General
78% of Nigerians Still Trust Media—Survey
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The first bespoke 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer conducted for Nigeria by Edelman Intelligence to test the level of trust among Nigerians in the four mainstream institutions of government, business, media and non-governmental organisations has shown that 78 percent of Nigerians still trust the media.
“Trust in media remains high despite ‘fake news’”, the report showed.
This contrast, however, with the global trend whereby trust in the media is on decline especially due to the rise of fake news and post-truths occasioned by the growing social trend called citizen journalism and influence of social media as alternative but ‘unregulated’ source of information.
According to the global data from the report, “Media now least trusted institution; distrusted in 22 of 28 of countries.”
These were some of the highlights of the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer unveiled in Lagos, on Thursday 31, May 2018 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The presentation of the report in Nigeria by Edelman was organised by Chain Reactions Nigeria, Edelman’s Exclusive Nigerian Affiliate and the Preferred West African Partner with the theme, ‘The Battle for Truth’.
Further breakdown of the report for Nigeria indicated that Nigerians also trust NGOs assigning 81 per cent score to the sector while their trust for business is 62 per cent and 60 per cent for government while 72 per cent of Nigerians generally voted that trust matters in everything.
Comparative analysis of the report when African countries such as South Africa, Egypt and Ghana amongst others were compared, also showed Nigeria finishing third highest in trust for the media and NGOs respectively; fourth highest in trust for business, and seventh highest in trust for government.
Speaking at the presentation of the global data from the report, Managing Director, Edelman South Africa, Jordan Rittenberry, expressed concern that the overall global assessment of the four mainstream institutions showed declines in trust about business and non-governmental organisations in 14 of the 28 countries sampled, and therefore called on key decision makers in the respective organisations to be deliberate in building their trust asset through increased investment.
“Over time trends have shown there is low trust in business and non-governmental organisations, so it is important that people in these institutions pay more attention to how the citizens trust them”, he stated.
Rittenberry added that “media is now least trusted institution” as a result of the menace of fake news which he noted has moved from being just a phenomenon to a key factor in shaping perception. “People define media as both content and platforms, so nearly seven in 10 worry about false information or fake news being used as a weapon”, he declared.
Managing Director/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Nigeria, Israel Jaiye Opayemi, in a welcome speech enthused that the inclusion of Nigeria in the annual survey for the first in the 18-year-old history of Edelman Trust Barometer was in fulfillment of the company’s promise last year to ensure Nigeria was in focus among the comity of nations of reckon annually sampled by Edelman.
“Trust sits at the heart of social capital. For those who were here last year, we made a promise that Nigeria would be included in the 2018 deck of the Edelman Trust Barometer. I am happy to announce that we are here today to fulfill that promise”, he said.
Speaking on the Nigerian data from the survey which showed that government was the least trusted of the four institutions of the Nigerian society, Opayemi counselled against a quick condemnation of government by stakeholders. He cautioned that, rather than condemnation, government requires help from communications professionals to help redesign the architecture of government communications in Nigeria.
He likened the current situation in most government communications departments to a hospital that is manned by a pharmacist where people with cardiac conditions go to for help simply because the pharmacist is a product of a medical school.
“A pharmacist and a doctor who specialises in cardiology may have passed through the same medical school, but their specialties are different. In human resources practice, the rule is, the job description dictates the hire.
“Let us therefore help those in government articulate the job descriptions, skill sets and requirements for the office of strategic communications in all government houses at the federal and state levels. Such offices must be presided over by professionals in strategic communications who will work with Journalists, Policy Analysts, Digital Analysts, and Infographics Specialists amongst others. That office is not just about putting the penchant to put the President and the Governors in the news; it is about asymmetric communications.
“The structure being used to run government communications in most government houses is not only dysfunctional but also outdated”, Opayemi stated.
He therefore advocated engagement of communications professionals by key occupiers of government positions like the president and governors in order to overcome the challenges around trust and credibility assets of government.
Interestingly, the report showed the media and non-governmental organisations in Nigeria as being trustworthy with 78 per cent of Nigerians saying they still trust the media despite the rise of fake news while 81 per cent affirmed their trust in NGOs. The trust score for business is 62 per cent while government has 60 per cent.
Opayemi while expatiating on these indices said trust in NGOs was indicative of the fact that people acknowledge social interventions and humanitarian services rendered by non-governmental organisations in Nigeria especially during some of the major disasters the country has witnessed rendering thousands homeless.
He however cautioned, that businesses and governments are already sitting in what he called, “the cusp of the neutral zone” and so must urgently improve on their trust asset so they do not slide into what he called “negative zone”. “From what we have seen in the survey, Nigerians place a high premium on trust. It is therefore important for the business leaders to ensure that the company is trusted; that it communicates regularly with clients and customers, and their products and services are of high quality. They must also communicate regularly with employees and the CEOs must champion the effort”, he stressed.
Special Guest of Honour and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Idiat Adebule, in her remarks commended Chain Reactions Nigeria for doing the country proud by ensuring the inclusion of Nigeria on the list of the countries surveyed by Edelman, and expressed confidence that the insights from the report would go a long way in better understanding how trust can be leveraged as an asset to improve relations between the government and the governed as well as service delivery from the government to the people.
Represented by the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ronke Shoyobo, the deputy governor said, “No doubt, this year’s report and the debate of its implications by eminent representatives of the Nigerian government, the business community, the media and non-governmental organisations here today will strengthen the fabric of healthy relations and communications in our nation, particularly government intervention policies and programmes.”
President, Public Relations Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Mr. John Ehiguese, and President, Africa Public Relations Association (APRA), Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, respectively in their goodwill messages affirmed that trust is everything in today’s world and organisations must do everything possible to build trust and credibility and maintain same in order to remain attractive to their stakeholders.
They also decried the growing menace of fake news and post-truth as a threat to building trust and positive reputation and urged organisations to seek the services of competent communications professionals to navigate the curve.
The highpoint of the event was panel discussions on the report and its implications for Nigeria by a panel comprising seasoned business executives, media practitioners, government officials and civil society activists. Moderated by Data Analyst, Channels Television, Mr. Babajide Ogunsanwo, members of the panel included Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan; Mrs. Ronke Shoyobo; respected Financial and Investment Analyst and CEO of Financial Derivatives, Mr. Bismarck Rewane; Lead Consultant/CEO of Thistle Praxis, Mrs. Ini Abimbola; and Executive Head of Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo.
Others were seasoned Journalist and Editor of BusinessDay newspaper, Mr. Anthony Osae-Brown; President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dotun Oladipo; Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Comrade Debo Adeniran; and Public Affairs commentator, Comrade. Nelson Ekujumi.
Dignitaries at the presentation ceremony cut across the four mainstream institutions of the Nigerian society such as government, business, media and non-governmental organisations as well as the Nigerian marketing communications sector. They included Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Wale Oluwo represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mr. Adebayo Ajisebutu; Vice President, Centre for Value and Leadership, Mr. Adegbenro Rasheed; Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos State Chapter, Mr. Olusegun McMedal; Chairman/CEO, C&F Porter Novelli and past president of PRCAN, Mr. Nn’emeka Maduegbuna; CEO, Blueflower Communications, Mr. Chido Nwakanma; CEO, SY &T Communications, Mr. Simon Tumba; CEO, TruContact, Dr. Ken Egbas; Chief Operating Officer, Soulcomms Publicis, Moji Saka; Chief Operating Officer, BlackHouse Media, Mr. Moruff Adenekan; and Lead Consultant, StepCraft, Mrs. Eniola Mayowa amongst others.
Edelman Trust Barometer is the annual global trust and credibility survey conducted by Edelman Intelligence, the independent research arm of the Edelman – the world’s largest PR firm with presence in 65 countries across the globe The survey consists of 25-minute online interviews whereby respondents are asked questions on how much they trust the four mainstream institutions of society like government, business, media and non-governmental organisations to do what is right.
Since 2001, Edelman has been measuring trust in the four critical institutions in 27 countries, but this year is the first time Nigeria has been included in the survey. The inclusion of an exclusive deck on Nigeria by Edelman Intelligence is on the heels of the significant impressions recorded last year when Chain Reactions hosted the presentation of the 17th edition of the annual global survey in Lagos, the first time ever in the history of Nigeria and since the survey was established in 2001.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Police Force in Borno State has confirmed that 23 persons were killed and 108 others injured following multiple explosions that rocked Maiduguri on Monday evening, in what authorities described as coordinated suicide attacks.
The incidents, which occurred at about 7:24 p.m., targeted crowded and strategic locations within the metropolis, including the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover, Maiduguri.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, preliminary investigations revealed that the explosions were carried out by suspected suicide bombers using improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The coordinated nature of the attacks, which struck nearly simultaneously across different parts of the city, has raised fresh concerns about evolving tactics by insurgent groups seeking to undermine ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the North-East.
Security analysts noted that the choice of targets: a major market, a hospital vicinity, and a busy flyover, suggests an intent to maximise casualties, spread fear, and disrupt socio-economic activities in the state capital.
In response, a combined team of Police Tactical Units, military personnel and other joint security operatives were immediately deployed to the affected areas.
The scenes were swiftly secured and cordoned off, while the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit conducted detailed sweep operations to rule out the presence of additional explosive devices.
The Governor of the state, Mr Babagana Zulum, in a statement, said the explosions had claimed victims and injured others, without elaborating or saying who was responsible.
“The act is utterly condemnable, barbaric, and inhumane,” said Mr Zulum.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, led a high-level assessment visit to the affected locations, where he commiserated with victims and their families.
He assured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property, noting that enhanced security measures had been activated across the state.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, worked in coordination with medical teams to evacuate victims to hospitals, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have carried out several attacks against army bases across Borno this month, killing several troops and seizing weapons.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Celebrated broadcaster with Arise TV, Mrs Ayo Mario-Ese, has charged women to be open to collaboration and not limit themselves.
The charming media personality was one of the panellists at the UBA Business Series themed Introducing Gen W – The Evolved Woman, held at the UBA House in Lagos last Thursday.
At the event moderated by popular actor, Mr Tobi Bakre, the Morning Show anchor on Arise TV expressed worry about females who are usually laidback about speaking up and sharing their achievements, and said that women need to own their stories.
“A lot of women are doing phenomenal work and are sometimes afraid of showcasing what they are doing. As an evolved woman, you have to find out what you are comfortable doing, create your own unique offering, and also be open to collaboration,” she submitted.
Another panellist, Ms Joycee Awosika, described an evolved woman as one who has awareness of who she is.
“That woman does not need to ask to sit at the table; she is creating her own table and adding value. As your company is growing, you must grow too, and always do an audit of where you need to become a better leader,” the energy economist stated.
For a digital entrepreneur, Ms Tomike Adeoye, the question of what a woman is bringing to the table has now become obsolete, as the evolved woman is now bringing their own table.
“She is now more vocal about their struggles, setting the standards, and she is not ready to give up on her dreams,” she declared.
For the founder of Fine-Funky, Ms Olufunke Davies, she remarked that, “Creating unique designs that are affordable remains my driving force and something that has helped me grow as an evolved woman.”
In her remarks, the Group Head for Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications at UBA, Ms Alero Ladipo, said, “Raising each woman is actually not that hard, because everyone has their community as well as their story; and so as women, we need to take a position so that we can give to others.”
She said the Gen W platform of the lender is dedicated to the evolved woman, adding, “Through expert insights, real stories, and practical resources, the platform connects women who are building brands, creating businesses, growing careers, and leading across industries. They also have access to a plethora of discounted products and loans. The best part: it is open to every woman. No UBA account needed. This is Gen W, for the evolved woman.”
This edition of the UBA Business Series was hosted to mark International Women’s Month.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, revealing that personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation Delta Sentinel, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Mr Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure—including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining—was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, Cross River.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
The official said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The captain reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation Delta Sentinel through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn