The National President of the Association of Digital Media Core Advocates (ADMCA) and foremost activist, Dr. Harris Chuma Odili, recently unveiled ‘Hardcore News’, an online multimedia outfit in Awka, Anambra State.
During the unveiling ceremony at a media conference on cyber-aggression, cyberbullying, and safe use of social media, the media guru, Dr. Harris Chuma Odili in his keynote address, called for the sanitation and review of the media penal codes and the removal of criminal defamation from the penal code because, according to him, the rich and the powerful were using it to silence opposing views.
“Nigeria, like a few other countries, has enacted laws aimed at sanitising the system. While some aspects of these enactments are quite necessary, we at the ADMCA think that some of them, especially the one bordering on criminal defamation need to be expunged from our penal code, especially as it is currently being exploited by the rich and powerful class to silence opposing views in the society, in active connivance with the law enforcement agents,’ he said.
Odili noted that some rich and powerful people use the existing laws to silence opposing views.
“So many examples abound, where social media posts, blog articles and podcasts have landed the disseminators in trouble. As unhealthy as this may be, ADMCA will always urge balance when digital media practitioners want to share whatever story they have online. As digital media practitioners chase the lines, shares and views, they must bear in mind that Nigeria has a Cyber Crime Act 2015 which prohibits cyber-bullying, cyberstalking and cybersquatting,” Odili said.
The keynote speaker at the occasion, Dr. Chukwuma Onunkwo, described Cyber Bullying and Stalking as abusive intent to blackmail and harass individuals in cyberspace. He also stated that the effects of cyberbullying include increased stress and anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and long-lasting emotional effects.
Onunkwo urged media practitioners to be weary of information they disseminate on the Internet because according to him, the Internet never forgets and publishing false and untrue reports could result in emotional and mental pains or even death.
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On his part, the National Vice President, of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), South East Zone C, Sir Emmanuel Ifesinachi, expressed displeasure over the indiscriminate arrest, intimidation and molestation of media practitioners in the country often carried out by the rich, politicians and law enforcement agents.
He called on the government to protect media practitioners as members of the 4th estate, disclosing that between May 2015 and February 2023, 189 journalists had been arrested. He called for the release of the journalists as advocates of truth and the light of society.
Notable media practitioners, including Titus Eleweke, Okey Maduforo, Mrs Ify Unachukwu, Okechukwu Onuegbu, Emma Elekwa, and Obiọma Obidiegwu, in their separate contributions tasked the media with training and retraining their staff while advocating for solidarity, support, and collaboration among members to overcome challenges.
Presenting his closing remarks, Dr. Odili, the host, appreciated the participants for their professionalism and support. He assured of regular sensitization and orientation programmes for journalists as key to a safer and healthier society.
The unveiling of Hardcore News and the awarding of certificates to journalists who participated climaxed the event.
