Nigeria must equip its young generation with skills necessary to separate fiction from fact and engage in meaningful storytelling that can spark positive change in their communities.
These were the words of the Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, at a training on Citizen Journalism in Abuja.
The advent of digital technology and social media has no doubt democratised information across the globe.
It enables ordinary citizens to take part in reporting news, sharing opinions and holding institutions accountable.
But on the flip side has been the dissemination of half truths and outright falsehood which has the capacity to ignite crisis.
Citizen Journalism comes to focus as NILDS brings selected youths to training.
The Institute says its goal is to provide participants with tools to become responsible citizen journalists
The Centre for Journalism and Innovation Department, CJID, took the audience, mostly students, through the rudiments of citizen journalism.
It emphasises the need to prioritise the nation’s interest over and above any other in the dissemination of information by the citizens
Some of the participants who shared their perspectives on the training said they are happy and privileged to this kind of training.
Among areas of focus at the training exercise are online safety, fact-checking, methods of scientific verification and the importance of originality and authenticity in reporting.
