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Joel Anekwe, Port Harcourt
First City Monument Bank (FCMB), one of Nigeria’s new generation banks has charged journalists in the country to rise up to the important role they have in achieving national cohesion.
Towards this end the bank Wednesday organised a one day media parley for journalists in the South South and South East with theme: ‘Achieving National Cohesion Through Positive Reporting: The Role of the Media.’
Group Head, Corporate Affairs, FCMB, Diran Olojo, described the media as partners in progress, noting that the bank has enjoyed a smooth working relationship with the press since its inception.
He described the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones of the country as its strong base in the country, adding that the media parley, which has already been held in Lagos, Abuja and the Northern part of Nigeria, will be a continuous exercise considering the positive results already recorded from it.
FCMB’s regional head, South-East and South-South, Mr. Okey Ogelle, charged the gathering, made up of representatives of national and local media organizations in the two geopolitical zones, on the need to promote good governance and national cohesion in Nigeria.
He further urged the media persons to always project the country’s image and values in positive light in their reportage.
Guest Speaker, who is the chief executive officer of Corporate Shepherds, Idorenyen Enang, challenged journalists to deemphasize breaking news of disasters, crimes and conflicts, but place emphasis on events in their areas of coverage that promote positive attitude to growth, development and progress.
He said journalists should begin to see the importance of building sustainable legacies than just thinking about immediate gains.
Enang described national cohesion as a “process of instilling and enabling all citizens of a country to have a sense as well as a feeling that they are members of the same country, engaged in a common enterprise and facing shared values.”
He explained that Nigeria has many institutions and symbols that promote national cohesion and positive attitude in the people, such as the National Pledge and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), urging journalists to promote these institutions and symbols in the consciousness and attitude of the people.
He called for a rebranding of the NYSC, adding that time has come to raise a new generation of patriotic Nigerians, who do not care about ethnic group or religion.
He said: “National cohesion is the strongest when everyone in the country has the opportunity, the resources and the motivation to participate in nation building.
“It is time to raise a new generation of patriotic Nigerians. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as a symbol of national cohesion. It needs to be rebranded,” Enang said.
