Olorunyomi Tasks Media to Strengthen Democratic Values

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The Publisher of Premium Times and Chief  Executive Officer, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Dapo Olorunyomi, has said that despite the various threats staring the Nigerian press in the face, the local media has consistently sustained a Democratic Culture.

He described the local media as an engine room to continue to strengthen democratic  culture in the country.

Olorunyomi, who disclosed this while speaking at the 19th Distinguished Public Lecture titled: ‘Local media in the making of democratic culture’, organised by Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), stressed that the importance of local media cannot be overemphasised.

He posited that: “Local media operate closest to the people, pointing out that journalists live among their audiences, attend the same churches and markets, and understand the community’s daily struggles.” 

“They cover local council meetings, school activities, market debates, and neighbourhood disputes that national outlets rarely notice.

“A scholar such as Kevin Howley (Community Media: People, Places, and Communication Technologies, 2005) defines community media as “media produced, managed, and owned by a community to serve that community,” Howley argued that local/community media empowers marginalised groups, fosters civic participation, and provides alternatives to dominant media narratives.

This, according to him, underscores the participatory, grassroots, and localised aspects of media, arguing that local radio programmes in rural Nigeria have educated farmers about fertilizer subsidies, warned communities about cholera outbreaks, and even mediated land disputes. Local newspapers have exposed budget padding and absentee local officials, sparking protests and reforms.

“From the nationalist press of the colonial era to the defiant papers of the military era and today’s community radio stations and blogs, local media in Nigeria has consistently sustained a democratic culture.

“It does so by informing citizens, enabling deliberation, challenging power, and representing marginalised voices embodying the ideals envisioned by democratic theorists and enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution. In a society where the distance between the government and the governed often seems vast, local media bridges that gap, turning private concerns into public issues and transforming passive subjects into active citizens.

“While local media plays a vital role in fostering democracy, their capacity to perform this role is increasingly under threat. A combination of economic, technological, political, and institutional challenges has created a hostile environment for local journalism, threatening its viability and eroding its ability to inform, engage, and hold power accountable,” he stated.

He, however, highlighted some of the critical advantages of the local media such as informed citizenry, agenda setting, community engagement, accountability and representation.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi, explained that the distinguished lecture clearly demonstrated the commitment to important intellectual tradition by hosting Public lectures frequently.

“Our Distinguished Public Lecture Series is a vital platform through which we promote meaningful dialogue on pressing national and global issues, and connect town and gown in meaningful ways,” he stated.

Akinwunmi described Olorunyomi as a tireless advocate for press freedom, accountability, and civic enlightenment and has spent decades working at the intersection of media, justice, and democratic governance