Peace institute takes conflict-sensitive media advocacy to NUJ

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) says Nigeria needs conflict-sensitive reporting and peace journalism from media practitioners as the path to national conflict resolution and peace building. Director General of the institute, Prof Oshita O. Oshita canvassed this position towards the weekend during an advocacy visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) […]

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) says Nigeria needs conflict-sensitive reporting and peace journalism from media practitioners as the path to national conflict resolution and peace building.
Director General of the institute, Prof Oshita O. Oshita canvassed this position towards the weekend during an advocacy visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at its national secretariat in Abuja, where he sought collaboration with the union towards achieving the objective.
‘The  media has the potentials of getting the country out of the present conflicting situation, which could be realised through training and the orientation of journalists on ways of identifying sensitive stories  and avoiding sensational reporting in crises situations,” Oshita said. 
Assistant National Secretary of the NUJ, James Uwem who released a press statement on Oshita’s visit to the NUJ, quoted president of the union Waheed Odusdile
as responding that the partnership which the IPCR seeks is imperative as journalists  themselves need a peaceful environment to carry out their work.
“The Union has identified the need for training and retraining of journalists on ways of reporting crises in that their reports will assist in the sustenance of peace rather than aggravating more crises,” Odusile reportedly said, advising journalists to always exhibit professionalism and patriotism on their reportage to avoid situations, such as the recent Shiite-military conflict in Zaria, from snowballing into bigger crises.
Uwem stated that both the IPCR and the NUJ agreed to foster strong partnership to develop  a national peace architectural  framework towards building enduring peace  infrastructures to enhance Nigeria’s  ‘fragile’  democracy .