A Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Felix Olajide Talabi, has urged Nigerian media organisations to give sustained attention to poverty, hunger, public health and inequality, warning that commercial pressures and powerful interests can undermine journalism’s public service role.
Talabi made the call while delivering the university’s 26th inaugural lecture, titled “Episcopacy of Journalism in Academia: From Millennium Development to Sustainable Development Goals in Humanus Directio.” The Nigeria Education News covered the lecture.
The professor said editorial priorities should reflect the problems citizens face in their daily lives. He identified rural farmers, urban migrants, residents of informal settlements, children living on the streets and people living with HIV among those whose experiences receive too little attention in mainstream coverage.
He said the gap in coverage was visible in cities as well as rural areas. While newsrooms often focus on political activity and prominent institutions in urban centres, he said, residents of poorer neighbourhoods also face inadequate housing, limited access to essential services and scarce economic opportunities.
Speaking on food security, Talabi pointed to Nigeria’s fertile land, rainfall and human resources, questioning why hunger and poverty persist despite the country’s agricultural potential. He urged reporters to examine the obstacles farmers face, how food reaches markets and how government policies affect what households can afford.
He also called for closer scrutiny of programmes aimed at diversifying the economy and reducing poverty. He said reporters should follow those programmes after their announcement, examine how they are implemented and establish whether intended beneficiaries see any improvement.
Linking his argument to the transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals, Talabi said journalism could help the public assess progress on poverty reduction, health, education and inequality. He urged universities and researchers to work more closely with newsrooms so that academic evidence can inform coverage and help journalists hold institutions to account.
