Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji is a damn good professional journalist. He has earned the respect every journalist looks forward to in the industry.
Not only that.He set up Penpushing Media platform a few years back,and many are not surprised that it is well run.Recently, he spoke to Citypeople Publisher Seyekehinde about his views on the debate about the effect that the Social Media has had on the Print Media and other issuesBelow are excerpts of the interview.
Compliments of the season. Looking back, how do you see the out gone year 2020?
The outgone year no doubt is the most troublesome and threat to humanity, with the sudden emergence of the killer disease known as coronavirus, which till date is still on rampage.
The pandemic affects, every sectors of human endeavours, as well as claiming lives recklessly, almost on daily basis. I can say that, the havoc being rendered and caused by the virus is beyond human solution, and from my own submission, I am of the opinion that, the way out is spiritual intervention.
Every sectors have been batterly affected, name it health, businesses, education, tourism, agriculture and governance among others
How do you see the performance of Penpushing since inception?
First, let me thank God, where we find ourselves today. This is a project which started like a child play and to God be the glory; it has become a household name globally.
With God on our side, we have continued to improve tremendously. I cannot attribute these successes to me as the founder, but to the entire membership on its platform which cut across the globe.
Honestly, speaking, all stakeholders and members have been pillar of success, with genuine commitment from them. We started four years ago, but our popularity with the support of our committed members has exposed us positively, as if Penpushing has been in existence for over forty years.
The editorial board and management are better described as God sent with their commitment, with the trust they have on me, as the driver of the project. It is God’s doing and I profusely appreciate that.
The story of Penpushing cannot be complete without making reference to all stakeholders,, who have been wonderful. And let me say this, one unique quality of Penpushing is the love in fighting fake news, which has put us in front row in the media industry and we shall make sure we do not derail from this aims and objectives.
It is also on record that, our authenticity and genuine efforts in fight fake news globally has earned us partnership with some notable international agency, which include: United Nations Information Centre(UNIC),Terre des homes(TDH), a Non-Governmental Organisation with headquarters in Switzerland as well as number of relevant media agency such as Nigeria Press Council(NPC). In addition to this, as at today we are the mailing list of number of organizations, which include; World Health Organisation(WHO) Let me also add this, we initiated new dimension to journalism, creating platform addressing various germane issues all over the world, and thereafter raised communiqué committee, with such communiqué forwarded to various authorities responsible for the issues on discourse.
I can say boldly, that such communiqué can be traced to leadership of the affected institutions; example is the Presidency in Nigeria among others. It is also on record that, many of the communiqué has yielded positive results for betterment of the affected countries.
We have also introduced annual lecture to add value to journalism practice, and this has been regular and also providing positive results, examples include bringing plights of the less privileged and indigents to attention of the world, and I am happy to say that, number of them have benefited from this initiative and doing well, We shall also ensure that, we continued in this spirit as part of our own social responsibility.
Now permit me to give information on our journey, which today is worth celebrating. The journey started on July 19, 2016 on a social media platform with 256 members at inception. As it progresses, a lecture, which has become a regular project aimed at adding value to the noble profession of journalism, was introduced.
Penpushing, which has become a famous global news dissemination platform, got its certificate of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on June 1, 2017, with its corporate headquarters located at Moshood Abiola International Trade Fair Complex, Abeokuta the Ogun State Capital, Nigeria.
It has another contact office at 403 -2940 Jane Street, Toronto, ON M3N 2V4, Canada in North America. Penpushing has been robustly nurtured on the journalistic ideology of adding value to journalism worldwide, by ensuring credible sources of news around the world.
What do you make of the activities of Social media over the years? Ans: On social media, it’s a welcome development which has its advantages and disadvantages. What do I mean, on the advantages, the world is now in a global village, where it is always difficult to cover up many things, particularly, the illegal ones.
It is easy to expose misdeeds, and this to some level has reduced illegality being perpetrated. On the disadvanges, it is becoming a threat to journalism practice, because fake news thrives on social media, which needs to be well checked and monitor to avoid throwing the world into unresolved crisis.
The social media has produced number of fake and emergency ‘journalists’, who used the platform for illegality and end up causing havoc across the globe.
A responsible journalist should not rely 100% on information on social media, but can see it as a lead to conduct further findings on a story, to established the authenticity before going to press
What are the things you think we can do as professionals to make the industry better?
The first thing is ensuring that trained journalists should be on the field of practice, and the idea of all comers’ affairs should be disallowed and not encourage. If you didnt read medicine, you can’t come out to call yourself a medical doctor, if you didn’t study law, you can practice as a lawyer.
In the same vein, all media owners should provide needed facilities for workers, and provide enabling environment with welfare of their workers paramount to them, Another thing,
I need to say is that, for every genuine journalists, they must have passion and show commitment for the profession to thrive, and for them as practitioners to be relevant. Journalists should desist from what I will call blackmail journalism, and should also consider national interest in the course of reportage.
Don’t forget, a pen can pull down the world and can as well raise the world to greater height, so as professionals we should be cautious of how we use our pen.
There is no gain in destroying, but gain in uplifting. If you use pen to destroy, don’t forget it will turn to a case of ‘sleeping beside a coughing patient’; it is so glaring that you will also not have sound sleep
