Dangote trains 50 Southwest journalists on digital reporting

Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

The Plant Director of Dangote Cement PLC, Ibese, Ogun State, Mr Azad Nawabbudin has urged Nigerian journalists to leverage on digital reporting as this would no doubt impact on their reportage while also helping to reach larger audience.

Mr Nawabbudin disclosed that given the fact that the world has gone digital, trained journalists who have what it takes to dish out accurate reportage should take over various digital platforms and social media like the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and host of others as this would help a great deal to neutralise presence of quacks and those promoting sensationalism on cyberspace.

Mr Nawabbudin stated this on Wednesday while speaking at a two day capacity building training for about 50 selected journalists from the Southwest States held at the Continental Suites, Abeokuta.

He said “the theme of tyear’s capacity building programme – Ethics, Skills and Personal Qualities for Reporting in the Digital Age intends to help the participants to thrive and continue to make positive impact in this digital age.

“There is no gainsaying that the advent of the internet has changed the landscape of all professions, with remarkable effect on Journalism. We now have what is referred to as ‘citizen journalism’ and bloggers are mistaken for thoroughbred journalists who undergo trainings to uphold ethics and professionalism with balanced reportage regardless of pressure from the society or personal opinions.

While emphasizing the importance of training and retraining of journalists in today’s world, Nawabbudin explained that “more than ever before, the Nigerian media desires more education, intellect and skills to deal with issues as they are always under severe pressure to deliver since the emergence of social media. Little wonder, some media practitioners have resorted to sensationalism, blowing issues out of proportion without confirmation in the quest to meet deadline and get attention patronage”.

He revealed that the training was part of Dangote Group’s corporate strategy to impact journalists, who are considered a critical stakeholder segment in the day to day operation of their various businesses with wherewithal to operate more efficiently and effectively in the new social media era.

While acknowledging remarkable support of media in projecting Dangote’s relentless contributions to the restoration of the ecosystem with its alternate fuel project as championed by Ibese Plant, the Director said the initiative, which had been replicated in other cement Plants across Nigeria has helped to reduce carbon footprint in the environment.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) Ogun State, Comr. Wale Olanrewaju lauded Dangote Group group for its unrepentant commitment to investing in the people with its various coporate social responsibility efforts adding that the training would no doubt enhance the productivity of the journalists.