Evidence increasingly points in the direction of growing threats to the safety of journalists in Nigeria. This is highlighted by the claim by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the trade union and professional umbrella body of thousands of practicing journalists in Nigeria, that 13 journalists were killed in the course of assignments in the year 2012, representing the highest so far since the country’s independence in 1960. This is beside other forms of attacks, threats and intimidation. However, despite this apparent evidence, an outstanding problem is that of the absence of an...
Countries: Nigeria
In 52 years of post-independence Nigeria, the military establishment has ruled for 29 years while civilians have ruled for 23 years out of which only last 13 years were uninterrupted by military coup detat. The long rule of the military has affected the psyche of Nigerian rulers, even the civilians, who see closure of media houses, threat of withdrawal of broadcast licences, arrest of journalists and general impunity against the press as instrument of governance.
The above chronicle of events gives credence to the fact that the safety of journalists in Nigeria is not safeguarded...
Community broadcasting is one of the defining features of a plural and diverse media landscape. Among the characteristics of community radios are that they are owned and managed by communities; carry community-oriented programming; pursue a social development agenda; and use participatory methods in their activities. From different parts of the world, reports attest that community radio gives access and voice to marginalized peoples; empowers them to improve their lives and immediate environment; helps build capacities of societies to hold leaders accountable; helps to tackle poverty,...
The Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos has been identified by UNESCO as a potential Centre of Excellence in Journalism Education. It will implement this project in cooperation with two of UNESCO's potential Centres of Reference in Nigeria, namely the Department of Mass Communication at Lagos State Polytechnic, and the Department of Language and Communication Arts at the University of Ibadan. Within this project, the three institutions will work together to harmonize their course content based on the UNESCO Model Curricula for Journalism Education. These three...
In the absence of community and rural radio stations, the Smallholder Farmers Rural Radio is a major initiative that will benefit the rural poor farmers living in rural and isolated communities that have no access to the media, and in communities that daily newspapers do not reach. Since there are no agricultural extension services, the Smallholder Farmers Rural Radio aims at building the agricultural capacity and know-how of rural farmers in the disadvantaged communities of Imo State. The community radio has proven to be an effective tool to massively communicate with the underprivileged...
Nigerian Association of Women Journalists will work to develop a comprehensive and inclusive training programme to build the capacity of women working in media organizations on gender and develop them to occupy managerial positions. NAWOJ will develop the skills of media organizations, female journalists through a 5- day hands-on training in Gender sensitivity, an internship with Nigeria-based media institutions and trainings on leadership to help reduce the prevalence of gender disparities in the newsroom will also be developed.
Period: 1986-1991
