Mohammed Idris asks content creators to tone down ‘negative rhetoric’ about Nigeria

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says content creators should tone down negative rhetorics about the country.

Idris spoke on Friday in Abuja at an event to mark the National Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2024.

The event was organsised by the federal ministry of information and national orientation in collaboration with the Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

The minister said the reportage about the country should prioritise national interest.

“At this juncture, let me also say that I made remarks only recently that if we want Nigeria to grow, we cannot always emphasise the negatives,” he said.

“It is important that we criticize and hold government and other leaders to account because that is the role of the media and we cannot take that away.

“As we embrace the digital revolution, we must acknowledge its transformative impact on how information is created, shared, and consumed. The rise of social media, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), online platforms and the new generation of digital content creators has democratized information flow, allowing voices from all corners of society to be heard.

“Literally, anyone with a laptop or an android phone has become a potential news creator, capable of reaching a large number of people. However, this digital landscape with its limitless opportunities also poses serious challenges, especially with the spread of misinformation and disinformation, whether created by humans or generated by Artificial Intelligence.

“We must really work hard and think out of the box to find a creative way out of this menace.”

On his part, Olufemi Peters, vice-chancelor of NOUN, thanked the minister for his support to the institution in consolidating the activities of the International Media and Literacy Institute which is domiciled in the university.