As part of its efforts towards engendering professionalism and factual reportage ahead of 2027 General Election,the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Comrade. Akeem Abas, has requested a collaboration with Google Africa to develop a fact-checking platform for journalists in the state.
Comrade Abas made the appeal while speaking at a one-day training on AI Gemini usage organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Oyo State Council in collaboration with Google Africa for 100 journalists in the State.
According to him, the proposed platform would enable journalists and members of the public to verify news reports and multimedia contents before dissemination, particularly ahead,during and even after the election.
He further explained that the growing use of artificial intelligence tools to generate misleading content poses a serious threat to credible information sharing and the integrity of the 2027 polls.
Comrade Abas explained that the platform, if developed, would help reveal the sources and authors of news reports and other digital materials, thereby promoting transparency, credibility and professionalism in the media space.
The training, which was the second in the series, was designed to equip media professionals across print and broadcast platforms with modern digital skills, improve newsroom productivity and enhance the practice of journalism in the state.
On his part, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, described the training as timely, considering the growing impact of emerging technologies on media practice. He urged journalists to apply the knowledge gained to uphold professionalism.
While commending the organisers and participants on the initiative,the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, and Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, BCOS, Chief Dotun Olaitan, agreed that journalists and other media content creators need to upgrade their knowledge from time to time to remain relevant.
Dr. Olanrewaju and Chief Olaitan, described the training as a valuable opportunity that would reposition journalism and prepare practitioners for future challenges in the profession.
The resource persons from Goggle Africa guided the participants through various AI news and contents generation platforms and instruments for effective performance.
The participants were drawn from both Prints and Electronic Media outfits across Oyo,as well as members of the league of veteran journalists in Oyo State.
