Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, the wife of the Governor of Ogun State, encouraged journalists to uphold the integrity of truth in their reporting, emphasizing that being victims of fake news or falsehoods could be challenging and disheartening.
Abiodun made these remarks on Thursday during her speech at a beauty pageant held as part of the activities commemorating the Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council. The beauty contest took place at the Ogun NUJ Secretariat, Iwe Iroyin, Ibara, Abeokuta. The theme of the NUJ Press Week is “Nexus Between Modern and Traditional Media in Promoting Democracy and Good Governance.”
Expressing gratitude for the journalists’ daily role in collecting and disseminating information, the First Lady stressed the importance of carrying out this vital responsibility with a strong sense of accountability, emphasizing the need to verify facts before making them available to the public.
Abiodun said, “There is no doubt that Journalists are doing a great job to ensure we are all well informed, but there is a need to always verify our reports before releasing such to the public. You won’t always like it if falsehood is woven around you. My family has been at the receiving end of this fake news before, and I must say that it was tough. Nobody liked it. So, we must always do our checks properly to ensure that we are really informing and not misinforming the populace”.
During the event, Wale Olanrewaju, Chairman of NUJ, Ogun State Council, expressed his appreciation for the First Lady’s exceptional maternal care and her utilization of the Ajose Foundation to provide relief for the state’s residents. He also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for being a strong pillar of support for journalists in the state. Journalists are hopeful that the governor will fulfill his promise to aid in the development of the permanent union site at Abiola Way, Abeokuta.
At the conclusion of the competition, Bunmi Mustapha, representing the Correspondents’ Chapel, was crowned the New Face of Ogun NUJ, with Bolaji Sampson from Ogun State Television as the runner-up and Gift Oba Ejro in third place. Other notable individuals present at the event included the wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Aderinola Talabi, the wife of the Speaker, Mrs. Bolanle Oluomo, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo.
