Ahmadu Aliyu-Ogah, Andoma of Doma in Nasarawa State, has called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to rescue journalism profession from impostors who uses the social media to spread fake news.
The traditional ruler, who is the grand patron of Nasarawa State Council of NUJ, made the call on Monday in Lafia at the opening ceremony of 2021 Press Week in the state.
According to him, every Nigerian with an Android phone has turned himself to a journalist, posting all manner of things in various platforms of the social media.
“People without any form of qualification or medium report falsehood, promote hatred and division among people in different part of the country.
“The impostors often post fake pictures and stories aimed at setting Nigerians against one another.
“The fake news being peddled in the social media have caused a lot of suspicion and hatred leading to loss of lives and property hence the need for all hands to be on deck to confront it,” traditional ruler said.
He called on the Federal Government to regulate the falsehood being peddled in the social media with the view of ensuring indivisible country.
Aliyu-Ogah also urged the public to desist from believing the lies being peddled in the social media because the struggle against fake news is a collective one.
According to him, if the country breaks today, there is no tribe or religion, no matter how big or small, that will not suffer.
The traditional ruler also commended journalists for their service to the society despite lack of financial reward.
He condemned the attitude of some members of the public who attacked journalists in the cause of discharging their duties.
He said without journalists the society would be in total ignorance, in the dark and in a serious state of confusion.
“The purpose of journalism is to ensure that the society develops. Therefore, nobody should attack journalists.
“The society should rather support them by creating an enabling environment for them to practice without intimidation,’’ traditional ruler said.
Earlier, State Chairman of NUJ, Salihu Mohammed-Alkali, lauded the union members and other stakeholders for making the 2021 press week a reality.
Mohammed-Alkali assured the public that the union would ensure that practitioners adhere to ethics of the profession.