The European Union (EU) and Search for Common Ground Journalism have trained about 33 journalists from three states in Niger Delta region – Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa on ways to reporting issues of criminality and violence in the oil-rich region to tackle them.
EU, in conjunction with other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Neighbourhood Development and International Co-operation Instrument (NDICI), Academic Association Peace Works (AAPW) and Foundation Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (FIND), implemented the training programme to enhance the knowledge and skills of journalists for better community reporting.
The Communication Manager of the project, Sunny Dada, emphasised that journalists must refrain from some of the conflict narratives going on in the region
Dada said, “we are aware that the Niger Delta has not enjoyed good press. Anytime there is a story about the region, it’s about conflict, it’s about illegal oil bunkering, it’s about cultism, unemployment, and all of that.
“Now, in as much as some of these narratives actually represent the reality on ground, what we are saying is that there is something called responsible truth-telling to manage conflicts “
“So, reporting these things in a way that, instead of driving development partners out of the region, to rather open doors for development partners to come in, do your responsible truth-telling in a way that you will move community away from the usual position of adversarial response to conflict to a collaborative approach of conflict.
“You do your responsible truth-telling in a way that you bring conflict parties out of their conflict, you make them shift their positions. And that is what we preach as search for common ground.”
The EU Head of Programme Implementation in the Niger Delta, Mr. Yacinthe Agbagadjan , said media professionals must focus more, not just the challenges in their reportage but also proffer solutions to nib in the bud, crisis in the region vis a vis the country.
Agbagadjah tasked journalists to report responsibly to keep those in government in check for them to be accountable to the people, as well as meet their demands, at all times.
This, he said, would drag donor agencies to the area for development purposes.
“Remember you are too powerful in society. With your reports, you can make or man, set the society on fire but write to bring the conflicting communities together on one page,” he added.
On the threat to journalists’ lives in the course of investigating a story, he said it requires sensitive approach and personal discretion to overcome an adversarial terrain, but it is advisable you must save your life first to tell your story instead of your story being anchored by someone else.
Some of the participants applauded EU for funding the training, which was themed: ‘Community Centered approach to transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta’.
One of the participants, Femi Okunledi, said: “I the training was really an eye-popping and brain-stimulating for journalists to reports issues of conflicts responsibly.”
