Olorunyomi Urges Journalists to Use Careful Language in Conflict Reporting

Premium Times publisher Dapo Olorunyomi on Thursday told journalists to pay attention to the stories they share with the public.

Mr Olorunyomi said this matters because “narratives have now become a weapon; the same pen that records testimony can distort it.” He spoke at the Premium Times Academy training for journalists in Abuja.

Premium Times Academy helps journalists improve their skills. It started a two-day training on peace- and conflict-sensitive reporting for reporters from different media houses across Nigeria on Wednesday.

The training gathered top academics and media experts to lead discussions aimed at making conflict reporting better in Nigeria.

For more than ten years, Nigeria has dealt with conflicts that touch all parts of the country. These include Boko Haram attacks in the North-east, banditry and kidnapping in the North-west, communal clashes in the North-central, militancy in the South-south, kidnappings, farmer-herder fights in the South-west, and secession calls in the South-east.

Mr Olorunyomi urged journalists to handle conflict stories with care. “Language can shape a situation; misnaming and appropriate naming are important,” he said. He warned that poor storytelling can lead to serious problems like deaths, displacements, and breaking families apart.

He also highlighted the need for context in conflict reporting. “Suffuse your work with a lot of contexts; it weakens the harm and danger events could lead to.”