Prof. Umar Pate, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Kashere (FUK), Gombe State, has called on young Nigerians to sharpen their digital awareness and media literacy, warning that gadgets without wisdom can become weapons of self-destruction. He stressed that understanding how to handle and deploy digital tools responsibly is no longer optional in today’s fast-paced information age.
Pate made the charge while delivering a paper at the 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies of Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola, on Friday. His presentation, titled “Building Trust Amidst Conflict: Communication, Leadership and the Promise of Peaceful Co-existence in Nigeria”, examined the delicate link between communication, leadership and national harmony.
Sounding a note of caution, the university don warned against the spread of fake news, hate speech and sensational reporting, describing them as sparks capable of setting society ablaze. According to him, careless communication fuels violence and deepens social fractures.
“We should not be tools in the hands of our devices, rather we should use them as tools to solve our communication issues positively,” Pate said.
“The devices can be disruptive, time and resource demanding, alienating and very addictive.
“Therefore, let us be guided for the devices to be positively used for peace building and peaceful co-existence instead of keeping them as tools for destroying our communities and nation.”
He further noted that trust-building in a country as diverse as Nigeria does not happen by chance or overnight. Rather, he explained, it must be deliberately cultivated through conscious national choices reflected in daily communication, leadership conduct and interpersonal relationships.
For journalists and communicators, Pate said the burden is even heavier, requiring reporting that is sensitive to conflict, anchored on thorough fact-checking and free from the poison of hate speech and sensationalism. He added that media professionals must intentionally project the voices of peace advocates, not just those who profit from chaos and violence.
