The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Presi­dent Muhammadu Bu­hari, Mr Femi Adesina, has urged journalists to consider media and de­mocracy as channel for national development. Adesina made the called in Abuja at the 5th an­niversary and award lec­ture, on media, democ­racy and the challenge of nation building by Ver­batim Magazne.
He stressed that the world has developed be­yond the traditional me­dia outfit such as radio, television, newspaper and magazine, but with the advent of the social media, journalism pro­fession has taking a new dimension.
According to him so­cial media has no con­trol; it is a blissful place for all manner of vices as everybody can post any information on the internet whether wrong or right.
“The social media has taken over both for the good and the bad of which democracy con­notes accountability, transformation and free­dom of speech.” He ob­served that malicious re­port cannot only destroy democracy but the entire humanity. Femi added that information post­ed on the social media are full of propaganda, manipulation and lies, disclosing that the me­dia is the tool for nation building and evolution, therefore, both can work in synergy for national development.
Earlier the chairman of the occasion, Ambas­sador Jerry Ugokwe, ex­pressed gratitude to the Publisher of the Maga­zine for standing firm with determination and sacrifice in sustaining the magazine.
In his welcome ad­dress, the Publisher and Editor in Chief, Mr Tobs Agbaegbu, expressed de­light over the response of the awardees for honor­ing their request for the award.-The Authority