An Implementer of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in Nigeria, Victor Asije has called on Nigerians to always be conscious of the kind of information they daily expose themselves to.
Asije said especially now that Nigerian children, youths and adults are daily being exposed to both positive and negative information through digital platforms, they should learn to make meaningful use of positive information.
“Information is power. But as Nigerians, we must know that there is positive and negative information daily being packaged and released from these digital platforms to us.
“We all know how important information is to us as individuals, as governments, as organisations and communities, but we must urgently begin to learn to sift the wheat from the chaff as we prepare to enter the year 2024.
“As governments, individuals, religious organisations, civil societies, private organisations, professional bodies, the media, families, security agencies, traders, artisans, educational institutions, students, children, youths and adults, we should, and must know that information will do with us what we do with information,” he said.
Asije said that it was imperative for Nigerians to daily tune themselves on to positive information that would enhance their political and socioeconomic transformation, and overall national development.
The International Society of Diplomat (ISD) Special Emissary on Media blamed most of the challenges facing nations, governments, individuals and communities globally, partly on negative information that had birthed hate speeches, gossip, misinformation, disinformation, verbal attacks, disloyalty, lack patriotism and disunity.
Asije, who recently participated in the review of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Policy Brief on Information Integrity, urged the
Nigerian governments to create the enabling environment for information integrity to thrive in the country.
