Editors hold self-scrutiny town meeting in Lagos

Pro-democracy activists, scholars, students, others to lead conversation

Nigerian Guild of Editors will hold its Town Hall Meeting for the South-West geopolitical zone tomorrow, at De Rembrandt Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme is: ‘Agenda Setting For Sustainable Democratic Culture’.

The main objective of the meeting, which is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, is to assess media performance in consolidating Nigeria’s democracy.

In a statement by its President, Mustapha Isah, and General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, in Lagos, yesterday, the Guild said the meeting will provide a platform for media stakeholders to remind editors and media managers of the sacred duties they are tasked by the Constitution to perform on behalf of citizens.

The meeting, which will spread to all the geo-political zones, is expected to instil in editors the need to perform their duties with the highest standards and sense of responsibility.
 
“The Town Hall Meeting will provide a platform for media stakeholders to undertake self-introspection and also begin a conversation on a framework for media regulation, which will not only have their buy-in but also improve the standard for media practice in Nigeria thereby reducing, if not eliminating, incidents of sub-standard and unprofessional reportage in the Nigerian media.”

“Such conversations, and hopefully eventual adoption of the self-regulatory framework, could also have a regional spin-off whereby countries within the region, and indeed Africa, could be encouraged to borrow a leaf from the Nigerian example, as was the case with the adoption of a Freedom of Information Act in Nigeria subsequently having a positive spin-off in Ghana,” the Guild said.

Those invited for the event, which will be followed by a two-day capacity building for editors, are leading pro-democracy/human rights activists in the zone, renowned scholars from the academic community, pro-media rights groups, students from different higher institutions, faith groups, members of the international community and the media.

The statement added: “The Guild is hopeful that at the end of the project, a pool of editors will be mobilised to constantly project issues-based governance for the benefit of the Nigerian people, in line with Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”