By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has commended journalists, media practitioners and communication experts on their effort to enlighten the world.
Obi made the commendation in his message to mark this year’s World Communications Day.
He also lauded what he termed ‘the positive contributions journalists and media experts make to ensure adequate flow of communication for a better society’.
Besides, the Anambra State former governor urged them to keep up contributing to the progress of the society through informed reportage.
Obi however decried the rise of false news and media propaganda, especially among non-journalists, which he said, utterly disregard the ethics of journalism.
Obi pointed out that the dangers of peddling false news in the media were immeasurable, especially in a country like Nigeria, where people were already living in fear due to ethnic tension, insecurity, banditry, poverty and leadership failure.
He said that false news were not only spread by media practitioners, but by politicians, who were not sincere with their words.
He called on Nigerian leaders at all levels of government, to always garb themselves in sincerity and eschew all forms of negative media propaganda.
Obi said that making insincere promises just to have access to power or delivering white elephant projects to the people, was a serious form of false news that should be avoided for the good of society.
Speaking on the theme of the World Communications Day 2021, “Come and See – Communicating by Encountering People Where and as They Are”, Obi commended the Holy Father and the Church for always championing the cause of human welfare in many fronts. – spiritually, socially, among others.
He explained that the Pope’s message ‘reminds us that we are the gospel of love and peace that other people read, and as such, we must endeavour to always live in a manner that makes others inspired and endear them to God.
