2023: Envoy wants media to intensify campaign for better leaders

0
312

By Emeka Samuel, Uyo

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Executive Secretary of International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP), Africa, Ambassador Simeon Uwa has charged media practitioners to engage in regular and aggressive campaign to enthrone good leaders for better Nigeria.

International Summit Council for Peace – Africa, a unit of the United Nations and headed by former President Goodluck Jonathan is an association of both past and present Heads of States and Government with their Deputies formed to promote peace, development and good governance across respective regions in the world.

Speaking during the Akwa Ibom Correspondents’ Chapel Gala Night in Abuja at the weekend as part of activities to round off the Chapel’s week on the theme, “In search of A Better Nigeria Through Responsible Journalism”, Uwa said journalists must remain at the forefront of the struggle for a better Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary explained that the role of the media for better Nigeria to include moulding opinions, shaping perception of Nigerians , public enlightenment and constructive criticism of present leaders in Nigeria.

He said the media can set an agenda for a new Nigeria but warned against inflammatory and inciting reports capable of causing divisions adding that peace is necessary to ensure better Nigeria in all sectors of the economy .

He said that the retreat by the Correspondents in Abuja would help to increase their professionalism in the search for a better Nigeria.

“Every society deserves the leaders that they have . But this Retreat that you came all the way from Akwa Ibom to the Nation’s Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) will help in the search of a better Nigeria.

“The time has come for all of us to put away selfish interest and sentiments, sit down to begin to bargain for future of that society where we would live happily and also bequeath for the future generations. It doesn’t matter who is involved , it does not matter whose ox is gored.

“Before anybody will exit slavery, we must adopt the biblical Daniel principles which involved determination to reject the king’s food. Once this is activated , those who are laying claims to leadership today will realize that they have no business on the seat that leaders are contained.” He explained.

Uwa disclosed that as Ambassadors of Nigeria , they would continue to project the interest of their environment and nation in foreign land.

” Our nation is not sick but it can be better . Nigeria can be better and it is you and I that will ensure that we have a better society.” He said.

He charged the correspondents to return to Akwa Ibom with a mindset to use their duty of information gathering and dissemination as a tool to reshape the Akwa Ibom society.

“You are the ones that form people’s mind . No one will have a mindset of his own , except the one sharpened by media content. The responsibility for us to have a better society is yours.

“Leadership always fail in our society all the time but we always cover it to avoid being exposed. We should shift a little away from covering bad leadership and confront issues that stare us . This is the only way we can have a better Nigeria,” Uwa said .