By Richard Ayinde, Osogbo.
The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation in Osun State, Mrs. Funke Egbemode has enjoined Nigerians to be wary of fake news and quackery in their quest to access or gather information which they can consider as news.
Mrs. Egbemode stated this at the Year 2021 Press Week Thanksgiving Service of the Nigeria Union of Journalists State Information Chapel held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Breakthrough Cathedral, Osogbo.
The Honourable Commissioner stressed that each time Nigerians come across clickbaits such as BREAKING, JUST IN or HAPPENING NOW on the internet, they should go further to verify the sources as there are several quacks sheepishly parading themselves as journalists, maintaining that professional journalists are products of several trainings and certifications which they have earned over the years.
She said even though the internet seems to be bereft of regulation as anybody can just post anything, the teeming Nigerian populace have the responsibility of separating the wheat from the chaff by identifying the authentic sources of credible information and seeking to patronizing only them, stressing that any link that cannot be profiled cannot be relied upon for credible information.
Mrs. Egbemode who appreciated the Church of God for their prayers and supports for the present administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, coveted for more for the peace and progress of the state and her leadership, maintaining that Almighty God has remained the solid rock behind the present Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration.
In his sermon, Pastor Olajide Oluwajobi underscored the importance of Journalists and how crucial their role is to the peace and progress of any nation.
Pastor Oluwajobi who is the Provincial Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Osun Province 1, enjoined the men of the fourth estate of the realm to redouble their efforts towards ensuring that while discharging their professional duties, the peace, progress and the corporate existence of Nigeria their country should always be in their minds and needless heating up of the polity through sensational stories will be a thing of the past.
Highpoint of the programme was the Thanksgiving Session where Mrs. Funke Egbemode led the Coordinating Director of the Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Bukola Aderibigbe, the Director, Press and Public Relations (P.P.R) of the Ministry, Mr. Moshood Suleiman, the Deputy Director, P.P.R, Mrs. Toyin Adeoye, the Chairman, Osun NUJ State Information Chapel, Comrade Sofiu Abdulganiyu, a former Chairman of the Chapel, Mr. Gideon Adegboye, Vice Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Oluwamayowa Fagbohungbe, Secretary of the Chapel, Comrade Roselyn Olawuni, the Treasurer, Mrs. Funmilayo Moradeyo, Auditor, Comrade Olalekan Rasaq, the Comrade Jelili Tiamiyu led Year 2021 Osun NUJ State Information Chapel Planning Committee, the State Secretary, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Abisola Ariwodola and other distinguished members of the chapel to dance and praise God for his phenomenal mercies and grace.
