Media experts have expressed concern over trauma risks that journalists in Nigeria face, demanding trauma literacy in journalism curricula to make them informed, responsive and sensitive.
The media experts spoke at a Roundtable on “Embedding Trauma Literacy in Journalism Training in African: The Road Map”, held virtually and physically at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, on Thursday in Lagos.
The event was organised by the Journalism Education and Trauma Research Group (JETREG), SubSahara Africa Research Hub.
The roundtable, which was jointly anchored by Dr Dele Odunlami, an Associate Professor and Dr Qasim Akinreti, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State, had so many discussants physically and virtually.
The Keynote Speaker, Prof. Ola Ogunyemi of Lincoln University, UK, said that journalists were daily exposed to so many traumatising events which harm their mental health, hence the need to address the trauma risks.
Ogunyemi said that only resilient journalists could cope with the occupational stress and trauma of the modern time.
According to him, JETREG, with over 250 members, is concerned about the safety of journalists, hence the call for an embedded trauma literacy in the journalism curriculum.
Ogunyemi said that journalists must be equipped to learn how to deal with work stress, depression and fear.
He urged employers to give their reporters leisure time and always learn to differentiate between their personal time and work.
In his remarks, Dr Yemisi Bamgbose, Executive Secretary, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), said that there was the need to develop a curriculum on the burnout and trauma of journalists.
According to him, research has shown that things are not so rosy in the business of news gathering and dissemination, stressing that journalism and media work has become very stressful.
“Journalism/media work is categorised as a high strain job,” Bamgbose, a veteran broadcaster said.
He listed sources of burnout among journalists to include toxic environment comprising poor salary, non-payment of salary, work overload, ownership interference and discrimination, daily travelling on bad roads, insecurity, deadline, lack of motivation and poor employer/ employee relationships .
Bamgbose added that what journalists see in the line of duty, such as daily coverage of accidents, ritual, building collapse could traumatise them.
“What journalists hear from their interaction with people who have escaped from traumatic experiences can also affect them throughout life.
“What journalists write about and their daily exposure to various negative offensive visuals could also be sources of trauma.”
He added that manhandling and threat to life by police, military, thugs and community were also sources of trauma for journalists.
On the mechanism for coping, Bamgbose urged experts to inculcate in the curricular, resilience, preparation for psychological reactions and the dilemma journalists might face on the job.
Prof. Bolanle Akeredolu-Ale, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, reiterated that trauma literacy should be involved in journalism education.
Akeredolu-Ale, a communication practitioner and researcher, who urged the NIJ to take the lead, said there could be a certificate programme on trauma literacy in journalism.
Also speaking, Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, said that no story should be more important than the journalists’ life.
“Only the living write stories. Think of your safety and welfare,” Adefaye said.
According to him, the institute will start developing materials on trauma literacy for journalists.