The Nigerian Army in partnership with African Center for Media and Intercultural Dialogue (ACMID) on Wednesday held the maiden edition of the Nigerian Army-Tertiary Students and Future Journalists Parley at the Afe Babalola Hall of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The parley themed ‘Harmonizing Diverse Perspectives for National Security’ had participants from over 16 institutions including; University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University (LASU), Caleb University, Anchor University, Augustine University, Pan-Atlantic University, Trinity University, National Open University (NOUN), MIVA University, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Nigerian Institute of Jounalism (NIJ), Lagos State University of Education, St. Augustine University, Federal College of Education, Akoka.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. O.O. Oluyede in his keynote address explained that the complexity of today’s security challenges calls for broader response mechanisms urging the buy in of citizens whom he described as major stakeholders in peace building.
“The very notion of national security has evolved, from primarily protecting a nation’s territorial integrity against external aggression using military might, to a multi-dimensional threat framework consisting of both internal and external threat actors.
The Nigerian Security landscape has been characterised by terrorism, insurgency, banditry, secessionist agitations, farmers/herders’ clashes and ethno-communal clashes. Other threats include economic sabotage, social fragmentation, political instability cyber threats, ideological extremism, climate-related dislocations, and even public health crises.
This broadening of the security landscape thus demands a commensurate broadening of our response mechanisms, involving all sectors and strata of society. This is because no army, however well-trained or equipped, can win a war without the support, understanding, and trust of the people it seeks to protect,” Oluyede, who was represented by the Commander of the 9th Brigade, Brig. Gen. Olawale Oyekola said.
The Army chief further encouraged Nigerian students to use their resources, particularly in the digital space to project Nigeria’s image positively.
“It is often said that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, but I maintain that leadership indeed starts from the cradle,” Oluyede said. “Every young Nigerian is a leader and a major stakeholder in shaping Nigeria’s national security architecture.”
Also speaking, Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Jibrin Baba Ndace urged aspiring journalists to always verify information before publishing. “If you’re not sure, don’t share,” he warned. “One of the biggest challenges facing journalism today is the rush to break news without proper verification,” he said, recalling a recent VON error in reporting a football match result before it ended.
“On behalf of the management and staff of Voice of Nigeria, I apologized to the public,” Ndace said. “As journalists, we must be humble enough to admit our mistakes.” He reminded students that employers now check applicants’ online activity to assess credibility and professionalism. “Verify every piece of information before posting it on social media,” he urged.
On media–military relations, Ndace described tensions as “a global challenge rooted in the historical background of military leadership,” but stressed that “journalists must uphold truth and fairness when reporting on security matters.”
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Executive Director of the African Centre for Media and Intercultural Dialogue (ACMID), Dr. Olunifesi Suraj said students play important role in shaping the nation’s information landscape. He urged them to uphold the standards of the profession at all times.
“Your presence today from every higher institution in Lagos underscores the vital role you will play in shaping Nigeria’s information landscape and upholding the highest standards of journalism.”
You are the ones that make the social media bubbles. You are the influencers and the content creators. As we target the future, we also target today,” the university don explained.
Suraj also praised the Army’s community projects in several states across all geopolitical zones.
“From borehole installations and solar-powered classrooms to free medical outreaches and renovated health centres, these quick-impact initiatives demonstrate Nigerian Army’s commitment to winning hearts and minds through tangible benefits for local populations. To date, over thousands of such intervention projects have been executed nationwide as part of our civil-military cooperation efforts,” he said.