By Njide Ezeonyejiaku
The need to protect the rights of children all over the world was the focus of a two-day National Summit on Child Rights held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The summit organised by Nnamdi Azikiwe University in collaboration with UNICEF, Nigeria has its theme as: “Taking Sustainable Positive Actions for the Nigerian Child in the Information Age”.
Declaring the workshop open, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi stated that the 21st century has seen the emergence of a new technology and social milieu different from that of the previous age, adding that the information age is characterized by rapidly bourgeoning information and communication technologies, which are also available for children.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor, represented by the Director of Academic Planning, UNIZIK, Awka, Prof. Angela Ufele-Obiesie called for the new developments to be deployed for the benefit of the Nigerian child through exposure to high quality education resources while protecting them from the numerous threats inherent in the digital technology such as internet addiction that could lead to poor academic performance.
Day one of the summit featured workshop for journalists with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Paul University, Awka Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna as the Lead Paper Presenter.
Prof. Okunna who is the first female professor of Mass Communication in Sub-saharan Africa in her paper titled: “the Role of the Nigerian Media in Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide in the Digital Age” charged journalists to discover new ways of handling the many innovations in the world of media and communication.
According to the Communication guru, the media has advanced from the traditional to modern and presently to digital media with the concomitant challenges to both the media practitioners and their audience, especially the children who are influenced in diverse ways by the digital media.
While noting that access to information is one of the fundamental rights of children but due to their vulnerability, uncensored information can actually be detrimental to their development.
“Giving how crucial and critical this digital age is for children, useful information dissemination is essential, hence the critical stakeholders including parents, teachers, journalists, government and policy makers should protect the children but not to be over protective as to deny them access to good information”, Prof. Okunna opined.
While describing today’s children as digital natives, the Gen Zs, or Netizens; children in the global North are more connected and plugged in media usage than those in the South who she noted are still lagging behind.
She charged Nigerian journalists to bridge the digital gap by supporting children to harness the power of the digital media, which according to her is both dangerous and essential.
Also in attendance at the summit were the Deputy Registrar, UNIZIK, Rev. Sam Udoh, represented by Dr. Blessing Ezeafulukwe; the Head of Department, Mass Communication, UNIZIK , Awka, Prof. Allen Adum; and the Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, Mr. Christopher Molokwu, represented by Miss Sandra Akpan, while interactive session between the Lead Paper Presenter and the journalists was the high point of the event.
