Journalists urged to consider social justice journalism practice

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Lasisi Mutiu and Ajetunmobi Umar

Nigerian journalists have been urged to always include social justice journalism template in the stories they report so that victims of social injustice in the country can rely on media voices in claiming their rights from powerful oppressors.

This is one of the recommendations given by two researchers, Lasisi Mutiu and Ajetunmobi Umar, after their recent study on “Which is impactful in Nigeria? Investigative or socialjustice journalism practice: Evidence from Fisayo Soyombo’s journalism practice.

According to the policy brief released by the researchers, “Fisayo Soyombo’s social justice journalism got more positive attention of and reactions from public institutions because he focused more on injustice related to business, security, corruption and governance.”

Also, “injustice related to police extortion, illegal detention, misconducts from the academia, banks and organisations received the most positive responses from the authorities concerned.”

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In order to ensure that criminal and social justice in Nigeria is strengthened and accountable to Nigerians, the researchers emphasised that “Nigeria needs more social justice journalists who will always expose anti-social behaviours of powerful people and institutions.

To work effectively as social justice journalists, the Nigerian journalists were also strongly advised to equip themselves with investigative journalism skills that will enable them to always “authenticate the claims of victims of social abuse” before reportage. The policy brief recommends further:

Nigerian institutions (public and private) should strengthen their crisis/public communications unit so that their handlers can fully understand how to respond to media stories against them. Nigerian institutions (public and public) should always act promptly on media investigations about their workers, and come up with resolutions the public can trust.

The researchers had earlier presented the findings of their study at the bimonthly seminar of the African Early-Career Research Academy (AECRA).

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