The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has stated that the Nigerian Army is prepared to work with the media on multidisciplinary studies and innovations on the causes of conflict, post-conflict rebuilding, counter radicalisation, and peace-building.
Oluyede spoke during a parley organised by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with the African Centre for Media and Inter-Cultural Dialogue and the Mass Communication Students’ Association, University of Lagos, held at the Afe Babalola Hall of the university.
Delivering his keynote address at the event themed, ‘Harmonising Diverse Perspectives for National Security,’ Oluyede, who was represented by the Commander 9 Brigade Army, Ikeja Lagos, Brigadier General O.M. Oyekola, noted that as Nigeria experiences threats, including terrorism, secessionist agitations, farmers/herders clashes, cyber threats, among others, the army’s response mechanism must also expand commensurately. He stated that the idea of national security has evolved in the past decade, adding that the threats were both internal and external.
“In the past decade, the very notion of national security has evolved from primarily protecting a nation’s territorial integrity against external aggression using military might, to a multi-dimensional threat framework, consisting of both internal and external threat actors,” he said.
Oluyede emphasised that partnership with the media would help to actualise his command philosophy, which is to hand down a strengthened, combat-ready force.
“The Army is thus ready to collaborate on multidisciplinary studies and innovations on conflict drivers, post-conflict reconstruction, counter radicalisation, strategic communication and peace-building. This collaboration, I believe, would greatly aid in the realisation of my command philosophy, which is to consolidate the transformation of the Nigerian Army towards bequeathing a well-motivated and combat-ready force that can effectively discharge its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment,” he said.
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Prof. Sunday Oloruntola, stated that the theme of the event was pertinent.
She noted that people now live in an age where voices across the socio-cultural spectrum converge on a single conversation, stressing that this can either fracture or fortify us, hence the importance of the gathering.
According to her, the event “is a bold step towards weaving together the threads of our diversity into a fabric strong enough to withstand the tension of insecurity, misinformation, and misunderstanding.”
In his welcome address, the Director of the African Centre for Media and Inter-Cultural Dialogue (ACMID) and UNESCO Consultant for Media and Information Literacy, Dr. Olunifesi Suraj, said that the purpose of the event was to equip prospective journalists with knowledge, ethics, and practical skills they must possess as intending media practitioners.
He also stated that journalists have a responsibility to report with accuracy, fairness, and integrity to engender enlightened public discourse on security and governance, adding that the programme would help bridge the chasm between media practice and defence operations.
“Your training here, today, will bridge the gap between defence operations and media practice, empowering you to tell the army story with both courage and compassion,” Suraj said.
The Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Jibrin Baba Ndace, who gave a lecture on understanding the military mindset, said that the military is known for its discipline, confidentiality, integrity and patriotism.
Ndace charged journalists to practice ethical journalism, emphasising that clarification is the hallmark of journalism. He also called for collaboration between the media and the military, stressing that, “when the pen and the sword collaborate for peace, a nation thrives.”
