New Telegraph

Ex-NAWOJ Chair Seek Gender Friendly Policies In Media Organizations

A former Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Fortunate Ozor has called for the elimination of all forms of stereotypes in the country.

She said there were so many stereotypes in the country ranging from ethnicity, religion, politics and even careers and called for their total elimination for a better country.

Ozor, an Assistant Manager of News at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Abakaliki, stated this during a one-day capacity-building workshop she organized in collaboration with NAWOJ in the state for female journalists with the theme “Rising as leaders”.

She urged women to rise up and take leadership positions in their endeavours which she said was not an avenue to promote feminism.

She described women as special creatures with great talents and urged Nigerian society to give them opportunities to showcase their talents.

“We need enabling environment to showcase the talents inherent in us. God has deposited in every human whether you are a woman or man special talent. If you are not given an enabling environment, that thing that is inside you will remain there.

“It is not an avenue to promote feminism, it is not at all. It is just a statement of fact that women are human beings as well. All the societal stereotypes; all the social cultural, social economic issues affecting women and inhibiting them from attending to their potential are what we need to nip on the board.

“You have to take a step further to do things that are not ordinary everyday practice. You have to step out of your comfort zone and do something extraordinary otherwise you will remain where you are.

“Despite the societal stereotypes trying to weigh us down, telling to tell us that we will end up in the other room or that our education ends up in the kitchen, we should say no. We should instil that confidence in our daughters”.

She urged female journalists in the country to always go for investigative and impactful stories to make a difference in their careers.

“We are talking about solution journalism, we are talking about a shift from the status quo, we are talking about a shift to development journalism. When you do a report, ask yourself what impact this report created.

“If when you finish a report and file it and it didn’t create an impact, then, you have not started the job”, she said.

In his lecture, a retired General Manager of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Unity FM, Abakaliki, Chief Barikumo Ador, called for gender-friendly policies in media organizations.

Former Special Assistant to former Governor Dave Umahi on Media and Strategy, Chief Chooks Oko advised journalists to be conscious of the toga they wear as journalists.

He condemned yellow journalism and enjoined media practitioners to investigate their reports and avoid hearsay before publishing their reports as according to him, news must be factual and accurate.

Read Previous

Anti-Corruption Fight: Stakeholders Seek Enhanced Publicity

Read Next

LASG Gives Iyabo Ojo 7-Day Ultimatum To Pay N18m Tax Or Risk Jail