From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has urged the Federal Government to take concrete steps towards ending the political and socio-economic exclusion of the South East from national affairs.
Speaking at the Guild’s 2025 Biennial National Convention held in Enugu, Chairman of the event and Chairman of Channels Television, Dr. John Momoh, noted that the region, particularly Enugu, still bears the scars of past neglect, especially from the aftermath of the Biafran war.
“We must bring them to inclusion as a form of national healing,” Momoh said.
He spoke on the theme, “Building a secured and cohesive Nigeria: The role of dialogue, inclusion, and the media,” stressing the importance of justice as a foundation for national security and unity.
“As media professionals, we shape opinions, and that power comes with responsibility. Let us not only report conflict, but be bridge builders of national conscience,” he added.
Former Ogun State Governor and veteran journalist, Chief Segun Osoba, praised Nigerian editors for their professionalism, but called for decentralised policing to tackle insecurity.
He recalled that in the past, even minor security breaches were intolerable to citizens, irrespective of the presence of security forces.
Osoba advocated the adoption of neighborhood and state policing to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Similarly, former NDDC Chairman and veteran journalist, Chief Onyeka Ugochukwu, urged journalists to remain steadfast in their duties, giving voice to the voiceless and holding power to account.
In his remarks, NGE President and Vanguard Editor, Eze Anaba, expressed concern over Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, marked by insurgency and rampant kidnappings.
He called on media practitioners to reflect on their role in the national crisis.
“Could the media have done more? Are we guilty of amplifying fear? Can we rise to the responsibility of promoting inclusion and contributing to a safer Nigeria?” he asked.