One of Nigeria’s foremost e-governance advocates and consultants, Jonah Ubanmhen is set to become a reformer of the Nigerian broadcasting service, as its proposed application enters the final lap.
However, a potential showdown looms for control of one of the major media regulatory outlets still relatively critical of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Jonah stated this on Wednesday at a Lecture held in Abuja the Nation’s capital which focused on maximizing the inherent benefit of globalization in the media space. For Jonah, “the institute would enhance professionalism in the broadcasting industry”, adding that he has begun talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Board for Technical Education (NBTC) for broadcast curricular accreditation, and establishment of the institute at the Nigerian embassies around the world.
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Accordingly, the institute will develop a new scientific program for the dissemination of professionalism and ethical practice in broadcasting, and establish the process of incorporating the artistic networks of a dozen of diplomatic missions
He harped on the need for professionalism in the daily broadcast, saying the broadcast institute will also provide training for newly formed missions and staff of the international Nigeria cultural network in promoting Nigeria broadcasting around the world. The ministry, he added, was “in the process of evaluating the next steps, many of which involve regulatory and legal processes”
Experts say this move marks the endgame for independent broadcasting in Nigeria, leaving the country’s biggest media news regulators in the hand of reformers who will succeed the Nigerian government led by President Muhammadu Buhari’s initiatives.
Jonah also said that the government should support the broadcast institute to become independent and have a global footprint, and to entrust the institute to promoting Nigerian culture abroad through artistic exchanges in performing arts, visual arts, architecture, the worldwide diffusion of Nigerian media, film, technology and ideas.
