A media entrepreneur, Prince Nduka Obaigbena has called on journalists to prepare for Artificial Intelligence if they want to remain relevant and in business.
Prince Obaigbena, who is the Chairman of the THISDAY/Arise Media Group, made the call in a keynote address at this year’s Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme, “Rapidly Changing Media Landscape: Media Survival Strategies,” he said AI had come to stay and that the media needed to make good use of it to remain in business.
Prince Obaigbena, who said Nigeria had a large youthful population and that the media must connect with them if they were to engage and elicit their patronage, called for changes to relevant laws to make people pay for media content.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Alhaji Ali Mohammed Ali said Nigeria was going through a tough time and commended the professionalism of the media in reporting delicate issues.
A former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said Alhaji Jakande was not just an eminent journalist but a leader who had a positive impact on society.
Earlier, the publisher of Vanguard newspapers, Sam Amuka, said the time was changing and the media should move with development in the digital space.
A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Ike Nwachukwu said with the availability of digital and fact-checking tools, the media had no excuse to be inaccurate in their reportage.
A former INEC National Commissioner, Professor Lai Olorode, who said Alhaji Lateef Jakande was not just a great journalist but an advocate of good governance, urged the media to give a voice to the youths.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mr Tunde Rahman urged editors to use their platforms to calm the tension generated by the planned protest.
He said while protest was a right of citizens, the protesters were faceless and that their agitation had political undertones.
The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Eze Anaba said Alhaji Lateef Jakande was a founding President of the Guild who contributed to media freedom.
Members of the Jakande family led by their matriarch, Alhaja Sikirat Jakande, attended the event.
