The Vice Chairman Finance and Appropriation Committee of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Wahab Abiodun Egungbohun has urged Nigerian youths who are mostly students to become active citizens and use their freedom of speech to demand accountability and drive social change.
The lawmaker, representing Yewa North State Constituency (II) made the appealed while speaking as a guest speaker at the 2024 week of the Association of Mass communication (AMACOS) in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, the state capital.
Hon. Egungbohun who spoke on a topic "Freedom of Speech and Expression Connecting With Law Making and Communication" through his legislative aide, Mr Ahmed Oluseye, encouraged students to think critically and act responsibly, urging them to use their voices to speak truth to power and demand justice.
The lawmaker also encouraged the students on the impact of the internet on freedom of speech, including the benefits of increased accessibility and the risks of misinformation and hate speech.
He also called for responsible communication practices and the importance of protecting privacy and freedom of speech in the digital age.
His words "The future of our country lies in your hands. Use your voice to speak truth to power and demand justice. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, but it comes with great responsibility, use it to promote positive change and social justice".
In his remarks, the HOD of the department Mr Lekan Togunwa urged the students to remember that communication is key to social change, therefore charged them to use their skills to inspire, educate, and empower others.
In attendance included the Head of Department of Mass communication, Mr Lekan Togunwa, the Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Comrade Azeez Michael Ogunsiji, member of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Mr Saheed Adeola amongst others.
On his parts, the former President of AMACOS and Chairman SWAN in Ogun State, Comrade Michael Azeez Ogunsiji appealed to mass communication students to take their profession seriously and not allow experts from other fields to encroach on journalism.
According to him "Do not give room for professionals from other fields to take over journalism, you must take your profession seriously and strive for excellence in all you do.
"The future of journalism depends on you, do not compromise your values and ethics. Stay true to the principles of journalism and always seek to tell the stories that need to be told, Ogunsiji concluded.
The event also honoured Hon. Egungbohun with award for his remarkable contributions to law-making and youth empowerment.
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