By Felix Khanoba
In a bid to enhance critical thinking and media literacy among Nigerians, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and other stakeholders have taken significant steps to address the growing challenge of misinformation.
During a one-day public lecture on media and information literacy at NOUN’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Olufemi Peters, underscored the necessity for Nigerians to acquire skills that help discern credible information.
Represented by the Director of Academic Planning, Professor Gregory Okagbare, the VC said the lecture was crucial in today’s digital age which is dotted by misinformation.
“Media literacy is not just about discerning fact from fiction; it is about understanding the nature of media messages, the motivations behind them, and their potential impact on our thoughts and actions. It involves the ability to critically analyse content, understand the difference between news and opinion, and recognize biases and underlying agendas.
“The rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news poses significant challenges to our understanding of the world and can influence public opinion, societal norms, and even political outcomes.
” As we move forward in this digital era, media literacy is not just a skill; it is a necessity. By fostering a media-literate society, we can ensure that individuals are better equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern media landscape, make informed decisions, and contribute positively to public discourse. Let us all be committed to promoting media literacy in our communities, schools, and homes. Together, we can build a society that values truth, critical thinking, and informed citizenship, ” he said.
Prof. Peters praised the Mass Communication Department’s initiative, describing the lecture’s theme, “Cultivating a Media Literate Society: A Value-Driven Approach to Addressing Misinformation Among the Youth,” as timely and crucial.
“The topic is of immense importance. In an age where information flows ceaselessly and the boundaries between truth and misinformation are increasingly blurred, media literacy has become a critical skill for all members of society,” he said.
In a remark, Dr. Lateef Adelakun, Head of NOUN’s Mass Communication Department, explained the department’s initiatives to promote media literacy.
Dr. Lateef Adelakun, Head of NOUN’s Mass Communication Department, outlined the department’s efforts to promote media literacy.
He noted the department’s collaboration with with United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on a free three-month certificate course in 2019, aimed at educating the public on interacting with media and its content.
He said the course’s success led to calls for its expansion.
Adelakun also referenced the Nigerian government’s 2021 Twitter ban, which renewed interest in media literacy, and the announcement of an International Media and Information Literacy Institute during Global MIL Week 2022.
“The Government of Nigeria under the leadership of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation announced to the world at the 11th anniversary of the Global MIL Week 2022, that the country would establish an International MIL Institute in an effort to ensure a media and information literate society.
“Mass Communication department sees this avenue as the best option to key in to the global trend, hence the essence of this institute, ” he said.
He called on more Nigerians to subscribe to any of the certificate or degree programme of the institute.
Dr. Chido Onumah from Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue Foundation (MILID), who delivered the first lecture, highlighted the dangers of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news.
He argued that education, rather than legislation, is the key to addressing these issues.
“Media and information literacy should be a critical part of our development….
“We can’t legislate our ways on misinformation but only through education, because you cannot jail everybody for sharing fake news,” he said.
Onumah, who cited Canada, where all schoolchildren are exposed to media literacy and digital skills, said Nigeria needs to up its game to meet up with recent advances in technology by ensuring that people have the ability to use digital tools in the right way to avoid plunging the country into danger.
He also urged the inclusion of digital tools in Mass Communication curricula and called for government collaboration on fact-checking initiatives, adding that media and information literacy does not only involves filtering out fake information but involves the ability to know where and how to source the right information.
In the second lecture, Prof. Chidinma Onwubere of NOUN, lamented the negative impact of low media literacy on women, particularly in rural areas.
She highlighted the vulnerability of women to misinformation and called for efforts to train women to use digital platforms to improve their livelihoods..
Onwubere, who said in some places, particularly in rural communities, women voices are hardly heard as a result of cultural and religious orientations, said the females continue to be major victims of misinformation and disinformation.
” (Most) women are mainly at low income level and cannot afford digital devices, some have, but don’t know how to operate them,” she said, adding that women are also more suspectible to fake contents on social media.
The AUTHORITY reports that the public lecture, organised by the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue Foundation (MILID), highlighted the urgent need for media literacy to counter misinformation.
The event, which attracted dignitaries from within and outside the university, also included virtual participation from around the world.
