PROFESSOR Adenike Akinjobi of the Department of English Studies, University of Ibadan, Friday, advocated for the promotion of the good use of language through a partnership between institutions of learning and media houses.
The University professor made this call while delivering a lecture on “Newsroom and Classroom: Need for better collaboration,” as the guest speaker at the Nigerian Union of Journalist 2018 Press Day Lecture at Tribune Nigeria Newspaper Press Chapel, Imalefalafia, Ibadan.
Language, a vital tool in the newsroom and the classroom, must be learned in order to gain competence in its usage. Therefore, it is imperative that journalists collaborate with the school environment to carry out research and investigation that can promote the good usthe e of the English language.
“Journalists need to acquire investigation and research skills, which they can share with the school environment,” Professor Akinjobi noted.
In addition to this, the English language don charged journalists to be the model that youths can emulate to develop good use of language. “Journalists are supposed to be models and the newsroom a place where flawless language usage among students is cooked.”
Therefore she advised pressmen to always make the dictionary their companion so that as they learn on the job they can also influence the good use of the English language among youths that read their work.
“Dictionary is a very vital tool for proficient learning and writing and as such, every journalist must have one.” Professor Akinjobi stated.
Meanwhile, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, Former Super Eagles Technical Adviser and Chairman of the occasion, also implored sports journalists to get trained on the technicalities and register of their beat.
“We can’t stop learning, I, therefore, advice sports writers to organise technical seminars to equip them with the knowledge of what they are writing about,” the instructor
Mr Felix Adenaike, former Managing Director, Nigerian Tribune, also urged all journalists to ensure that they keep reading as “reading makes a full man.”
