacking.
He therefore advised journalists, bloggers and media outfits to exercise responsible journalism and confirm information from authorized sources before disseminating it to the public.
