The General Manager, Trend FM, Asaba, Delta State, Ijeoma Felicity Uba has expressed concerns over the high rate of fake news, particularly in social media. A Mass Communication graduate from the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, and alumnus of the Reuters Journalism Institute, London, she is calling on professional journalists to arrest the ugly trend by taking over social media.
She had media stints with various media establishments, including radio, television, and newspaper, before her engagement with Trend FM. She rose through the ranks to clinch her current position. In this interview with Cornerstonenewsng.com, she touched on other interesting issues.
My name is Ijeoma Felicity Uba. A simple girl who grew up in a typical Nigerian village, Nkwerre in Imo State, Eastern Nigeria. The 6th child in a large family of 7 Children. 4 boys 3 girls. I was born into the family of Mark Uba, now late and Nkechi Uba. I attended Central School 1 Nkwerre, then Girls’ Secondary School, Owerri-Nkwoji, some distance away from my community. I later went to the popular Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra state for my tertiary education where I read Mass Communication. I am also a proud alumnus of Reuters Journalism Institute, London, considered the Harvard of journalism. After my NYSC in Abuja, I worked in various media establishments including Radio, TV as well as newspaper, before my employment in Trend FM Asaba, beginning as a general reporter.
Your organization is celebrating five years anniversary, how far and the challenges?
We are grateful to God. So grateful for His grace. We are on top of our game. It’s been five years of phenomenal broadcasting. I am happy to be part of the success story of the number 1 Radio station in the Niger Delta. We have maintained that position for three consecutive years now. If we are doing well as staff, it is because we have a bulwark. The vision bearer of Trend Fm, Agatha Amata is a doyen of broadcast journalism. The woman with the longest-running talk show in the history of Nigeria. The charming face behind inside out TV Programme for over two decades. A woman who loves big dreams and resounding feats. Agatha is our inspiration. Our good task master, our official mascot who leads so well, showing us the light.
You are in a man dominated field, how do you manage or combat complex?
I am fragile and effeminate, being a woman. But I know I can be sure-footed, strong-willed. As a female, I have my emotions. I cry… So much oo. But I cope well as a journalist. Of course, I recognize the social tendency for macho supremacy, in view of the intrinsic maleness of the Nigerian cultural environment. Yet, I don’t believe in being second fiddle. Anyone can excel as a media practitioner. Man or woman. Though the Press is male-dominated by the population especially in Nigeria, women journalists are not laggards. We are even doing better. ( Laughs ). Truly on the flip side, the most famous journalists in contemporary history are women. Who is more journalist than Amanpour or Anderson? As a journalist, I am not following the men. I can say with all humility that I am running with them. Even as a General Manager.
What are the challenges confronting you as head of the radio station?
My challenges are many but they are not peculiar phenomena. For instance, a power issue. We spend most of our revenue on diesel to power our generators. The public power supply is ever unreliable. Cash inflow is difficult. We do our best but the advertisement remains challenging. The economy is taking a toll on us. We have a good Radio, adjudged the leading station in the South-South by credible authorities but we are striving so hard to stay afloat. As a private station, there is no official subvention unlike what obtains among public broadcasters across Nigeria. What has kept us in the face of huge challenges is innovation, creativity, and matchless tenacity to survive and lead. And we are leading not just in Asaba or Delta but far afield. We are streaming online worldwide, We are loud and clear in Delta, Anambra, Imo, Edo, Abia, Kogi, etc. Trend 100.9 FM is an urban Radio with crisp signals wafting with content and unique style. Our staff is savvy, young, and ingenious. We are trendsetters in music, news, and adverts. Our programming is cosmopolitan and engaging. We truly trend as our name implies. The trend is a funky Radio station.
How do you see the future of radio stations in Nigeria, considering the preference for visual Journalism?
The future is bright. With the advent of cyber journalism, Radio will keep evolving. With technology, you can listen to a Radio in any part of the world through the internet, through Apps.
Radio can never die. It is a central feature of our lives. I don’t even believe that there is a preference for visual journal journalism which is a picture, whether motion or static. Radio has its appeal. It is easy and immersive. Radio is the most impactful medium of mass communication. With Radio, you can multi task and still get informed, entertained, and educated. Radio is everywhere. In your car, village, town, office, school name it. You can listen to Radio while you keep moving with whatever you are doing and in your language. Radio is so easy with life.
What do you want the government and private individuals to do so that Radio stations will not die?
Funding, patronage, recognition, more engagement. The list is endless.
The mad rush by quacks into online Journalism is becoming too embarrassing with fake news, disinformation, and misinformation, how do you think that fake news can be checkmated and what is the implication of fake news?
Social media is the greatest addition to the mass media. It is delightful. So poignant and instantaneous as it delivers without delay. But fake news is the greatest undoing. A large percentage of information on social media is fake news. It is more in Nigeria because most people don’t bother reading. The dwindling educational system is making things worse. Most people don’t care to read and double-check facts. In mainstream journalism like Radio, TV, and newspapers, we say facts are sacred but opinions are free. But on social media, anything goes.
This will continue for a long time. The majority of social media users are young, lacking in basic training and orientation in journalism. People post anything that catches their fancy. Often fake news. Sadly this goes on because traditional journalists have failed to take over social media. A good number of trained journalists are not active on social media, whether Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram among others. I know a newspaper editor that has no presence on social media. When journalists are backward on social media it poses a big problem.
Fake news, unverified information can inflame and destroy. The Rwandan genocide of 1994 was sparked off by fake news. For a diverse society like Nigeria which is very volatile as a result of religion and tribe, we need to be careful what information we spread. Fake news can bring war. It can spark off ethnic and religious crises. Nonetheless, I do not subscribe to the regulation of social media as being proposed by the government because it will be abused and politicized. The general insincerity of politicians will not make it work. Bodies like NUJ, Editors’ Guild, NPAN, and even NBA can collaborate to tackle fake news. There are relevant press legislations in Nigeria that can be enforced to tackle the menace of fake news on social media. There is nothing wrong with social media. Only the users are bad. Journalists must shake off lethargy to dominate social media and lead it right.
Do you support that more women should go into Politics and business? There is a saying that women’s education ends in the kitchen, why are you competing with men these days.
Yes. Women should take center stage in politics. Men have tried, let women take over. Without fear of sounding immodest, I will say they make better leaders. I mean the statistics are there. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is on my mind. I am thinking of Dora Akinyuli.. (God bless her soul), Ibukun Awosika, pastor Funke Adejumo, Virgy Etiaba, and of course Agatha Amata, my boss.
Is there any programme in your station that addresses the issues of youths and crime or a programme that the youths and kids can benefit from?
Yes, we do. TrendFM has the youth and young at heart as it’s the target audience. This is one of the reasons why virtually all our programs are audience-participatory. Apart from TrendTalk which is a current affairs program, we have two programs, Girls Hangout and Guys Hangout specifically for the youth
