Media Plays A Vital Role In Information Dissemination As Well As Nation Building – Fracisco E. N Mangue

The Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea to Nigeria, Fracisco Edu Ngua Mangue has said that the Media plays a vital role in information dissemination as well as Nation building.

He made the remark at a training workshop for journalists in Abuja, with the theme: Rebranding the Brands in Journalism.

He also said that co-operation would be effective if there is more collaboration among countries of the global south and not let language be a barrier.

In his opening remark, Raphael Oni who is the organizer of the workshop thanked the participants for coming to be part of the all-important training workshop for journalists in Abuja.

He reiterated that the workshop is coming at the right time, especially now that COVID -19 has redefined the workplace.

 

His statement read, “The media world is among the most affected, as such there is the need to design new means of carrying out our duties so at to live up to our billing as the men of the fourth Estate.

“As we all know that the media plays significant role in raising awareness, dispelling myths and exposing misleading information, promoting kindness, and infusing confidence among the people by disseminating fair and accurate reports. It is high time for us to up our games, as much is expected of us.

“The Nigerian Union of Journalists Abuja Council has commenced the process of weeding out the bad eggs among us, those giving us bad image in the society. There is the need for every one of us to actually understand the brand we are made off.

“We need to rebrand this noble profession, so that we can operate at optimal level, and this can only come into reality when every journalist develop his or her capacity to function at the highest level. This is the dream that this workshop intend to achieve. I want to thank the leadership of this great union for buying in to this dream, that is why we are here today.

“COVID-19 is here with us, as such we must learn how to dwell with the pandemic, and also still carry out our duties without fear. This requires more in-depth working knowledge. We as journalists have the responsibility to report from the front line during the COVID-19 crisis and are given entry into places and situations from where the general public is barred.

“Our profession has given us the privilege to go places but this does not mean that journalists are invincible. We are responsible for our own safety, our professional community and family. Hence we need to take every precaution against an infection.

“According to Wikipedia – Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors, competitors, and other stakeholders. Often, this involves radical changes to a brand’s logo, name, legal names, image, marketing strategy, and advertising themes.

“Such changes typically aim to reposition the brand/company, occasionally to distance itself from negative connotations of the previous branding, or to move the brand up-market; they may also communicate a new message a new Board of Directors’ wishes to communicate.

“This workshop aimed to reposition the participants for more effective delivery and discharge of duties. It is expected to deepen the understanding of Journalists on the need to understand the new working environment as define by Covid-19 Protocol. Participants are expected to objectively understand that the media industry is going above and beyond its main role to inform, entertain and connect society by finding new ways to make an impact at the Covid-19 era.

“We have been able to gathered experienced resources personalities who have years of experience in journalism. These trainers with experience will be sharing their practical experience to help the participants prepare for total rebranding. It is expected that the workshop will provide a comprehensive approach for all communications to the public, which address public relations, marketing and advertising of contents.

“It is a crash program with a plan of action entailing rapid and intensive production skills aimed at making the participants a multi-tasking journalist at any time. Participants will acquire good knowledge on designing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to match existing/newly-designed roadmaps in journalism today.

Dignitaries at the workshop include; H.E Dr. Solomon Christopher Gembeh Snr, the High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria and H.E Fracisco Edu Ngua Mangue, the Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea, Dr Sheriff Ghali who is the guest lecturer Emmanuel Ogbeche, the NUJ FCT Councl Chairman among others.

The workshop is the initiative  of The Diplomat Extra in collaboration with the NUJ FCT Council