By Abubakar Yunusa
The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council, in collaboration with the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria and the Kaduna State Ministry of Information, on Wednesday convened a one-day workshop on Peace Reporting for National Development in Kaduna.
The event drew participants from over 30 media organisations, communication scholars, government agencies, peacebuilding groups, and civil society organisations.
Speaking at the workshop, the Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab, described peace journalism as “the heartbeat of transformation”, stressing that the media has the moral obligation to amplify narratives that unite the country.
He said peace reporting does not mean masking the truth, but presenting it with empathy and balance.
According to him, “Peace reportage is not about suppressing the truth; it is about presenting it with empathy, balance, and purpose to heal and not to hurt.”
Citing Rwanda’s post-genocide recovery and South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation process, Hayab urged Nigerian media organisations to strengthen collaboration with peacebuilding institutions, saying, “We are one family under God, and the stories we tell must unite us, not divide us.”
Delivering a keynote titled “Kaduna Peace Model: From Fear to Hope – The Role of the Media”, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, highlighted the devastating toll of insecurity in Kaduna between 2015 and 2023, noting that over 4,800 deaths and thousands of kidnappings were recorded during the period.
He explained that the Kaduna Peace Model, developed in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser, prioritises dialogue, intelligence sharing, inclusion, and socio-economic development over force.
Maiyaki revealed that more than 500 kidnapped persons had regained freedom through negotiations and community mediation, adding that some former bandits now serve as peace advocates.
“You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he said, calling on journalists to focus on stories of reconciliation rather than fear.
In a goodwill message, the Chairperson of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Hajiya Maryam Suka, said journalists play a decisive role in shaping public perception and national harmony.
“As reporters, we shape public opinion; let us choose to shape it toward unity and development,” she added.
The Guest Lecturer and Head of the Department of Strategic Communications and Media Studies at Kaduna Polytechnic, Mrs. Fatimah Shuaibu, warned against misinformation and hate speech, particularly on social media, stressing the need for journalists to uphold ethics, verify facts, and support peacebuilding efforts.
At the end of deliberations, participants resolved to institutionalise peace journalism training, dedicate newsroom spaces to reconciliation stories, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, highlight community-level peace successes, and continue supporting the Kaduna Peace Model.
They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting media responsibility as a catalyst for Nigeria’s journey from fear to hope, conflict to unity, and division to national transformation.
