FIC Report (Abia State) – Dr. Alex Otti, urged media practitioners to embrace their critical role as cultural architects and catalysts for societal transformation by letting their work “speak louder than their noise.”
This stirring charge came during the opening of the 2025 Vision Africa Media Institute held in Umuahia, with the theme: “Image Makers: Shaping Culture, Inspiring Change Through Media.” and charged journalists to go beyond headlines to embrace storytelling that inspires trust, shapes public perception, and drives positive societal change.
Represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, Governor Otti emphasized that in a world driven by perceptions and digital narratives, the media must go beyond reportage to become active partners in nation-building, integrity, and accountability.
“We are not just resurfacing roads; we are rebuilding trust,” Governor Otti said. “And in this process, we need men and women of the media who will document truth, inspire action, and elevate our people’s aspirations.”
Calling Vision Africa a “vision factory and cradle for conscience-driven communicators,” Otti applauded the organization and its founder, Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, for sustaining the impactful media training initiative for 12 consecutive years.
He charged the young professionals undergoing training to ask themselves three pivotal questions:
What story am I telling?
Whose voice am I amplifying?
What future am I inspiring through this story?
He further challenged participants to lead by example in their various media spheres, stating:“In your little corner, lead by example. Don’t worry if people criticize you, just stay focused and let your work speak louder than their noise.”
The governor described media professionals as “curators of perception and custodians of context”, noting that their words, images, and stories define public consciousness and must be handled with depth, responsibility, and value.
“Together, we will tell a better Abia story. Together, we will inspire a new culture of governance. And together, we will shape change that is real, visible, and sustainable.”
The two-day conference brought together a mix of local and international media experts, with sessions on media planning, AI in writing, leadership during crises, digital storytelling, ethics in journalism, Basic interview skills, Media resourcing, Production and storytelling track, Building community, Listener engagement, Writing for social media ,etc.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Troy Miller, President and CEO of NRBTV, emphasized the spiritual and moral obligation of the media to tell the truth.
“Any media that does not tell the truth will not be trusted by society,” he warned, underscoring the theme’s relevance in today’s polarized and image-saturated media landscape.
Dr. Miller described journalists and broadcasters as “the image of truth of God on earth,” stressing their influence on how society perceives itself and its future.
In his closing remarks, Bishop Onuoha, the visionary founder of Vision Africa, thanked the board and international faculty of the Institute based in Dallas, Texas, for their sustained commitment.
He urged participants to apply their newly acquired skills in shaping a better media culture rooted in ethics, truth, and community service.
The 2025 Vision Africa Media Institute Conference ended on a high note, with participants committing to be storytellers who inspire hope, amplify the voices of the marginalized, and use the power of the pen and lens to shape a just, informed, and progressive society.
Signed
Abiakam Gloria Ify
HOC, FIC, Abia State
26-06-2025.
