Kaltho Memorial Lecture: AMDF Emphasis On Safety Of Journalists As Precondition For Freedom Of Speech

By
ZAINAB TANIMU
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Kaltho Memorial Lecture: AMDF Emphasis On Safety Of Journalists As Precondition For Freedom Of Speech
Africa Media Development Foundation, AMDF has stressed on the need for safety of journalists in the dispensation of their duties as well as unhindered reportage by journalists for the purpose of effective dissemination of information to the generality.
This was one of the front burner discussion at the just concluded 4th Bagauda Kaltho Memorial Lecturer series organized by the Africa Media Development Foundation with the theme, “The Nexus Between The Mass Media Sustainable Development And The Promotion Of The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) In Nigeria.”
The annual lecture series, aimed to keep alive the memory of Mr. Bagauda Kaltho, a courageous and fearless Nigerian investigative Journalist who disappeared unceremoniously in the course of his professional duties, over two decades ago attracted participants made up of media executives, journalists, writers, the academia and CSOs among others, from both within and outside Nigeria.
The virtual lecture held on Monday, September 19, 2022 thoroughly examined the link between the mass media, sustainable development and the promotion of the SDGs in the country.
In a communique jointly signed by
the Deputy Executive Director, AMDF, Mrs. Sekyen Dadik, and  Managing Editor, Africa Prime News, Mr. Joseph Edegbo,
participants noted that the relationship between the mass media and sustainable development was mutually inclusive and self-reinforcing.
It was however observed that while the goal of sustainable development is to create room for equitable and even development, growth across the developed and developing nations, many developing countries are not fully part of the process due to a number of factors.
These include backwardness in technology, low standard of living, economic recession, bad government and corruption in institutions of government as well as the imbalance In communication flow from the media-producer nations of developed economies, to the media consumer nations of developing countries.
It was therefore, the strong belief of the participants that given the indispensable role of the mass media as change agents and setters of agenda for public debate, they constitute the best channel for promoting the SDGs globally and in Nigeria, particularly.
“Given that a free media is a sine qua non for freedom of speech as well as unhindered and effective dissemination of information, the safety of journalists is a precondition for freedom of speech. When the people who attack or kill journalists go unpunished, the prevailing state of impunity for their action leads to self- censorship among both journalists and society at large.
Everything must be done by all concerned to safeguard the lives of media practitioners and create the necessary enabling environment for them to effectively deliver on their core professional mandates which are to inform, educate and entertain. It emphasized.
Also recommended were that,
“The mass media should design programmes or contents in local languages to create adequate awareness and educate the people on the SDGs and their prospects.
“Participatory development communication from the media should be encouraged as this gives people a sense of belonging in the project as well as identifying and satisfying the communication needs of the people especially those in the rural areas.
“The establishment of community media in the rural areas will go a long way in keeping the people informed of government policies and projects as well as aid community development.
 “For mobilization to take place, there must be free flow of information and if the public is properly informed, everyone will be aware of the place of the media in the society with the people willing to contribute their quota to national development,
 “It is advisable to develop jingles and short videos about the SDGs in local languages for the educational function of the media to be impactful and this will assist in the mobilization of the illiterate and semi illiterate segments of the population to key into modern developments.
“The government, media and educational institutions should collaborate in developing SDGS-focused adult literacy programmes with a view to involving a large number of people in the SDGs’ implementation process.
“The media must have a conducive operational environment because without such ambience journalists will be exposed to possible proprietorial manipulation by government owned media houses.
“Independent public service media should be encouraged to have more objective and unbiased assessment of national projects. Similarly, the influence of the political or business interest on private media may also mar their ability to function objectively.
“The consequence of the media’s inability to play its roles could affect the success of the SDGs and no country, including Nigeria, wants to be left out of such global developmental projects as being excluded portends a major setback.
“Nigeria is plagued with enormous economic crisis, threat of disintegration, terrorism and general insecurity. Such atmosphere of instability does not create the enabling environment for practicing effective journalism as most media practitioners may not be able to access volatile areas to carry out their duties or even assess developmental projects in those areas.
“The government must therefore make effort to address issues relating to insecurity, as well as political and economic instability as no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of rancour, terrorism, corruption, disaffection and disunity.
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