FG committed to fostering well-informed population – Idris

The Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris has said the federal government remains steadfast in its commitment towards fostering a well-informed and critically law-abiding population.

Idris spoke at the headquarters of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Thursday through a director in the ministry, Mrs Comfort Ajiboye, at a one day symposium jointly organised by the school, Ministry of Information and National Orientation in collaboration with International Media and Information Literacy Institute as well as UNESCO on the theme, ‘Blogging, Artificial Intelligence and the Credibility of Social Media Contents: A Hybrid Resolution Approach’.

According to the minister, Nigeria, like every other country, faces the era of digital information flow at an unprecedented pace, the reason for which the importance of media and information literacy cannot be underestimated.

He said this is why the ministry is working with UNESCO to make a Category 2 Institute under the auspices of UNESCO.

“By supporting platforms such as this symposium, we aim to encourage constructive dialogue and collaboration. Together with our partners, we are confident that the outcome of today’s discussion would contribute to advancing media literacy and responsible use of information technologies,” he said.

The vice chancellor, NOUN, Prof Olufemi Peters, whose speech was read by the head, Department of Mass Communications in the university, Dr Adelabu Hekeem, noted that due to the proliferation of media abuse, the need to redefine media tools was inevitable.

This, according to him, is because there are several victims of media and blogging fraud.

Therefore he said the objective of the institute is to engage relevant stakeholders in meaningful dialogue towards media orderliness in the society.

A publisher/blogger Abdullahi Haruna while discussing the topic noted that it is true that the introduction of artificial intelligence is actually a threat to constructive journalism, but said blogging appears to pay better than the traditional media.

He then said efforts should not be made to damage blogging, but should be incorporated into mainstream journalism.

On his part, Prof Abiodun Adeniyi from Baze University said the media, like every other human endeavour, is evolving, “therefore what artificial intelligence has brought into the profession should not be a surprise.”

Qasim Olalere Akinreti, another discussant from the Voice of Nigeria Office in Lagos said, “in the 4th Industrial Revolution that we are in, the use of artificial intelligence is inevitable.”